Neil T. Choplin, MD is a graduate cum laude of New York University, with a bachelor’s degree in mathematics. He received his medical degree from New York Medical College, attending on an Armed Forces Health Professional scholarship. Upon graduation, he served a general surgery internship at Long Island Jewish Hillside Medical Center and residency in ophthalmology at Nassau County Medical Center in New York. Dr. Choplin entered military service upon completion of residency training, and served four years at the Naval Hospital in Philadelphia. After completion of a glaucoma fellowship at the Wills Eye Hospital in Philadelphia under the direction of Dr. George Spaeth, Dr. Choplin transferred to the Naval Medical Center in San Diego, where he served as the director of the glaucoma service, residency director, and chairman of the Department of Ophthalmology. He retired from active duty in August 2000 with the rank of Captain in the United States Navy Medical Corps, and is adjunct clinical professor of surgery at the Uniformed Services University of Health Sciences in Bethesda, Maryland.
His military decorations include the Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal and the Navy Meritorious Service Award. He is certified by the American Board of Ophthalmology. Dr. Choplin is currently in private practice at Eye Care of San Diego specializing in glaucoma, and holds staff privileges at Scripps Mercy Hospital and Sharp Memorial Hospital in San Diego. Dr. Choplin has presented professionally over 140 lectures at scientific meetings, authored or contributed to 50 scientific articles and textbook chapters, and has authored three ophthalmology textbooks. His most recent textbook, “Atlas of Glaucoma” is in its third edition, published in June 2014. He served as President of the San Diego County Ophthalmological Society from 1996 to 1998, is a past member of the Glaucoma Advisory Board of Prevent Blindness America, and served as a Commissioner on the International Joint Commission for Allied Health Personnel in Ophthalmology (IJCAHPO), representing the Society of Military Ophthalmologists and then the American Glaucoma Society.
Dr. Choplin served as secretary/treasurer of IJCAHPO and is currently the President of the Board of Directors. Dr. Choplin remains on the Board of Directors of the San Diego Eye Bank, where he has served as secretary/treasurer, president of the Board of Directors, and vice president. In his other life, Dr. Choplin plays keyboards in a “vintage” rock band, FlipSide. Dr. Choplin is married to the former Lynn Rebsamen of New York, NY, and has two daughters, Danielle and Suzanne, and one granddaughter, Lillian.