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Home > DC Providers > Retina Specialists

Dr. Vinay Natver Desai, MD

(Dr. Vinay N. Desai, M.D.)

(6 Ratings)

Specializes in: Vitreoretinal Diseases (Retina and Vitreous)

Professional interests include: fundus photography, tonometry, optical coherence tomography (OCT), and more.

3800 Reservoir Road Nw
Washington, DC 20007

(202) 444-2000

Dr. Vinay Natver Desai, MD is a retina specialist in Washington, DC specializing in vitreoretinal diseases (retina and vitreous). Dr. Vinay Natver Desai, MD is affiliated with MedStar Georgetown University Hospital, MedStar Washington Hospital Center and MedStar Health.

Office Locations

110 Irving Street Nw
Washington, DC 20010

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110 N Washington Street Suite 204
Rockville, MD 20850

(301) 315-2198

(301) 315-2187

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MedStar Health

3800 Reservoir Road Nw
Washington, DC 20007

(202) 444-2000

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600 Jefferson Plaza Suite 320
Rockville, MD 20852

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Some issues Dr. Vinay Natver Desai, MD can help you with:

LASIK

LASIK (laser-assisted in situ keratomileusis) is a surgical procedure that improves vision by permanently correcting refractive vision errors. Refractive vision errors are sight problems (such as nearsightedness, farsightedness, and astigmatism) that typically require patients to wear contact lenses or glasses. Nearsightedness (myopia) causes blurred vision at a distance, while farsightedness (hyperopia) makes objects that are up close appear blurry. Astigmatism results in blurred vision at both near and far distances. Each eye is either nearsighted or farsighted, and can additionally have astigmatism. These refractive vision errors develop from imperfections in the curvature of the eye, which LASIK fixes through the use of a laser. The laser changes the shape of the eye by cutting away tissue from the cornea (clear outer layer of the eye).

LASIK is generally considered an elective procedure (not medically necessary) since patients can wear glasses or contact lenses instead of undergoing LASIK. Nevertheless, many people still elect to undergo LASIK to have better vision without having to wear corrective lenses. Certain professionals, such as pilots, military members, firefighters, and athletes, might particularly benefit from LASIK.

Ophthalmologists (eye doctors) evaluate patients before surgery, measuring the cornea and checking for any eye irregularities that would disqualify patients from LASIK. A special eye scanner is used to create a map of the cornea. This map guides the surgeon in developing an individualized LASIK treatment plan. Once approved for LASIK, contact-wearers are advised to switch to glasses for the three weeks leading up to their surgery.

LASIK is a brief procedure, lasting for about half an hour, depending on the state of a patient's eyes and the corneal reshaping required. Patients lie down on a reclining chair and have numbing eye drops applied to one or both eyes to eliminate pain and discomfort during the procedure. While the eyes are held open by a device, the eye surgeon raises a fixation light where patients direct their eyes. The surgeon uses a femtosecond laser to cut a precise circular incision in the cornea's surface. The surgeon then manually folds back the corneal flap to access the stroma (inner cornea).

An excimer laser is then used to remove certain amounts of corneal tissue. For patients with farsightedness, the laser cuts tissue on the outer regions of the cornea, making the central cornea more prominent. For patients with nearsightedness, the opposite is done; central corneal tissue is removed while the outer tissue is left alone, flattening the eye. In patients with astigmatism, the laser is used to even out the surface of the corneal tissue, making the eye more spherical. When the lasering process is complete, the ophthalmologist folds the corneal flap to its regular position. The flap quickly begins to heal and naturally reattach itself to the eye.

LASIK patients need someone to drive them home from the procedure and cannot drive for the following 24 hours. Recovery from LASIK lasts about five days. Patients typically notice improved vision within a day or two of surgery. Prescription eye drops are given to patients to alleviate discomfort and promote eye healing. During this recovery time, patients must be incredibly careful not to touch or rub their eyes. Ophthalmologists often instruct patients to wear protective glasses during the day and night to prevent potential damage from eye rubbing.

LASIK can improve the experience of certain activities such as swimming or reading, and in some cases, LASIK can be a life-changing procedure for those with severe refractive vision errors. LASIK may also save patients money by eliminating the recurring need for updated corrective lenses.

