Dr. Niraj Desai is a board-certified ophthalmologist and Chief Medical Officer at Milan Eye
Center. He sees patients and operates out of the Alpharetta and Cumming offices, each of
which has an accredited surgery center on site, and he has cared for the greater North
Atlanta community for more than a decade.
Dr. Desai is both a surgeon and a clinician. His weeks run between the operating room and
clinic, where he sees consultations and follows many of his surgical patients through their
recovery. Alongside him through nearly all of it is Lauren, his scribe and the one who
somehow does it all. Over more than fifteen years, this has led to thousands of procedures,
but more importantly to time spent in the company of a great many wonderful patients, who
have left them with more inspiration, more memories, and more laughter than either would
have thought to expect.
Cataract and lens surgery
Corneal surgery
Refractive surgery
Vision correction has been central to Dr. Desai’s practice since his fellowship, and he offers
the full range of procedures rather than steering every patient toward one. Which option fits
depends on a person’s prescription, corneal anatomy, age, and what they want their vision
to do for them, and that conversation is where most consultations begin.
Dr. Desai regularly works through complex cases and problems that have proven difficult to
solve elsewhere. Patients often come to him for a second or third opinion, and colleagues
call on him when a case has not gone the way anyone hoped. He has also had the privilege
of caring for physicians and optometrists, for many of Milan Eye Center’s nurses and staff
members, and for their families. Being trusted by people who know exactly what the surgery
involves is something he remains grateful for.
He also manages complex ocular surface and dry eye problems, particularly the ones that
have not responded to standard treatment or that stand in the way of a good surgical result.
Much of that work happens in preparation for surgery, where getting the ocular surface right
is what makes an accurate outcome possible.
Dr. Desai earned his medical degree at the Medical College of Georgia and completed an
internal medicine internship at the University of Hawaii. His ophthalmology residency was at
the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, where the military
ophthalmology program gave him early and unusually deep exposure to femtosecond and
excimer laser technology under some of the best refractive surgeons then working. He
completed his fellowship in cornea, refractive surgery, and external disease at the University
of California, Irvine, training under the late Roger F. Steinert, MD, Marjan Farid, MD, and
Sumit “Sam” Garg, MD. While practicing in Southern California, he continued to teach as a
voluntary clinical instructor in the resident clinic.
Teaching has stayed part of his work. In 2019 he founded Milan Eye Center’s quarterly
Grand Rounds, an internal case conference for the practice’s physicians, residents, externs,
and interns that he still organizes and presents at today. Alongside the case discussions,
the group reviews journal articles and new literature that can be put to use in day-to-day
clinical practice. He has delivered more than 75 hours of COPE-accredited lectures to
optometrists across the region, and he has served as invited faculty at the American Society
of Cataract and Refractive Surgery surgical skills labs, teaching phacoemulsification
technique to surgeons early in their careers. He co-authored a chapter on conjunctival
surgery in Ophthalmic Microsurgery: Principles, Techniques, and Applications (SLACK,
2014), written at the invitation of his fellowship mentors.
His surgical experience over the years, along with a genuine interest in technology that can
improve functional vision, has led to his being included in a small group of surgeons
nationwide invited to work with new lens designs ahead of their general release. He was the
first surgeon in Georgia to implant the TECNIS Symfony, Symfony OptiBlue, Synergy,
Odyssey, and PureSee IOLs, and he serves as a consultant and advisory board member to
Johnson & Johnson Vision.
He holds hospital affiliations at Northside Hospital Forsyth and Emory Johns Creek Hospital.
Outside the office, Dr. Desai is a husband and the father of two young children. The family
travels far and wide together and tends to seek out the experiences a little off the beaten
path wherever they land. Closer to home, he does CrossFit, hikes, and golfs, which he
admits puts him in good company. He volunteers with regional temples and local community
organizations, and he speaks English, Hindi, Gujarati, and clinical Spanish.
Whether you are considering surgery for the first time, looking for another opinion on
something that has not gone as planned, or a colleague with a patient who needs a closer
look, Dr. Desai and his team would be glad to hear from you. The door is open, and the
conversation usually starts with listening.
