Emil Anthony Ty Say, MD

Emil Anthony Ty Say, MD is a fully licensed ophthalmologist who began his career in private practice in 2013. Today he specializes in the treatment and surgical measures involved in vitreoretinal diseases, conjunctival melanoma, macular degeneration, retinal vein and artery occlusion, retinal detachment, macular or retinal holes, and various other disorders of the macula, retina, and vitreous.

Dr. Say graduated magna cum laude with an accelerated Bachelor’s Degree in Biology and subsequently earned his Doctor of Medicine at the University of Santo Tomas of Manila, Philippines where he graduated in the top 10% of his class and finished 18th in the nationwide physician licensure examination. He continued his training and experience during an internship at Cardinal Santos Medical Center and completed his Ophthalmology residency at University of the Philippines-Philippine General Hospital. Following certification by the United States Medical Licensing Examinations (USMLE) and the Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates (ECFMG). Dr. Say went on to complete an ocular oncology fellowship at the Wills Eye Institute in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, a fellowship in vitreoretinal surgery at the University of North Carolina and finally a fellowship in pediatric vitreoretinal surgery at the Children’s Hospital Los Angeles in Los Angeles, California.

In 2013, Dr. Say worked in private practice at the Cardinal Santos Medical Center in Manila, Philippines. He later served as staff physician at the Wills Eye Institute and Thomas Jefferson University Hospital in Philadelphia Pennsylvania from 2014-2016 where he worked alongside Drs. Jerry and Carol Shields as part of the renowned Ocular Oncology Service. He later moved to Charleston, South Carolina serving as an assistant professor at the Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC) Storm Eye Institute where he served as an adult and pediatric vitreoretinal specialist and surgeon managing complex vitreoretinal disorders such as retinopathy of prematurity, congenital retinal diseases, ocular inflammation, trauma, and complex retinal detachments.

Having published more than 80 book chapters as well as scientific articles in national and international medical journals, Dr. Say remains on the forefront of understanding and advancing medical care related to eye cancer, endoscopic pars plana vitrectomy, treating pediatric eye injuries, inherited retinal dystrophy, intravitreal chemotherapy for retinoblastoma, prevention of macular edema, retinal and choroidal tumors, cell analysis in age-related macular degeneration, and discussions concerning multiple types of retinopathy and the benefits of various advanced treatments. He has received the Young Investigator Award from the Melanoma Research Fund in 2015, Achievement Award from the American Academy of Ophthalmology in 2018, as well as the Honor Award from the American Society of Retina Specialists in 2020.

Dr. Say is a member of the American Society of Retina Specialists (ASRS), American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO), International Society of Ocular Oncology (ISOO), and International Retinal Imaging Society (IntRIS).

Having moved to South Carolina after growing up in the Philippines and practicing in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania – Dr. Say looks forward to getting to know his patients at SCRI. In his free time, he enjoys traveling and experiencing the rich food culture of Charleston and Myrtle Beach with his wife and three girls.