Charles D Leahy, OD, MS

Dr. Charles Leahy is an optometrist in the Optometry and Contact Lens Service at Mass. Eye and Ear. His clinical interests include contact lenses and the optimization of contact comfort, giant papillary conjunctivitis, keratoconus, ocular surface trauma, meibomian gland disease, and dry eye. He also treats patients post-trauma and post-surgery.

Dr. Leahy earned his Doctorate of Optometry at the New England College of Optometry, where he received the Valedictory Award and the Award of Excellence for Further Studies.

Dr. Leahy's research interests include contact lenses, tear film, and the ocular surface. Most notably, he studies products that help enhance contact lens comfort. He has developed several patents and products based on his research in ophthalmic drug delivery, including drug releasing materials and device designs, as well as products used to care for contacts, thus improving their physiology and comfort.

A dedicated educator, Dr. Leahy has been teaching for more than 30 years. In 1987, he worked with optometrists in Tel Aviv, Israel, to determine the initial feasibility of optometry curriculum within first and second year medical school education in Israel. He advocates for contact lenses as medical devices instead of a disposable consumer commodity to encourage long term contact lens success and safety, and he continues to promote the clinical use of specialty contact lenses, including the latest developments in materials and designs.

Clinical Interests

Primary eye care, contact lens evaluation and fitting, clinical investigation of new ophthalmic products