In The News

“An early-stage retinal tear can be treated in an eye doctor's office with laser surgery that creates a weld around the edges of the tear and usually keeps the retina from detaching, according to...”—"If a shadow appears in your vision, don't risk going blind like I did", Bangor Daily News, May 2013

Noteworthy Medicare Patient Procedures Performed by Dr. Vinay Natver Desai, MD in 2023

Click on any procedure below to see further details on volume and pricing among Medicare patients.

Top 5%

By Volume:

comprehensive eye exam

In 2023, Dr. Vinay Natver Desai, MD performed more comprehensive eye exam procedures for Medicare patients than 95% of providers in related specialties within District of Columbia.

Top 10%

By Volume:

eye procedures

SCODI of the posterior segment

In 2023, Dr. Vinay Natver Desai, MD performed more eye procedures, and SCODI of the posterior segment (SCODI-P) procedures for Medicare patients than 90% of providers in related specialties within District of Columbia.

Top 25%

By Volume:

diagnostic B-scan

eye injection

By Affordability:

fundus photography

photocoagulation

retinal photocoagulation

In 2012, among providers in related specialties within District of Columbia, Dr. Vinay Natver Desai, MD performed more diagnostic B-scan, and eye injection procedures for Medicare patients than 75% of them and he also had a list price for fundus photography, photocoagulation, and retinal photocoagulation that was lower than the list prices billed to Medicare by 75% of them. Actual amounts paid by patients can vary widely depending on a number of factors, including insurance coverage. A lower list price, however, might mean lower fees when paying without insurance.

Medicare Procedure and Patient Information

2012 Medicare Procedure Volume

The top procedures that Dr. Vinay Natver Desai, MD treated as a retina specialist in Washington, DC during 2012 were eye procedures, injections, photocoagulation and diagnostic imaging.

Volume of procedures performed by Dr. Vinay Natver Desai, MD for Medicare patients.

diagnostic imaging	93
doctor visit	251
eye procedures	6206
injections	743
photocoagulation	150
prophylaxis (preventive treatment)	16
ultrasound (sonogram)	93

Medicare Procedure and Patient Information

2013 Medicare Procedure Volume

The top procedures that Dr. Vinay Natver Desai, MD treated as a retina specialist in Washington, DC during 2013 were eye procedures, injections, diagnostic imaging and ultrasound (sonogram).

Volume of procedures performed by Dr. Vinay Natver Desai, MD for Medicare patients.

diagnostic imaging	97
doctor visit	244
eye procedures	6240
injections	831
photocoagulation	71
ultrasound (sonogram)	97

2013 Medicare Patient Data

Information about Medicare patients treated by Dr. Vinay Natver Desai, MD.

**Gender**
Male	364
Female	590

**Ethnicity**
Non-Hispanic White	642
Black	185
Hispanic	30
Asian	71
Other	26
Native American	0

**Age**
From 65 to 74	368
From 75 to 84	304
85 and over	242
Less than 65	40

Conditions of Medicare patients treated by Dr. Vinay Natver Desai, MD in 2013

Hypertension	71
High Cholesterol	63
Stroke	5
Ischemic Heart Disease	36
Depression	13
Chronic Kidney Disease	20
Asthma	6
Osteoperosis	9
Atrial Fibrilation	11
Heart Failure	16
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease	8
Diabetes	43
Dementia	10
Cancer	10

Medicare Procedure and Patient Information

2014 Medicare Procedure Volume

The top procedures that Dr. Vinay Natver Desai, MD treated as a retina specialist in Washington, DC during 2014 were eye procedures, injections, diagnostic imaging and ultrasound (sonogram).

Volume of procedures performed by Dr. Vinay Natver Desai, MD for Medicare patients.

diagnostic imaging	79
doctor visit	196
eye procedures	6227
injections	828
photocoagulation	77
ultrasound (sonogram)	79

2014 Medicare Patient Data

Information about Medicare patients treated by Dr. Vinay Natver Desai, MD.

