Danielle Trief, MD
Overview
Danielle Trief MD MSc, is an associate professor of Ophthalmology at Columbia University Medical Center. Dr. Trief specializes in the medical and surgical management of cornea, pediatric cornea, cataract, and external diseases. Her surgical expertise includes corneal transplantation, cataract surgery, secondary intraocular lens placement, and anterior segment reconstruction. Dr. Trief established a clinic dedicated to children with corneal diseases.
Dr. Trief received her undergraduate degree from the University of Pennsylvania, where she graduated Summa Cum Laude and was elected Phi Beta Kappa. She was awarded a Thoroun Fellowship to pursue a Masters of Neuroscience at Oxford University, where she graduated with honors. She completed medical school at Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons, where she was elected into the Alpha Omega Alpha medical honor society. She completed her ophthalmology residency at Harvard Medical School/Massachusetts Eye and Ear infirmary and subsequently pursued a cornea and refractive surgery fellowship at the New York Eye and Ear Infirmary.
Dr. Trief has published numerous articles, book chapters, and teaching videos on adult and pediatric cornea. She has been invited to speak nationally and internationally on her research topics. She is dedicated to the well being of her patients and understands the role that vision can play in everyday life. She grew up volunteering at her mother’s preschool, a school for visually impaired and blind children. Dr. Trief is an active member of the American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO), the Cornea Society, Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology (ARVO), and the American Society of Cataract & Refractive Surgery (ASCRS).
Areas of Expertise / Conditions Treated
- Anterior Segment Surgery
- Cataract
- Corneal Cross-Linking
- Corneal Disorders
- Cornea Transplant
- Laser Surgery
- Laser Vision Correction
- Pediatric Cataract Surgery
- Pediatric Cornea
- Pterygium
Academic Appointments
- Associate Professor of Ophthalmology at CUMC
Hospital Affiliations
- NewYork-Presbyterian / Columbia University Irving Medical Center
- NewYork-Presbyterian / Weill Cornell Medical Center
Gender
- Female
Schedule an Appointment
Phone Appointments
Connect Patient Portal
For existing patients, login to make an appointment, view documentation or contact your care provider.
Location(s)
Insurance Accepted
Aetna
- Aetna Signature Administrators
- Medicare Managed Care
- NYP Employee Plan
- NY Signature
- Student Health
Affinity Health Plan
- Essential Plan
- Medicaid Managed Care
Amerigroup of New Jersey
- New Jersey Services (Medicaid Managed Care)
Cigna
- EPO
- Great West (National)
- HMO
- Medicare Managed Care
- POS
- PPO
Emblem/GHI
- Medicare Managed Care
- PPO
Emblem/HIP
- ConnectiCare
- EPO
- Essential Plan
- HMO
- Medicare Managed Care
- POS
- PPO
- Select Care (Exchange)
- Vytra
Empire Blue Cross Blue Shield HealthPlus
- Child/Family Health Plus
- Essential Plan
Fidelis Care
- Child/Family Health Plus
- Medicaid Managed Care
- Medicare Managed Care
Healthfirst
- Child/Family Health Plus
- Leaf (Exchange)
- Medicare Managed Care
Local 1199
- Local 1199
MagnaCare (National)
- MagnaCare
Medicare
- Railroad
- Traditional Medicare
Multiplan
- Multiplan
MVP Health Care
- Child/Family Health Plus
- Essential Plan
- HMO
- Medicaid Managed Care
Quality Health Management
- Quality Health Management
RiverSpring
- Special Needs
UnitedHealthcare
- Compass (Exchange)
- Empire Plan
- HMO
- Medicaid (Community Plan)
- Oxford Freedom
- Oxford HMO
- Oxford Liberty
- POS
- PPO
WellCare
- Medicare Managed Care
World Trade Center Health Plan
- World Trade Center Health Plan
Credentials & Experience
Education & Training
- MSc, Neuroscience, Oxford University (United Kingdom)
- MD, Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons
- Internship: Lankenau Hospital
- Residency: Massachusetts Eye & Ear Infirmary
- Fellowship: New York Eye & Ear Infirmary
Board Certifications
- Ophthalmology
Honors & Awards
2018, 2017 Super Doctors
2013 ASCRS Foundation Resident Excellence Award
2013 ASCRS Council of 100
2013 Resident Ambassador to AAO mid-year forum
2010 Glasgow-Rubin Achievement Award
2005-2006 The Thouron Fellowship
2005 Penn Student Agency Award of Merit
Research
Selected Publications
Trief D, Gray ST, Jakobiec FA, Durand ML, Fay A, Freitag SK, Lefebvre DR, Holbrook E, Bleier B, Sadow P, Rashid A, Chabra N, Yoon MK. Outcomes of invasive fungal disease of the sinus and orbit. British Journal of Ophthalmology. 2015 Jun 25
Jakobiec FA, Rose MF, Trief D, Stagner AM, Kim I, Gragoudas ES. Immunohistochemical investigations of adult intraocular medulloepithelioma. Clinical Experimental Ophthalmology May-Jun;43(4):379-85
Jakobiec FA, Trief D, Rashid A, Rose MF, Minckler D, Vanderveen D, Mukai S. New insights into the development of infantile intraocular medulloepithelioma. American Journal of Ophthalmology 2014 Dec;158(6): 1275-1296
Trief D, Adebona O, Turalba A, Shah A. Pediatric traumatic hyphema; International Ophthalmology Clinics. Fall 2013. 53(4):43-57
Lo K, Trief D, Kohanim S, Chodosh J. Role of amniotic membrane transplant in acute chemical injury. International Ophthalmology Clinics; Fall 2013. Fall;53(4):33-41
Yonekawa Y, Orbach DB, Trief D, Shah AS, Vanderveen DK. Intra-arterial chemotherapy for n Group C retinoblastoma with adjacent high-flow infantile hemangioma. Ophthalmic Surgical, Lasers and Imaging Retina 2013 Sep-Oct; 44(5):490-2
Adebona O, Trief D, Shah AS. Pediatric traumatic hyphema, a 9-year retrospective review. In Progress.
Braunstein AL, Trief D, Wang N, Chang S, Tsang SH. Vitamin A deficiency in New York City. The Lancet 2010; 376(9737):267.
O'Shea J, Johansen-Berg H, Trief D, Rushworth M. Functionally-specific reorganization in human premotor cortex. Neuron 2007; 54(3): 479-90.
Maxwell, CR, Ehrlichman, RS, Liang, Y, Trief, D, Kanes, SJ, Karp, J, Siegel SJ. Ketamine produces lasting disruptions in encoding of sensory stimuli. J Pharmacol Exp Ther. 2006; 316(1): 315-24.
Siegel SJ, Maxwell CR, Majumdar S, Trief DF, Lerman C, Gur RE, Kanes SJ, Liang Y. Monoamine reuptake inhibition and nicotine receptor antagonism reduce attenuation and amplitude of auditory evoked potentials. Neuroscience 2005; 133(3): 729-38.
Trief, D. Models of altruism as applied to human blood and organ donation. Penn Science 2004; 2(2).