Elizabeth Yeu

About Elizabeth Yeu

Assistant Professor of Ophthalmology, Eastern Virginia Medical School, Cornea, Cataract, External Disease, Refractive Surgery, Virginia Eye Consultants, Medical Director, CVP Mid-Atlantic, Norfolk, Virginia, USA

Why is it important to celebrate women in ophthalmology with this list?

It is powerful to acknowledge the successes of the whole, and of specific pockets or groups of people who may have been less traditionally recognized in years prior. It is important to recognize and celebrate the achievements of the different faces who are paving the way in ophthalmology.

What can be done to make the field more diverse?

In this time of increasing societal appreciation for cultural, gender, age, and social diversity, this awareness must be embraced professionally as well. Our field has an almost equally proportional number of young men and women entering the profession, and significant contributions in innovation, education, research, and clinical medicine are being made by those with varying backgrounds. None of us should allow central dogma or glass ceilings to limit our own potential. It is good to see that many aspects of our field (such as industry, academia) are creating greater leadership opportunities for individuals in areas that may have not been accessible to them in prior generations.

Outside of work, what makes you happy?

Consciously putting my family first, and conscientiously following through, provides tremendous peace of mind and satisfaction. I vowed to not miss the bigger milestones or achievements, like recitals and ceremonies. More valuable are the little windows and pockets of time that I invest daily (or almost daily) to my family. A seemingly small example would be that the pandemic has opened up my weekends, and I have more time to dedicate to my family, like preparing meals for them. In a way, while the pandemic created a pause button to some aspects of my professional life, this restrictive time has swung open large doors of growth and happiness in my personal life.