**Gender**
Male	379
Female	585

**Ethnicity**
Non-Hispanic White	614
Black	212
Hispanic	27
Asian	85
Other	26
Native American	0

**Age**
From 65 to 74	385
From 75 to 84	294
85 and over	240
Less than 65	45

Conditions of Medicare patients treated by Dr. Vinay Natver Desai, MD in 2014

Hypertension	72
High Cholesterol	61
Stroke	6
Ischemic Heart Disease	35
Depression	12
Chronic Kidney Disease	20
Asthma	5
Osteoperosis	9
Atrial Fibrilation	11
Heart Failure	18
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease	7
Diabetes	45
Dementia	11
Cancer	9

Medicare Procedure and Patient Information

2015 Medicare Procedure Volume

The top procedures that Dr. Vinay Natver Desai, MD treated as a retina specialist in Washington, DC during 2015 were eye procedures, injections, diagnostic imaging and ultrasound (sonogram).

Volume of procedures performed by Dr. Vinay Natver Desai, MD for Medicare patients.

diagnostic imaging	85
doctor visit	238
eye procedures	6518
injections	838
photocoagulation	82
prophylaxis (preventive treatment)	14
ultrasound (sonogram)	85

2015 Medicare Patient Data

Information about Medicare patients treated by Dr. Vinay Natver Desai, MD.

**Gender**
Male	756
Female	1286

**Ethnicity**
Non-Hispanic White	1270
Black	484
Hispanic	58
Asian	172
Other	58
Native American	0

**Age**
From 65 to 74	868
From 75 to 84	606
85 and over	480
Less than 65	88

Conditions of Medicare patients treated by Dr. Vinay Natver Desai, MD in 2015

Hypertension	71
High Cholesterol	61
Stroke	5
Ischemic Heart Disease	35
Depression	14
Chronic Kidney Disease	25
Asthma	8
Osteoperosis	9
Atrial Fibrilation	10
Heart Failure	16
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease	9
Diabetes	44
Dementia	11
Cancer	11

Medicare Procedure and Patient Information

2016 Medicare Procedure Volume

The top procedures that Dr. Vinay Natver Desai, MD treated as a retina specialist in Washington, DC during 2016 were eye procedures, injections, diagnostic imaging and ultrasound (sonogram).

Volume of procedures performed by Dr. Vinay Natver Desai, MD for Medicare patients.

diagnostic imaging	80
doctor visit	246
eye procedures	6683
injections	946
photocoagulation	70
prophylaxis (preventive treatment)	16
ultrasound (sonogram)	80

2016 Medicare Patient Data

Information about Medicare patients treated by Dr. Vinay Natver Desai, MD.

**Gender**
Male	387
Female	635

**Ethnicity**
Non-Hispanic White	621
Black	236
Hispanic	42
Asian	97
Other	26
Native American	0

**Age**
From 65 to 74	414
From 75 to 84	344
85 and over	216
Less than 65	48

Conditions of Medicare patients treated by Dr. Vinay Natver Desai, MD in 2016

Hypertension	73
High Cholesterol	62
Stroke	5
Ischemic Heart Disease	34
Depression	13
Chronic Kidney Disease	30
Asthma	11
Osteoperosis	10
Atrial Fibrilation	9
Heart Failure	17
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease	8
Diabetes	44
Dementia	11
Cancer	11

Medicare Procedure and Patient Information

2017 Medicare Procedure Volume

The top procedures that Dr. Vinay Natver Desai, MD treated as a retina specialist in Washington, DC during 2017 were eye procedures, injections, photocoagulation and diagnostic imaging.

Volume of procedures performed by Dr. Vinay Natver Desai, MD for Medicare patients.

diagnostic imaging	61
doctor visit	251
eye procedures	7623
injections	1174
photocoagulation	65
prophylaxis (preventive treatment)	17
ultrasound (sonogram)	61

2017 Medicare Patient Data

Information about Medicare patients treated by Dr. Vinay Natver Desai, MD.

