Dr. Young Choi is a board certified ophthalmologist who specializes in the diagnosis and treatment of disease in the eye’s anterior segment. Dr. Choi is fellowship trained in refractive surgical procedures and is respected for his innovative treatment options.

Dr. Choi was the first surgeon in the world to perform a bilateral Intraocular Collamer Lens (ICL) procedure on a child and presented this landmark case at the 2006 American Academy of Ophthalmology meeting. In addition to this significant achievement, Dr. Choi performed the first ICL procedure in Tennessee. Dr. Choi has also given presentations on keratoconus treatments including INTACS and has assisted other ophthalmology practices in developing protocols for the detection of keratoconus in LASIK patients.

Not only is Dr. Choi a leading provider of lens-based refractive procedures, but he has also performed thousands of LASIK procedures. Additionally, Dr. Choi offers presbyopic lens exchange procedures and uses innovative surgical techniques such as micro-incision cataract surgery.

Dr. Choi received his medical degree from the Loma Linda University in California in 2001. He then completed his internship in general surgery in 2002 and received the “Intern of the Year” award from the Department of Plastic Surgery. During his ophthalmology residency, Dr. Choi trained under the highly acclaimed Dr. Howard Gimbel at Loma Linda Medical Center.

In 2006, Dr. Choi completed his fellowship in refractive surgery with one of the foremost ophthalmologists world-wide, Dr. Pallikaris in Crete, Greece.

Darrell E. Wolfley, M.D. is an ophthalmic plastic surgeon specializing in surgical procedures of the eyelids, the orbit, forehead, cheeks, and lacrimal drainage system.

A Cum Laude graduate of the University of Utah with a Bachelor of Science degree, Dr. Wolfley then graduated with honors from Northwest University Medical School where he was elected to membership in Alpha Omega Alpha Medical Society. After completing a straight medicine internship with the University of Washington in Seattle, Dr. Wolfley then completed ophthalmology residency at Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tennessee and Tripler Army Medical Center in Honolulu, Hawaii. After completion of his tour of duty in the U.S. Army, Dr. Wolfley then did a fellowship in ophthalmic plastics and reconstructive surgery at New York Medical College in New York, NY.

Prior to joining VisionAmerica, Dr. Wolfley was Professor of Ophthalmology and Director of Ophthalmic Plastics and Reconstructive Surgery at Louisiana State University in New Orleans, Georgetown University in Washington, D.C., and Yale University in New Haven, Connecticut.

He is certified by the American Board of Ophthalmology and is a Fellow in the American Society of Ophthalmic Plastics and Reconstructive Surgery. He is one of only twenty ophthalmologists in the United States certified by the American Society of Ophthalmic Plastics Surgery to train younger ophthalmologists in the field of Ophthalmic Plastics and Reconstructive surgery. He is recognized nationally and internationally as an outstanding surgeon and a gifted teacher. He has been visiting professor and guest lecturer in more than thirty different Universities and ten different countries.

Dr. Paul Batson specializes in the diagnosis and management of complex eye diseases as well as the pre and post operative management of a variety of surgical procedures. As VisionAmerica’s Center Director, he works very closely in the refractive surgery area.

He received his Bachelor of Science degree from Samford University and his Doctor of Optometry from the University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Optometry. While at UAB, he was elected to membership of the Phi Kappa Alpha Honor Society.

In addition to his duties as Center Director, Dr. Batson is serves on the UAB School of Optometry faculty as Assistant Clinical Professor. He lectures on a variety of topics including refractive surgery and management of ocular diseases.

He is a member of the American Optometric Association, Alabama Optometric Association and the Birmingham Area Optometric Society. He currently serves as the President for the Alabama Optometric Association.

He currently serves as a member of the Alabama Optometric Association Board of Directors, having just completed a 3 year commitment as Chairman of the Continuing Education Committee. In 2003, Dr. Batson was recognized by his peers as the Alabama Young Optometrist of the Year.

Dr. Batson is married and has two daughters. In his spare time, he enjoys golf and spending time with his family.

Specializing in medical and surgical diseases of the anterior segment of the eye, Dr. McCurdy focuses on cataract, corneal transplants, and procedures for glaucoma.

