About Me
Dr. Lutz is a board-certified veterinary ophthalmologist, and the Chief of Ophthalmology at Hickory Veterinary and Specialty Hospital. She is originally from Long Island (go, Yankees!), and received her Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Pennsylvania, and her Doctorate of Veterinary Medicine from Cornell University. She then completed a rotating internship in small animal medicine and surgery, followed by a specialty internship in ophthalmology at Long Island Veterinary Specialists. Dr. Lutz finished a research fellowship in comparative ophthalmology at The Ohio State University and then went on to complete her Residency in Comparative Ophthalmology at The Ohio State University, where she was Chief Resident. Dr. Lutz holds a Master of Science in Comparative Veterinary Medicine from The Ohio State University, with an emphasis in Comparative Ophthalmology. Dr. Lutz is board-certified in veterinary ophthalmology through the American College of Veterinary Ophthalmology (ACVO) and has been awarded a Maintenance of Diplomate Certification through the ACVO.
Dr. Lutz is published in both veterinary and human ophthalmology journals. She received the ACVO clinical award at Cornell University and was awarded a highly coveted ACVO Vision for Animals Foundation Resident Research Award Grant while at The Ohio State University. Dr. Lutz was awarded the Best Clinical Research Award on two occasions at The Ohio State University Advances in Veterinary Medicine College Research Day, as well as The Ohio State University Veterinary Medical Center Service Award. Her graduate work was recognized by the Association for Research and Vision in Ophthalmology (ARVO), and she has been honored with the Best Research Paper Award by the ACVO, which is the most prestigious award given to any resident in the College.
Dr. Lutz is the past-Chairperson for the Membership Promotion & Outreach Committee for the ACVO, has served as a member of the ACVO Ethics Committee, and is a member of the American Board of Veterinary Ophthalmology (ABVO) Residency Committee, the ACVO PharmaTox Committee, and the Vision for Animals (VAF) Grant Committee. She is an Associate Editor for the Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association, the American Journal of Veterinary Research, the Journal of Small Animal Practice and the Cooper Rowan Medical Journal, an ophthalmology subject area reviewer for the Journal of Veterinary Internal Medicine and the Journal of Feline Medicine and Surgery, a preferred reviewer for the Equine Veterinary Journal, and a regularly invited peer reviewer for the Veterinary Ophthalmology® journal, the Journal of the American Animal Hospital Association, the Canadian Veterinary Journal, and the Veterinary Medicine and Science Journal. Dr. Lutz is also an Ophthalmology Guide for primary care veterinarians through an international digital learning platform called VetHive. She is a nationally invited ophthalmology educator at veterinary conferences for primary care veterinarians, veterinary technicians, and veterinary staff.
Prior to joining Hickory Veterinary and Specialty Hospital, ospitalHoDr. Lutz was a founding faculty member of the Shreiber School of Veterinary Medicine of Rowan University (the first ever veterinary school in NJ). She also co-owned and built a multi-specialty and emergency hospital in Philadelphia and has practiced at specialty and emergency hospitals in PA and the Northeast US. She is happiest when she is caring for her patients and her clients and working with the referring veterinary community in the greater Philadelphia area.
Dr. Lutz’s clinical interests are diverse, and amongst them are the medical and surgical management of glaucoma, cataract surgery, the novel treatment of tear film diseases, corneal surgery, exotic animal ophthalmology, scientific writing, leadership, and clinical research and clinical trials to help advance the fields of veterinary and human ophthalmology.
Outside of work, Dr. Lutz enjoys spoiling her rescue beagles, Archimedes and Merlin, her rescue parakeet, Shortcake, and her koi fish. She also enjoys collecting rare books, reading, attending concerts, playing flute and piccolo, visiting the shore (any shore!), and spending time with her family, friends, and her husband and best friend, Pete.