A photo of Sarah Lopper.

Sarah L. Lopper, OD, FAAO


  • Pediatric Optometrist, Division of Ophthalmology
  • Instructor, UC Department of Ophthalmology
When I see patients, I make sure the first thing I do when I enter the room is to listen. I take the time to talk with each child, so they feel comfortable with the eye exam. I want to hear — in their own words — how they are doing and what is going on with their eyes and vision. My patients should look forward to coming back, and I hope they think of the eye exam as a 'fun' doctor visit.
Sarah L. Lopper, OD, FAAO

About

Biography

I am a pediatric optometrist at Cincinnati Children’s, where I have worked in the Division of Ophthalmology since 2001. I specialize in caring for children with ocular inflammation related to juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) and pediatric low vision rehabilitation. I also serve as the senior optometrist for our division.

My love of working with and helping children began during a high school summer job teaching kids how to swim. A college summer internship showed me this field was a perfect match for me. I could help children and work in the medical field.

When I see patients, I make sure the first thing I do when I enter the room is to listen. I take the time to talk with each child, so they feel comfortable with the eye exam. I want to hear — in their own words — how they are doing and what is going on with their eyes and vision. My patients should look forward to coming back, and I hope they think of the eye exam as a "fun" doctor visit.

I gain great pride and satisfaction working on numerous quality improvement projects at Cincinnati Children’s. As part of the patient care algorithm, I help children diagnosed with lazy eye get the care they need. In my work with the pediatric low vision team, I ensure children receive low vision rehabilitation at school and at home. I enjoy our partnership with the Rheumatology Department. Together, we implemented eye screening guidelines for children diagnosed with JIA that improves their outcomes.

BS: Indiana University, Bloomington, IN, 1996.

OD: The Ohio State University College of Optometry, Columbus, OH, 2000.

Residency: Ocular Disease, Cincinnati Eye Institute, Cincinnati, OH, 2000-2001.

Certification: National Board of Examiners in Optometry; Fellow of the American Academy of Optometry (FAAO), 2007.

Interests

Amblyopia; low vision; children with special needs; JIA/iritis

Services and Specialties

Ophthalmology

Insurance Information

Cincinnati Children's strives to accept a wide variety of health plans. Please contact your health insurance carrier to verify coverage for your specific benefit plan.

View Insurance Information

Publications

Alternative Biologic Therapy in Children Failing Conventional TNFα Inhibitors for Refractory, Noninfectious, Chronic Anterior Uveitis. Miraldi Utz, V; Angeles-Han, ST; Mwase, N; Cassedy, A; Hennard, T; Lovell, DJ; Lopper, S; Brunner, HI; Dosunmu, EO; Grom, AA; Henrickson, M; Huggins, JL; Sisk, RA; Ting, TV; Kaufman, AH. American Journal of Ophthalmology. 2022; 244:183-195.

Effectiveness of long-term infliximab use and impact of treatment adherence on disease control in refractory, non-infectious pediatric uveitis. Utz, VM; Bulas, S; Lopper, S; Fenchel, M; Sa, T; Mehta, M; Ash, D; Lovell, DJ; Kaufman, AH. Pediatric Rheumatology Online Journal. 2019; 17:79.

From the Blog

4 Signs Your Child May Need to Visit the Eye Doctor
Blog Healthy Living

4 Signs Your Child May Need to Visit the Eye Doctor

By Sarah Lopper, OD, FAAO8/23/2022