Michael C. Yim

Dr. Michael Yim offers the most cutting-edge technology to care for Hawai‘i’s eyes. He specializes in state-of-the-art cataract surgery and, as a fellowship-trained glaucoma surgeon, the latest treatments for glaucoma that are minimally invasive, safer and have faster recovery times. Additionally, he offers a comprehensive range of eye services, including routine eye exams, glasses and contact lens fittings, dry eye therapy and diabetic eye exams. Dr. Yim is proud to be the only born-and-raised local boy to both graduate from UH JABSOM and obtain a residency and fellowship at the Bascom Palmer Eye Institute, ranked the nation’s #1 eye hospital for the past two decades. As an assistant clinical professor at JABSOM, he enjoys sharing his expertise with current and future physicians of Hawai‘i.

“I strive to have an impact not only on my patients, but on the community as a whole,” says Dr. Yim, who enjoys spending his free time with his wife and 17-month-old son. Through JABSOM, he continues to research and publish articles ranging from the evaluation of certain types of eye cancers to potential new treatments. He also serves on advisory boards, offers consultation for pharmaceutical and medical device companies, gives talks across the nation and, lastly, was privileged to be a part of the Himalayan Cataract Project, where he performed ocular surgeries in Ghana. Dr. Yim believes in treating the patient, not just the disease. “One of the reasons I love my job is because of the special relationships I’m able to develop with my patients,” he says. “Having the ability to connect with people on a personal level—not just as a physician, but as a friend—allows me to have an impact on their health and life as a whole.” He serves on the board of directors for the Homeless Outreach Medical Education Project, through which he helped establish the first free ophthalmology clinic for the underserved community, and was recently selected to serve as a board examiner for the American Board of Ophthalmology.