Shaza Al-Houlou, MD

Shaza Al-Holou, MD is a board-certified, fellowship-trained pediatric ophthalmologist at Children’s Eye Care of Michigan, seeing patients in Dearborn, Detroit, and West Bloomfield.

Dr. Al-Holou provides medical and surgical care for a wide range of pediatric eye conditions, with particular expertise in pediatric cataracts, pediatric glaucoma, strabismus, pediatric uveitis, genetic and systemic disorders affecting the eyes, and retinopathy of prematurity (ROP). She also treats adults with strabismus (eye misalignment).

In addition to patient care, Dr. Al-Holou is actively involved in clinical research and medical education. She is an investigator with the Pediatric Eye Disease Investigator Group (PEDIG), participates in national professional committees through the American Association for Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus (AAPOS), and holds academic appointments at Wayne State University School of Medicine and Oakland University William Beaumont School of Medicine.

Areas of Clinical Expertise

• Pediatric Cataracts – diagnosis, surgical management, and long-term follow-up
• Pediatric Glaucoma – medical and surgical management of childhood glaucoma
• Strabismus (Eye Misalignment) – evaluation and treatment for children and adults
• Pediatric Uveitis – diagnosis and management of inflammatory eye conditions in children
• Genetic & Systemic Disorders – management of eye complications associated with genetic syndromes and systemic illnesses
• Retinopathy of Prematurity (ROP) – screening, laser treatment, and ongoing care for premature infants

Education & Advanced Training

Dr. Al-Holou earned both her undergraduate degree and Doctor of Medicine from the University of Michigan, graduating from medical school with Distinction in Research and Distinction in Service.

Following a transitional year at Henry Ford Hospital, she completed her ophthalmology residency at the Truhlsen Eye Institute at the University of Nebraska Medical Center, where she served as Chief Resident in charge of resident education.

Dr. Al-Holou then completed fellowship training in Pediatric Ophthalmology at Wills Eye Hospital in Philadelphia.

Academic Leadership & Teaching

Dr. Al-Holou is a Clinical Assistant Professor at Wayne State University School of Medicine and a Clinical Assistant Professor at Oakland University William Beaumont School of Medicine. She also serves as a staff physician in the Department of Ophthalmology at Children’s Hospital of Michigan.

Her commitment to medical education began during residency, when she served as chief resident responsible for resident education, and continues through her involvement in teaching and mentoring future physicians and ophthalmologists.

Research & Publications

Research has been an important part of Dr. Al-Holou’s career since medical school. She was selected for the National Institutes of Health Medical Research Scholars Program, completing a dedicated year of ophthalmic research at the National Eye Institute (NEI). There, she conducted research using data from the landmark Age-Related Eye Disease Study 2 (AREDS2).

Dr. Al-Holou has authored or co-authored more than 20 peer-reviewed scientific publications spanning pediatric ophthalmology and other areas of eye disease. Her work has appeared in leading ophthalmology journals, including Ophthalmology, Journal of AAPOS, Ophthalmology Glaucoma, and Ophthalmic Genetics. She has also contributed to the pediatric ophthalmology chapter of the Wills Eye Manual.

She is an active investigator with the Pediatric Eye Disease Investigator Group (PEDIG), a national collaborative research network studying pediatric eye disorders and their treatment.

Care Philosophy

Dr. Al-Holou’s interest in medicine was shaped early in life by witnessing disparities in access to healthcare while visiting family abroad. That experience contributed to an interest in both medicine and research and ultimately to a career caring for children.

She was drawn to pediatric ophthalmology by the opportunity to care for children throughout their development and by the trust parents place in their child’s physician. For Dr. Al-Holou, that responsibility—and the joy of working with children every day—continues to be one of the most rewarding parts of her career.

Languages Spoken

• English (Fluent)
• Arabic (Fluent)
• Spanish (Intermediate)