**Gender**
Male	413
Female	678

**Ethnicity**
Non-Hispanic White	627
Black	268
Hispanic	48
Asian	101
Other	0
Native American	0

**Age**
From 65 to 74	438
From 75 to 84	365
85 and over	224
Less than 65	64

Conditions of Medicare patients treated by Dr. Vinay Natver Desai, MD in 2017

Hypertension	75
High Cholesterol	55
Stroke	5
Ischemic Heart Disease	35
Depression	15
Chronic Kidney Disease	36
Asthma	6
Osteoperosis	11
Atrial Fibrilation	10
Heart Failure	16
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease	7
Diabetes	44
Dementia	12
Cancer	12

Medicare Procedure and Patient Information

2018 Medicare Procedure Volume

The top procedures that Dr. Vinay Natver Desai, MD treated as a retina specialist in Washington, DC during 2018 were eye procedures, injections, diagnostic imaging and ultrasound (sonogram).

Volume of procedures performed by Dr. Vinay Natver Desai, MD for Medicare patients.

diagnostic imaging	113
doctor visit	244
eye procedures	8120
injections	1223
photocoagulation	77
prophylaxis (preventive treatment)	20
ultrasound (sonogram)	113

2018 Medicare Patient Data

Information about Medicare patients treated by Dr. Vinay Natver Desai, MD.

**Gender**
Male	430
Female	711

**Ethnicity**
Non-Hispanic White	682
Black	264
Hispanic	0
Asian	101
Other	51
Native American	0

**Age**
From 65 to 74	474
From 75 to 84	357
85 and over	260
Less than 65	50

Conditions of Medicare patients treated by Dr. Vinay Natver Desai, MD in 2018

Hypertension	74
High Cholesterol	67
Stroke	6
Ischemic Heart Disease	35
Depression	14
Chronic Kidney Disease	35
Asthma	6
Osteoperosis	10
Atrial Fibrilation	9
Heart Failure	18
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease	8
Diabetes	43
Dementia	12
Cancer	12

Medicare Procedure and Patient Information

2019 Medicare Procedure Volume

The top procedures that Dr. Vinay Natver Desai, MD treated as a retina specialist in Washington, DC during 2019 were eye procedures, injections, diagnostic imaging and ultrasound (sonogram).

Volume of procedures performed by Dr. Vinay Natver Desai, MD for Medicare patients.

diagnostic imaging	111
doctor visit	251
eye procedures	8018
injections	1227
photocoagulation	59
prophylaxis (preventive treatment)	22
ultrasound (sonogram)	111

2019 Medicare Patient Data

Information about Medicare patients treated by Dr. Vinay Natver Desai, MD.

**Gender**
Male	453
Female	728

**Ethnicity**
Non-Hispanic White	689
Black	300
Hispanic	52
Asian	94
Other	46
Native American	0

**Age**
From 65 to 74	471
From 75 to 84	384
85 and over	265
Less than 65	61

Conditions of Medicare patients treated by Dr. Vinay Natver Desai, MD in 2019

Hypertension	75
High Cholesterol	68
Stroke	5
Ischemic Heart Disease	35
Depression	15
Chronic Kidney Disease	36
Asthma	7
Osteoperosis	11
Atrial Fibrilation	9
Heart Failure	18
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease	8
Diabetes	43
Dementia	12
Cancer	13

Medicare Procedure and Patient Information

2020 Medicare Procedure Volume

The top procedures that Dr. Vinay Natver Desai, MD treated as a retina specialist in Washington, DC during 2020 were eye procedures, injections, diagnostic imaging and ultrasound (sonogram).

Volume of procedures performed by Dr. Vinay Natver Desai, MD for Medicare patients.

diagnostic imaging	68
doctor visit	226
eye procedures	6340
injections	1043
photocoagulation	39
prophylaxis (preventive treatment)	11
ultrasound (sonogram)	68

2020 Medicare Patient Data

Information about Medicare patients treated by Dr. Vinay Natver Desai, MD.

