Greer Geiger, MD

Bio

I am a native of Atlanta, Georgia. I am a graduate of Spelman College there. I spent my senior year of College at the University of Edinburgh in Scotland studying Physiology, Histology and Psychobiology at their Medical School. I applied to medical school during my junior year of college, as I knew I would be out of the country my senior year, and was accepted at Harvard Medical School while I was in Scotland. I went from Scotland to Boston and did research in Physiology with Dr. Clifford Barger at Harvard the summer preceding Medical School.

I am an artist and I also like the "Sherlock Holmes" aspect of figuring out what patient's problems are in Internal Medicine. My second year in medical school I was trying to figure what discipline in medicine to study. We did a "rotation" that included Dermatology, Ear Nose and Throat and Ophthalmology. The artist in me was fascinated by the ability to observe patterns in the retina (at the back of the eye) which required fine detail observations. The Internist in me was thrilled with the ability to extrapolate from clinical findings in the eye and make probable systemic diagnoses from findings in someone's eyes! The surgical skills required were very delicate, requiring good hand eye coordination...the artist in me and the Internist had found a great fit. I have always appreciated working with things that are challenging!

I did my Internship in Internal Medicine at Beth Israel Hospital in Boston. I knew I would be caring for patients with multiple systemic illnesses and interfacing with their other physicians in managing the whole patient. I also wanted to be prepared to be a resource who can assist other physicians with added insight and guidance.

I did my ophthalmology Residency at University of California San Francisco in Ophthalmology. I did a Fellowship in Cornea and External diseases there as well. I did a Cornea fellowship while planning on a Retina Fellowship as I was preparing myself for managing acute eye trauma emergencies where skills in both disciplines is very helpful.

I did my Retina Fellowship at Scripps Clinic in San Diego which included management of Eye Inflammatory Diseases. I also spent 3 months at The Johns Hopkins Medical School exclusively studying Vitreo-retinal Surgery with the late Ron Michaels and Dr. Bert Glaser.

In 1987 I began the first Retina Service at Kaiser Permanente Vallejo. In 1991 I returned South to Birmingham to attend to family matters after my father passed and began private practice for 14 years.

I enjoyed my time at Kaiser Permanente along with the collegial non-competitive atmosphere. I recently made the decision to return and I have no regrets about the choice.

My Medical Specialty

More details about my specialty:

Vitreo-retinal Surgery and Medical Retina lets me use all my talents to the utmost. I am able to restore sight for persons with sudden vision loss which is very rewarding and I am able to assist other doctors in figuring out some of the complex problems their patients present with. My work overlaps with the Rheumatologist, Neurologist, Endocrinologist, Internist, Family Practitioner, Infectious Disease specialist and many others.

Many of the problems that affect us systemically can also affect our eyes. Being able to differentiate those eye findings can help provide evidence of a bigger systemic problem while at the same time narrowing the list of possible causes. Eye findings are like fingerprints...many times "nothing else looks like" a certain finding, which very specifically guides us to answers.

My specialty interests and affiliations within my field:

I am a Fellow of the American Academy of Ophthalmology for which Board Certification is required. I am also a member of the American Society of Retinal Specialists. I have been a guest lecturer at these and other State and National Meetings on Vitreo-retinal subjects.

I have been named in Best Doctors in America for the past 12 years which is an honor recommended by community medical colleagues.

I have served as President of the Alabama Academy of Ophthalmology for 2 consecutive terms and served on the Board of the Jefferson County Medical Society and Jefferson County Board of Health as well as serving as Chairman of that Board.

I have served as Assistant Clinical Professor in Ophthalmology at the University of California San Francisco, University of California Davis, and University of Alabama at Birmingham. I continue to enjoy Clinical teaching and will likely resume teaching after I get the new Retina Service at Santa Rosa off and running!!

Current projects or research:

I am preparing to begin a clinical trial at Santa Rosa for a new treatment for Macular Degeneration. Kaiser Santa Rosa will be at the leading edge of this new treatment which looks promising for improving sight in patients with early Wet Macular Degeneration.