“I had to write a letter about y’all. I hadn’t gone to the eye doctor in a few years and went in July 2016 where I was told I had cataracts!!! I nearly had a heart attack. In my family, I was the one with “good” eyes. Needless to say I was extremely nervous. I had an appointment with Dr. Desai (I had seen an extremely nice and professional woman before Dr. Desai but I’m sorry I can’t remember her name). Dr. Desai met with me and explained (didn’t want the squeamish details) why I need to have cataract surgery. I then went to meet with Jayne the surgical coordinator and I pretty much broke down in her office. She hugged me and said everything was going to be ok. We arrived for our appointment and my heart was racing and I was pretty much freaking out. The nurse came to get me and took vitals, put an IV in me and tried to relax me. Dr. Desai came by and checked on me before I went in– and it was so cute… I think he put a smiley face over the right eye. I was wheeled into the surgery. Well the next thing I remember was… pulling up in my driveway and telling my husband I’m hungry and I want to go to Chic Fil A… he said we did… I replied NO we didn’t– he showed me the empty bag in the car! That afternoon I went outside and saw the actual leaves on the trees– not a cloudy, (like looking through a shower door)! For the past year I have asked my husband to clean my car windshields– it was fuzzy and cloudy and he did but I still couldn’t see out of the car clearly. Well now I know why! I had my 24 hour follow up with the OTHER Dr. Desai (Dr. Nutan Desai) at Hamilton Eye Care in Buford and it was amazing!! Then a 1 week follow up and now I’m GREAT!!! I can’t thank everyone enough for the professionalism, thoughtfulness with my fear, attention to detail (the pre-surgery bag had eye “cones” with extra tape, a very organized eye drop chart) and kindness! I’m sorry I can’t remember all the names of staff. But on the day of my left my eye surgery… I brought everyone home-made cookies! “I never knew how bad it was… until how good it is”… that’s what I now say about my eyes. Thank you again! Your “favorite” patient!!”
– S. Wagner, Buford, GA
“I have dealt with Dr. Desai since 2013. Since I lived and worked in five countries on three continents, I had the opportunity to deal with many doctors. Without any doubt I would rate him as one of the best. How I wish all the doctors show the same concern to their patients. I wish him the best.”
– Anonymous
“I had a wonderful experience at the Milan Eye Center with Dr. Desai. Dr. Desai made me understand what was happening with my eyes and how to best help me. Now I can see again. How Wonderful! Thank you Dr. Desai and Milan Eye Center!”
– L.H.
“I can’t express my appreciation deeply enough for the wonderful surgery Dr. Desai performed on my cataract on August 20th. It is a pleasure to be able to see street signs and other items so vividly. Now, I can’t wait to golf again and see the ball after hitting it down the fairway.Again, thanks for your professional service.”
– Forest P.
“There are not enough words to state how joyful I am with my improved vision. I had not realized how many modifications I had made in my life because of my poor vision. I had stopped reading for pleasure because I had difficulty with the print. Now I am back to reading at least a book a week. I no longer was attending functions at night because I had problems with night vision. Now I don’t have to be home before dark anymore. I can see all the wonderful colors the world has to offer.”
– Vickey C.
“I have worn trifocal glasses since the 70′s and I am thrilled that I no longer have to wear glasses. Not having to depend on a magnified glass to read my crosswords and recipes has been life changing. Being able to see gorgeous colors and the beauty of the land has made me so much happier. I feel younger and excited to wake up every morning.”
– Margaret G.
“Thank you for the wonderful job you did with the surgery on my eye. It is a real blessing to be able to see. Now I can enjoy again one of my favorite pastimes – reading.”
– Joyce C.
“I want to thank you for recommending the multifocal lens for the implant. The result has been outstanding and the vision in my right eye is clear and focused at all distances. I would like to thank you, your staff, and surgical center for the excellent care I received during my procedure. I can’t believe how fast the procedure and recovery time was. I heartily recommend you to anyone needing an exceptional eye surgeon.”
– Lynn B.
“I came to the conclusion to get the new lens implants which can give me the best vision possible and I am so thankful I did, because I am now seeing like I did when I was 20. I cannot believe how bad my vision had become until I had the cataract surgery. I wake up every day feeling so much clearer, and I’ve noticed (and my husband has noticed) that my mood is so much more happier. I no longer have to worry about driving at night, or worry about glasses at all.”
– Anonymous
“I had a wonderful experience at the Milan Eye Center with Dr. Desai. Dr. Desai made me understand what was happening with my eyes and how to best help me. Now I can see again. How Wonderful! Thank you Dr. Desai and Milan Eye Center!”
– Jennifer P.
“Being a professional photographer, although apprehensive about having eye surgery, now I can see so much better since the great job you did. Now I don’t need my glasses that I’ve worn for 50 years. I could just kiss you, but since I really don’t know you all that well, please accept one my photographs as a little token of my gratitude to remember me by. Thanking you forever.”
– G.P.
“My experience with your group was exceptional! I was very nervous, but the surgery and recovery were well explained. Special thanks to Dr. Desai. I’m sure my worries were unnerving, but his good humor and encouragement were much appreciated. I have given your groups name to several friends the local family medicine doctor here in the Big Canoe area – Dr. Nahid Sultana, was glad to hear of my exceptional experience. She has your groups name and that of Dr. Brett Bordner for further referrals. Thank you again”
– L.S.