Dr. Joel Welch joined Retina and Vitreous Surgeons of Utah in 2025 as a board-certified specialist in vitreoretinal surgery and ocular oncology. He brings extensive expertise in managing complex retinal conditions and ocular tumors, including macular degeneration, retinal detachment, epiretinal membrane, macular hole, diabetic retinopathy, and ocular melanoma. His goal is to guide patients and families with compassion and clarity through even the most complex eye conditions.
A native of Northern Utah, Dr. Welch earned degrees in biomedical engineering (BS) and medicine (MD) from the University of Utah. His medical training included an internship in San Francisco, an ophthalmology residency in Omaha, a prestigious two-year ocular oncology fellowship at Wills Eye Hospital in Philadelphia under Drs. Carol and Jerry Shields, and a vitreoretinal surgery fellowship in Sacramento. From 2020 to 2025, he practiced as a retina surgeon and ocular oncologist at Spokane Eye Clinic.
Dr. Welch has authored more than 30 peer-reviewed publications and book chapters, with work featured in leading journals such as Ophthalmology, Ophthalmology Retina, JAMA Ophthalmology, Eye, British Journal of Ophthalmology, Retina, and Ocular Oncology and Pathology. He has presented his research at national and international meetings and has contributed to pivotal clinical trials in macular degeneration, diabetic eye disease, and uveal melanoma.
He is an active member of the International Society of Ocular Oncology, the American Academy of Ophthalmology, and the American Society of Retina Specialists.
Outside of medicine, Dr. Welch enjoys photography, music, cycling, and spending time with his wife and four children.