**Gender**
Male	415
Female	646

**Ethnicity**
Non-Hispanic White	611
Black	267
Hispanic	51
Asian	81
Other	0
Native American	0

**Age**
From 65 to 74	451
From 75 to 84	356
85 and over	208
Less than 65	46

Conditions of Medicare patients treated by Dr. Vinay Natver Desai, MD in 2020

Hypertension	73
High Cholesterol	64
Stroke	5
Ischemic Heart Disease	31
Depression	13
Chronic Kidney Disease	36
Asthma	5
Osteoperosis	10
Atrial Fibrilation	8
Heart Failure	15
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease	8
Diabetes	44
Dementia	9
Cancer	12

Medicare Procedure and Patient Information

2021 Medicare Procedure Volume

The top procedures that Dr. Vinay Natver Desai, MD treated as a retina specialist in Washington, DC during 2021 were eye procedures, injections, diagnostic imaging and ultrasound (sonogram).

Volume of procedures performed by Dr. Vinay Natver Desai, MD for Medicare patients.

diagnostic imaging	96
doctor visit	2943
eye procedures	4888
injections	1212
photocoagulation	38
prophylaxis (preventive treatment)	13
ultrasound (sonogram)	96

2021 Medicare Patient Data

Information about Medicare patients treated by Dr. Vinay Natver Desai, MD.

**Gender**
Male	441
Female	687

**Ethnicity**
Non-Hispanic White	650
Black	294
Hispanic	44
Asian	77
Other	63
Native American	0

**Age**
From 65 to 74	478
From 75 to 84	396
85 and over	212
Less than 65	42

Conditions of Medicare patients treated by Dr. Vinay Natver Desai, MD in 2021

Hypertension	75
High Cholesterol	70
Stroke	6
Ischemic Heart Disease	32
Depression	16
Chronic Kidney Disease	37
Asthma	7
Osteoperosis	12
Atrial Fibrilation	9
Heart Failure	14
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease	8
Diabetes	42
Dementia	10
Cancer	11

Medicare Procedure and Patient Information

2022 Medicare Procedure Volume

The top procedures that Dr. Vinay Natver Desai, MD treated as a retina specialist in Washington, DC during 2022 were eye procedures, injections, diagnostic imaging and ultrasound (sonogram).

Volume of procedures performed by Dr. Vinay Natver Desai, MD for Medicare patients.

diagnostic imaging	80
doctor visit	1645
eye procedures	6024
injections	1233
photocoagulation	13
prophylaxis (preventive treatment)	13
ultrasound (sonogram)	80

2022 Medicare Patient Data

Information about Medicare patients treated by Dr. Vinay Natver Desai, MD.

**Gender**
Male	425
Female	679

**Ethnicity**
Non-Hispanic White	646
Black	273
Hispanic	39
Asian	85
Other	61
Native American	0

**Age**
From 65 to 74	447
From 75 to 84	431
85 and over	190
Less than 65	36

Conditions of Medicare patients treated by Dr. Vinay Natver Desai, MD in 2022

Hypertension	75
High Cholesterol	75
Stroke	10
Ischemic Heart Disease	23
Depression	14
Chronic Kidney Disease	24
Asthma	9
Osteoperosis	17
Atrial Fibrilation	14
Heart Failure	11
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease	7
Diabetes	41
Dementia	6
Cancer	16

Medicare Procedure and Patient Information

2023 Medicare Procedure Volume

The top procedures that Dr. Vinay Natver Desai, MD treated as a retina specialist in Washington, DC during 2023 were eye procedures, injections, diagnostic imaging and ultrasound (sonogram).

Volume of procedures performed by Dr. Vinay Natver Desai, MD for Medicare patients.

diagnostic imaging	53
doctor visit	146
eye procedures	7546
injections	1347
photocoagulation	18
prophylaxis (preventive treatment)	18
ultrasound (sonogram)	53

2023 Medicare Patient Data

Information about Medicare patients treated by Dr. Vinay Natver Desai, MD.

