Dr. Suresh Viswanathan Named Dean of the IU School of Optometry

Dr. Suresh Viswanathan Named Dean of the IU School of Optometry

Dr. Suresh Viswanathan, professor and chair of the Department of Biological and Vision Science and interim associate dean for optometric education at the SUNY College of Optometry, has been named Dean of the Indiana University School of Optometry, effective June 3, 2024.

“With his collaborative spirit, focus on innovation, and track record of research excellence, Suresh Viswanathan is a natural fit to lead the Indiana University School of Optometry,” said IU President Pamela Whitten. “As he returns to IU, I have no doubt that he will continue to expand the IUSO’s national leadership in optometric education, clinical training, and vision science research.”

After serving as Dean for 13 years, Dr. Bonanno decided to step down and return to his faculty position at IUSO, where he will be teaching and spending more time doing research in his lab.

“Considering Suresh’s breadth of leadership experience, sophisticated understanding of the intricacies of the IU scholarly enterprise and dedication to research and teaching, I am confident that he will excel as Dean,” IU Bloomington Provost and Executive Vice President Rahul Shrivastav said. “We are thrilled to bring him back to campus to build on IUSO’s strong legacy of protecting, advancing, and promoting the vision, eye care, and health of people worldwide.”

In 2013, Dr. Viswanathan assumed the position of chair of the SUNY College of Optometry Department of Biological and Vision Science, which delivers the bulk of the didactic coursework in their OD curriculum. After six years of developing programs, preparing budgets, coordinating strategic plan goals, reviewing curriculum, and mentoring fellow faculty, he took on the additional responsibility as the college-wide director of institutional research and planning. In this capacity, he supports institutional decision-making and planning through data collection and analysis. As of June 2023, he also serves as the Interim Associate Dean for optometric education, overseeing all aspects of training in the OD program.

Apart from his administrative role and teaching, Dr. Viswanathan actively leads a research lab with two ongoing projects on the visual impact of mild traumatic brain injury, which have received funding support from the U.S. Department of Defense and the National Eye Institute.

“I am honored to return to IU in my new role as the Dean of IUSO and ready to hit the ground running in collaboration with the school’s exceptional faculty, staff, and students,” said Dr. Viswanathan. “This feels like a particularly opportune moment of regional and University investment in innovation, and I cannot wait to help channel that energy in the realms of optometry and vision research.”

Dr. Viswanathan commenced his academic career in 2000 as an assistant professor at the IU School of Optometry teaching in the professional OD program and graduate program in Vision Science. He earned tenure and promotion to the rank of associate professor in 2006. Since then, Dr. Viswanathan has been inducted as a gold fellow of the Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology and elected to the Optometric Glaucoma Society. In 2022, he was inducted as part of the inaugural class into the American Academy of Optometry Hall of Fame.

Dr. Viswanathan began his professional career in 1990 as a staff optometrist in Sankara Nethralaya Eye Hospital in Chennai, India. Between 1991 and 2000, he served as a research assistant at Pacific University College of Optometry, obtaining a master’s degree in clinical optometry, and then as a research and teaching assistant at the University of Houston College of Optometry, where he earned his Doctor of Philosophy in physiological optics and vision science.