Rosa Braga-Mele MD is Professor of Ophthalmology, Faculty of Medicine at the University of Toronto, Canada. She graduated Magna Cum Laude from University of Ottawa Medical School. She then completed her residency at the University of Toronto. She went on to complete her Masters Degree in Higher Education.

Dr. Braga-Mele is a cataract specialist and educator who speaks frequently at both the national and international level on advanced surgical techniques and innovations in phacoemulsification surgery and complicated cataract cases and IOL development. She has over 150 published abstracts and papers. 

Dr. Braga-Mele served as the Chair of the Education Clinical Committee (2015-2018) and Chair of Cataract Clinical Committee (2010-2015) for the American Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgery (ASCRS) and was a member of the Governing Board for ASCRS. She is currently Cataract Section Editor for EyeWorld (an ASCRS publication) and is on the editorial board of other ophthalmic publications.

She was the inaugural Research Director at the Kensington Eye Institute in Toronto from 2007-2012. She was appointed Cataract Director at the KEI in May 2013-Dec 2019.

She has won multiple teaching awards both at the undergraduate and resident levels at the University of Toronto, for her teaching and mentorship abilities including the Silver Needle award in 2003, 2007, 2012, 2016, 2017 and 2020 for best resident surgical teacher, and the University of Toronto, Faculty of Medicine, Community-Based Teaching Award in 2016. She was given the American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO) Senior Achievement Award in 2013 for distinguished volunteer service and the AAO Secretariat Award in 2012 for special contributions to the Academy and ophthalmology out of proportion to others and making a difference in her efforts. 

She was awarded University of Ottawa Alumni Association 2019 Meritas Tabaret Award given to those that have distinguished themselves through excellence and achievement in their professional field throughout their career; have demonstrated leadership in their profession; have made a positive contribution to the prestige, influence and reputation of the University of Ottawa; and have exercised and continue to exercise a strong positive influence in the community. 

And in 2022 she was awarded the prestigious Binkhorst Medal and Lecture by the American Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgery for an accomplished and exemplary career in ophthalmology.

In addition, she is a mother of 3 boys, ages 25, 23 and 15. She is a Canadian certified Level 1 basketball coach and has coached many boys’ basketball teams to championships. She has her 2^nd degree black belt in karate. She is a nationally ranked bodybuilder as a Natural athlete in women’s physique division winning a bronze medal at Canadian Natural Nationals in November 2021. 

Financial disclosure: Dr. Braga-Mele has/had an affiliation (financial or otherwise) with a commercial organization:

1. Alcon 
2. Elios Vision
3. LensGen