He is respected by his peers for his unique one handed bevel-down cataract surgery techniques and has performed over 20,000 cataract surgeries in his medical career.

He is board-certified by the American Board of Ophthalmology and is also a member of the American Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgery as well as the American College of Eye Surgeons.

Dr. McCurdy graduated Cum Laude from the University of North Carolina in 1973. While at UNC, he was a member of Phi Beta Kappa National Honor Society. Upon graduation, he attended the University of North Carolina School of Medicine and graduated in 1977. He completed his residency in ophthalmology in 1981 at North Carolina Memorial Hospital. Following his residency, he practiced at Carolina Eye Associates in Charlotte, North Carolina.

Dr. McCurdy has been a part of VisionAmerica in Birmingham, Alabama since 1993, traveling to many satellite offices in Northern and Western Alabama.

In his spare time, Dr. McCurdy loves to play golf.

Dr. James W. Marbourg received his Bachelor of Science degrees in Aerospace Engineering, Physiological Optics, and in 1977, a Doctorate of Optometry from the University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Optometry.

Dr. Marbourg was in private practice in Birmingham as well as on the faculty of the UAB School of Optometry from 1977-1992. He joined the Center in 1992 and also serves as a Regional Vice President for VisionAmerica.

Dr. Mamta D. Somaiya is a board eligible ophthalmologist specializing in diagnosis and treatment of retinal and vitreous disease. Her advanced training and surgical skills are particularly recognized in the treatment of macular degeneration, severe eye injuries, and surgery of the macula.

Dr. Somaiya graduated from Houston Baptist and later received her medical degree from the Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, TX. An outstanding medical student in her class, Dr. Somaiya went on to complete a residency at The University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston, TX. She later completed retina surgical fellowships with the National Retina Institute and with Retina Consultants of Alabama. After Dr. Somaiya's fellowship in Birmingham she worked with a private multi-specality practice in Dothan, AL. With her exceptional academic acheivement and medical experience, we are excited to have Dr. Somaiya on our VisionAmerica team. Since she began practicing with VisionAmerica, she has expanded her coverage to serve the retina needs of her patients in four centers in Alabama: Birmingham, Gadsden, Cullman, and Anniston.

Dr. Somaiya has published numerous articles and has provided several professional presentations. Additionally, she has participated in the training of other vitreoretinal physicians. Having not only contributed in these professional endeavors but also in the care of her patients, Dr. Somaiya has made a significant impact within the medical community.

Dr. Somaiya is a member of the American Academy of Ophthalmology, American Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgery, American Association of Physicians of Indian Origin, and Callahan Eye Foundation Hospital Retina Club.

Irene H. Ludwig earned her M.D. degree from the Cornell University Medical College in 1979. She performed her internship in general surgery at the University of Virginia Hospital in Charlottesville, Virginia. She then served as a resident in Ophthalmology at the Cleveland Clinical Foundation in Cleveland, Ohio. Following two years of research at the National Eye Institute in Bethesda, Maryland, she then took a fellowship in Pediatric Ophthalmology at the Children’s Hospital National Medical Center in Washington, D.C. In 1986, she joined the staff of Mary Imogene Bassett Hospital, Cooperstown, New York, where she was appointed to the position of Clinical Assistant Professor of Ophthalmology, Albany Medical College of Union University. In 1992, she joined the faculty at LSU Eye Center in New Orleans, where she is an Assistant Professor and performs teaching and research in new surgical techniques. Dr. Irene Ludwig is widely known for her innovative new technologies in adult and children’s eye surgery.

Dr. Irene Ludwig is a member of the American Academy of Ophthalmology, Associate Member of the American Ophthalmological Society, the American Association of Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus and the Costenbader Society and is a diplomat of the American Board of Ophthalmology. Her accomplishments in the field of Pediatric Ophthalmology include lecturing at scientific meetings and publications of a number of ophthalmological papers.

Dr. Ludwig has other areas of research interest including: the connection between strabismus and sinus disease, improved surgical techniques of superior oblique palsy, and a new repair of diplopia caused by orbital fracture.