**Gender**
Male	421
Female	640

**Ethnicity**
Non-Hispanic White	625
Black	250
Hispanic	36
Asian	88
Other	62
Native American	0

**Age**
From 65 to 74	433
From 75 to 84	408
85 and over	186
Less than 65	34

Conditions of Medicare patients treated by Dr. Vinay Natver Desai, MD in 2023

Hypertension	75
High Cholesterol	75
Stroke	9
Ischemic Heart Disease	23
Depression	14
Chronic Kidney Disease	24
Asthma	9
Osteoperosis	16
Atrial Fibrilation	14
Heart Failure	11
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease	9
Diabetes	40
Dementia	5
Cancer	18

Medicare Procedure and Patient Information

Average Medicare Procedure Volume From 2012 - 2023

Volume of procedures performed by Dr. Vinay Natver Desai, MD for Medicare patients.

The highest averages for the top procedures that Dr. Vinay Natver Desai, MD treated as a retina specialist in Washington, DC were eye procedures, injections, diagnostic imaging and ultrasound (sonogram).

diagnostic imaging	84
doctor visit	573
eye procedures	6702
injections	1053
photocoagulation	63
prophylaxis (preventive treatment)	16
ultrasound (sonogram)	84

Average Medicare Patient Data From 2012 - 2023

Information about Medicare patients treated by Dr. Vinay Natver Desai, MD.

**Gender**
Female	655
Male	407

**Ethnicity**
Black / African American	252
Asian / Pacific Islander	87
Non-Hispanic White	639
Hispanic	35
Native American / Alaskan Native	0
Other	34

**Age**
85 and over	226
75 to 84	353
Less than 65	46
65 to 74	435

Average of Total of Conditions of Medicare patients treated by Dr. Vinay Natver Desai, MD From 2012 - 2023

The highest averages of the most common conditions of Medicare patients that Dr. Vinay Natver Desai, MD treated were hypertension, high cholesterol, diabetes and ischemic heart disease.

Hypertension	67
High Cholesterol	60
Stroke	5
Ischemic Heart Disease	29
Depression	12
Chronic Kidney Disease	26
Asthma	6
Osteoporosis	10
Heart Failure	14
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease	7
Diabetes	39
Atrial Fibrillation	9
Dementia	9
Cancer	11

Education & Training

He completed residency at Barnes-Jewish Hospital. He is certified by the American Board of Ophthalmology, Ophthalmology and has a state license in District of Columbia.

Residency: Barnes-Jewish Hospital (1996)

Board Certification: American Board of Ophthalmology, Ophthalmology

Licensed In: District of Columbia

Affiliations & Hospitals

Dr. Vinay Natver Desai, MD is associated with these hospitals and organizations:

MedStar Georgetown University Hospital

MedStar Washington Hospital Center

MedStar Health

Ratings & Reviews

Dr. Vinay Natver Desai, MD has a high overall rating with an average of 3.92 out of 5 stars based on 6 ratings. We collect ratings and reviews of Dr. Vinay Natver Desai, MD from all over the web to help you find the right in Washington, DC.

3.92

Overall Rating

(6 Ratings)

Leave a Review

General Payments

These charts describe general payments received by Dr. Vinay Natver Desai, MD. Doctors may receive payments for a number of reasons, including meal compensation, travel compensation, and consulting.

**Payments by Company**
Allergan Inc.	$638 OZURDEX $401	LUMIGAN $117	$120
Genentech USA, Inc.	$394 VABYSMO $182	LUCENTIS $173	SUSVIMO $39
Alcon Laboratories Inc	$212 Ilevro $95	$117
TissueTech, Inc.	$173 AmnioGuard $173
Genentech, Inc.	$150 SUSVIMO $150
Other	$1,417 OZURDEX $143	enVista MX60 IOL $123	SYFOVRE $119	XIIDRA $108	OMNI Surgical System $104	Other $820

**Types of Payments**
Food and Beverage	$2,872
Entertainment	$67
Education	$42
Honoraria	$3

Research Payments

Dr. Vinay Natver Desai, MD has received 3 research payments totaling $26,189.

Biography

Dr. Vinay Desai works as a vitreoretinal diseases (retina and vitreous). He graduated from Thomas Jefferson University, Jefferson Medical College. He completed his residency training at Barnes-Jewish Hospital. Dr. Desai's areas of expertise include macular hole, LASIK, and entropion (inward-turned eyelid). Dr. Desai is affiliated with MedStar Georgetown University Hospital and MedStar Washington Hospital Center.