Annal D Meleth, MD, MS
895 Canton Rd
Suite 200
Marietta, GA 30060
United States map
www.mariettaeye.com
(770) 427-8111 office
Professional Affiliations
Hospital Appointments- 1. Northside Hospital, Atlanta, GA
- 2. Wellstar Kennestone Hospital, Marietta, GA
Education and Training
- Retinal fellowship
- Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
- Retinal fellowship
- National Eye Institute, Bethesda, MD, USA
- Ophthalmology residency
- George Washington University, Washington, DC, USA
- Internship
- Mt. Sinai Hospital, New York, NY, USA
- Medical School
- University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA
- College
- University of Alabama, Birmingham, AL, USA
- College
- McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
Biography
Known as Dhanu among his family and friends, Annal Dhananjayan Meleth was born in Kerala, India, but he admits with a chuckle it is difficult to answer the question of where is he from. This world traveler has lived in 26 different places. “But most of my life has been spent in India, England, Canada and now the U.S.,” he says.
Dr. Meleth’s education and medical training have taken him on a meandering journey reaching from Que´bec, Canada to Alabama, Washington, D.C., Texas, Australia … and now to Atlanta, GA.
“I love big cities,” he says “the cultural diversity, ethnic foods and art and music scenes. I feel as if I am a part of something important and exciting when living in a large city.”
“Yet home is wherever my wife is, so for now Smyrna is my home, and Bombay will always be home too because there I have relatives who would take me in if ever I found myself needing a welcoming place to go.”
Dr. Meleth married while in fellowship and the couple has one child, a daughter. “I spotted my wife on Facebook before I ever met her,” he confesses with a grin. “And a few years later, I had the good fortune to actually meet her through a mutual friend and we’ve been together since. She is a Fulbright Scholar and received her Master’s Degree from Harvard; I am very proud of her.”
At age 12, Dr. Meleth decided he wanted a career in medicine. His father, a physician who specializes in internal medicine, geriatrics and neurology, also held an interest in the diseases of the eye. “My father is color blind, and his father was a rice farmer who became blind at a young age due to glaucoma,” Dr. Meleth explains.
“I was never pushed toward becoming a doctor, but when I was young I used to look through my father’s medical text books. I loved examining the pictures and drawings and reading about diseases.”
Dr. Meleth’s mother, who holds a Doctorate Degree in biostatistics, is responsible for the research design phase of large-scale clinical trial studies. Perhaps his admiration for his parents’ accomplishments influenced his early love of science and medicine. Soon, however, he was introduced to ophthalmology and quickly discovered his love for the eye. “That was when my focus shifted to clinical care.”
“The wonderful thing about treating the eye is that you can diagnose 95% of eye diseases based on what you see; you rarely need lab work or an MRI to diagnose the medical problem. I love being able to participate in all phases of care for my patients from the medical to the surgical components of treatment.”
“Though I love research, it is not the end in itself. Research enhances patient care, yes, but patient care is the capstone for me. I love to be intellectually challenged and push the boundaries of medicine. I believe my research and clinical experiences have prepared me for excellence in ophthalmology and my particular specialty.”
One of only five ophthalmologists in Georgia specializing in treatment of both the retina and uveitis, Dr. Meleth was Chief Resident of the Department of Ophthalmology at George Washington University and is a Diplomate of the American Board of Ophthalmology. He has participated in 24 clinical research investigations and authored nearly two dozen scholarly articles and book chapters on various topics of ophthalmology.
He has completed two separate fellowships after his ophthalmology residency; one in Vitreoretinal Surgery at Baylor College of Medicine and a second in Uveitis and Medical Retina at the National Institutes of Health.
“I am fascinated with the internal structures of the eye; from its physiology and function to simply the appearance of everything inside the eye. The eye is truly a beautiful creation.”
Uveitis is a common cause of blindness among young people. Dr. Meleth very often treats people who, in addition to uveitis and other chronic conditions of the eye, cope with systemic diseases such as sarcoidosis and lupus. “Marietta Eye Clinic is a multispecialty practice, and that provides me with opportunities within my group of peers to work with experts in other areas of the eye. I also am able to continue my interest in research here; this is a very innovative medical practice. But as I’ve explained, direct patient care is where my heart is. It is so rewarding to help someone who had such significant blindness they could only perceive light, to restore their vision to the point suitable for safely driving a car.”
Dr. Meleth speaks four languages, enjoys reading (particularly science fiction) and is a gourmet chef. “Having grown up in South India, I love South Indian foods, but having lived in so many places I’ve been introduced to many different flavors. Right now I am learning Chinese cooking but more frequently I prepare Italian foods.” His other pastime, playing the guitar, speaks to his varied and eclectic interests. “I love all guitar music; I started out playing thrash metal and have moved on to flamenco and the blues since then. But honestly, my wife is an amazing musician, she intimidates me actually. She is a singer-songwriter who performs her own songs and plays the piano and sitar.”
“I am fascinated with the internal structures of the eye. The eye is truly a beautiful creation.”
Board Certified by the American Board of Ophthalmology
University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL: B.S. Degree in Biology, Cum Laude
University of Alabama School of Medicine, Birmingham, AL: M.D. Degree
University of Alabama School of Medicine, Birmingham, AL: M.S. Degree, Physiology
Mt. Sinai Hospital, New York, NY: Internal Medicine Internship
The George Washington University, Washington, DC: Ophthalmology Residency
National Eye Institute, Bethesda, MD: Medical Retina and Uveitis Fellowship
Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX: Diseases and Surgery of the Retina and Vitreous Fellowship
Joined Marietta Eye Clinic in 2013
Fellowship Trained Retina Specialist
Recipient of National Eye Institute Award for Excellence in Clinical Care 2011
Served as Chief Resident at the George Washington University Department of Ophthalmology
Performed cataract surgery as a volunteer ophthalmologist with Surgical Eye Expeditions Intl. in the Philippines
Performed retinal surgery as volunteer faculty with the Hawaiian Eye Foundation in Myanmar.