Richard L. Rabin, M.D.
Vice Chair of Ophthalmology
John Muir Medical Center
Richard L. Rabin, M.D., a Board Certified ophthalmologist specializing in glaucoma, cataract surgery, and general ophthalmology began practicing in Walnut Creek in 2019. Dr. Rabin comes to Walnut Creek after spending a year in Sacramento at a high volume refractive, cataract, and glaucoma surgical practice. Dr. Rabin completed his fellowship with renowned glaucoma and cataract surgeon, Dr. Douglas Rhee at Case Western Reserve University. Dr. Rabin specializes in the latest medical and surgical glaucoma care including minimally invasive glaucoma surgery (MIGS) as well as the latest cataract techniques and premium lens technology including multifocal lens implantation, laser vision correction, and astigmatism correction.
Dr. Rabin is a Diplomat of the American Board of Ophthalmology and a Fellow of the American Academy of Ophthalmology. He completed the Accelerated Physician Scientist program graduating magna cum laude from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and completed medical school at Albany Medical College. This combined undergraduate-medical school program is highly selective and emphasizes translational medicine, bringing research from the lab bench to the patient’s bedside. Dr. Rabin studied retinal stem cells and designed an in-vitro model of macular degeneration.
After a year-long internal medicine internship at St. Mary’s Medical Center in San Francisco, Dr. Rabin went on to complete his ophthalmology residency at Nassau University Medical Center in Long Island, New York. During residency he treated a wide variety of complex eye diseases and was selected to be Chief Resident. He also completed a two month surgical rotation at Columbia Presbyterian Medical Center, which allowed him to learn advanced surgical techniques from a multitude of top surgeons. Dr. Rabin spent time with Eric Donnenfeld, M.D., a refractive surgery pioneer, to learn LASIK and PRK. Dr. Rabin also completed the seven week Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary Didactic and Lab Course.
Enthralled by the progress being made in glaucoma care, Dr. Rabin chose to do a glaucoma fellowship in order to be at the forefront of the glaucoma revolution and to learn to care for patients with the best technologies available. He completed a fellowship in glaucoma and complex cataract surgery at the prestigious Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, Ohio.
His well-rounded training allows Dr. Rabin to manage numerous ocular conditions including glaucoma, diabetes, macular degeneration, dry eye, dermatochalasis, entropion, ectropion, inflammatory conditions of the eye, optic nerve and visual field disorders.
Dr. Rabin stays up to date on the latest research and technology in eye care so that he can best serve his patients. Some of the procedures and surgeries he performs include LASIK, PRK, cataract, laser-assisted cataract, iStent, iStent Inject, Kahook Dual Blade, Omni viscodilation/goniotomy, iTrack Gonioscopy Assisted Transluminal Trabeculotomy (GATT), Ab-Interno Canaloplasty (ABiC), Transscleral MicroPulse CPC, Trabectome, Xen, trabeculectomy, Ahmed Valve, Baerveldt Implant, YAG capsulotomy, YAG iridotomy, Selective Laser Trabeculoplasty (SLT), upper and lower blepharoplasty, Botox treatment, pterygium excision, Salzmann nodule excision, chalazion treatment, entropion and ectropion repair (lateral tarsal strip), eyebrow lift.
Dr. Rabin’s research has been presented at many scientific meetings and he has published numerous articles expanding the field of ophthalmology. These articles include current treatments in glaucoma, drug-induced eye pathology, neuro-ophthalmology, and macular degeneration. His most recent publications include “Co-management of cataract and glaucoma in the era of minimally invasive glaucoma surgery”, published in 2018 in Current Opinion in Ophthalmology, and “Ab-Interno Trabeculotomy“, a book chapter in Minimally Invasive Glaucoma Surgery released January 2021.
Dr. Rabin grew up in Mill Valley, California, and is thrilled to finally return to the Bay Area since going to college and medical school in New York over 13 years ago. He met his wife, Chloe, during his final year of medical school just after she had begun her first job at the same medical center. She is a labor and delivery nurse and specializes in high risk care. She will be joining Dr. Rabin part time to assist in the office. They are both very excited to be joining the community in Walnut Creek. In his free time, Dr. Rabin enjoys spending time with his family, playing tennis, skiing, astronomy, learning golf, ballroom dancing, traveling, and working on cars.