An interesting story from my training:

One summer while in college, I was contemplating doing a health careers summer program. I had just met my future mentor and future chemistry teacher, Dr Henry Cecil McBay. I shared my plans with him and he leaned back with a frown on his face and said, "Why do that? That is remedial work ...go do something unique!"

Spurred by his comment I saw the flashbulb go off and instead did laboratory research in biochemistry at a Harvard-affiliated hospital that summer with Dr Eugene Knox. It opened the door for realizing that people at the "famous institutions" ate bread and drank milk like I do and that they mainly had a lot more "history"! I have rarely been daunted by challenges since.

Photos from My Training Years or of Practicing Medicine in My Field:

Greer Geiger

In Office

Interests

My favorite book or author:
Carry Me Home by Diane McWhorter

Hobby Photos & Links:

clown fish

Sea Cucumber

Lion Fish

Truk lagoon Wreck

Lobster

Octopus

Moray

Puffer

Photo Divers

Turtle

Turtle 2

My sailing club and some of our adventures. Loose network of friends.

Family & Friends

People in my life:

My parents are deceased. I have not been married and I do not have children. I am still waiting to meet the right gentleman. I am a giving person and I recognize I need that giving nature in a partner.

This is a picture of my sisters, brother, niece and nephew.

My children and people I care about:

Bill and Kathy are among my very best friends. They have been buddies for years as well. Bill and I met when he was at MIT and I was at Harvard. I used to study at the MIT library because they were open all night so I did not have to leave until I was ready. We would occasionally take a study break over a yogurt...we never socialized beyond that. We met again years later in Birmingham. He was the one who remembered where we had met. I asked him why we had never known each other better. He replied "you looked like a woman on a mission," referring to my books piled high at the study carol. He was right because if I was at the all night library, I was usually preparing for major exams. We made up for lost time while I was in Birmingham.

Kathy is a rare jewel of a person. She is a descendant of a major steel industry family. You have never met a more down to earth person. She has a biiiiggg heart and lives modestly while giving of herself constantly. She runs a property development company and is almost single handedly responsible for spearheading community development in Birmingham. Bill is an Engineer and Architect and is the head of Engineering and Planning for the City. As friends, they get to work together on projects to improve the City. They are among the most honest, open, straight shooting people I know. It is great to have such people in your life.

An interesting story about my family or friends:

I recently went to a family reunion in Jacksonville Florida. While I was in Birmingham I found out about a town named Geiger in west Alabama. The namesake for the town was David Geiger from Columbia, South Carolina. I knew my Grandfather and his brother were from Columbia, South Carolina. Another relative had a picture of my Great Great Grandfather who also was from Columbia, which happened to be a picture of David Geiger that the Alabama town was named for. I am currently digging deeper to find out more about the family connections.

Photos of my Family & Friends:

Mom and Dad

I have recently adopted a female Tabby cat. Her previous owner named her Tigers, so I have continued the same.

Travel

An adventure I've had:

I have had multiple adventures being adventuresome by nature. I have traveled many places in the world. One very interesting one was a visit to Anshan, China for the signing of a sister city agreement as a member and Chairman of our Board of Public Health for the City of Birmingham, Alabama.

We toured their local health care facilities along with their traditional Chinese Medicine facility and pharmacy.

We toured the City as foreign officials and visited Beijing, Guilin, and Xiang as well. Seeing the Great Wall, Forbidden City, Terra Cotta Soldiers and the Li River are lifetime memories.

Favorite place in the world:

The Seychelles Islands are among the most unique in the world. They are tropical islands near Madagascar, in the Indian Ocean and are the only such islands with large Granite outcroppings. They have a surreal beauty and because of their isolation remain largely unspoiled. There are many small islands and many are wildlife refuges with similar animals to what one sees in the Galapagos Islands, including large tortoises.

http://www.aspureasitgets.com/en/

A Photo of One of My Favorite Places:

La Digue