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Brian J. Forbes, MD, PhD

Brian J. Forbes, MD, PhD

Brian J. Forbes, MD, PhD

Brian J. Forbes, MD, PhD, is an attending surgeon in the Division of Ophthalmology at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia.

Areas of expertise: 22q deletion syndrome and associated ocular findings, Abusive head trauma and associated ocular findings, Complicated pediatric strabismus, Craniofacial disorders and associated ocular findings, Pediatric ophthalmology

Locations: Isaacman Family Specialty Care & Surgery Center, Brandywine Valley, Specialty Care, Exton, Main Building

Make an appointment

215-590-2791

About Brian J. Forbes, MD, PhD

Brian J. Forbes, MD, PhD, is an attending surgeon in the Division of Ophthalmology at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP).

Dr. Forbes enjoys helping children get better, both medically, through his practice, and on his off hours, as a youth sports coach.

“I have always liked working with — and for — kids,” he says.

Dr. Forbes sees children at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia’s Main Campus, as well as the Specialty Care Centers in Brandywine Valley and Exton. He is the ophthalmology point person for children with craniofacial disorders and is well published on the subject. Additionally, he sees and performs surgery on children with basic eye issues as well as cases of complex strabismus. Along with his work at CHOP, Dr. Forbes is an Assistant Professor of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine.

Dr. Forbes also directs the Pediatric Eye Disease Investigative Group's studies at CHOP and has varied research interests, including assessing ocular injuries associated with abusive injuries as well the mechanism of retinal hemorrhages in these traumatic brain injuries.

He hopes families come away from their experience at CHOP feeling reassured by the high degree of attention that medical team members devote to each child in their care.

Titles

Attending Surgeon

Associate Professor of Ophthalmology, Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania

Certifications

Ophthalmology – American Board of Ophthalmology

Education & training

Graduate Degree

PhD in Biochemistry - Pennsylvania State University, State College, PA

Medical Degree

MD - University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA

Internship

Transitional Internship - Mercy Catholic Medical Center, Darby, PA

Residency

Ophthalmology - University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey, Newark, NJ

Fellowship

Pediatric Ophthalmology - Wills Eye Hospital, Philadelphia, PA

Team affiliations

View fewer team affiliations View all team affiliations

Publications

Publications

2018

Campbell IM, Sheppard SE, Crowley TB, McGinn DE, Bailey A, McGinn MJ, Unolt M, Homans JF, Chen EY, Salmons HI, Gaynor JW, Goldmuntz E, Jackson OA2, Katz LE, Mascarenhas MR, Deeney VFX, Castelein RM, Zur KB, Elden L, Kallish S, Kolon TF, Hopkins SE, Chadehumbe MA, Lambert MP, Forbes BJ, Moldenhauer JS, Schindewolf EM1, Solot CB, Moss EM, Gur RE, Sullivan KE, Emanuel BS, Zackai EH, McDonald-McGinn DM. What is new with 22q? An update from the 22q and You Center at the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia. Am J Med Genet A. 2018 Oct;176(10):2058-2069. doi: 10.1002/ajmg.a.40637.

2016

Forbes BJ, McDonald-McGinn DM, Wootton G, Dawson L, Zackai E, Binenbaum G. Ocular findings associated with chromosome 22q11.2 duplication. J AAPOS. 2016 Jun;20(3):278-80.

Binenbaum G, Chen W, Huang J, Ying GS, Forbes BJ. The natural history of retinal hemorrhage in pediatric head trauma. J AAPOS. 2016 Apr;20(2):131-5.

2015

Geloneck MM, Forbes BJ, Shaffer J, Ying GS, Binenbaum G. Ocular complications in children with diabetes mellitus. Ophthalmology. 2015 Dec;122(12):2457-64.

Binenbaum G, Christian C, Guttmann K, Huang J, Ying GS, Forbes BJ. Evaluation of temporal association between vaccinations and retinal hemorrhage in children. JAMA Ophthalmol. 2015 Nov;133(11):1261-5.

Aleman TS, Brodie F, Garvin C, Gewaily DY, Ficicioglu CH, Mills MD, Forbes BJ, Maguire AM, Davidson SL. Retinal structure in cobalamin C disease: mechanistic and therapeutic implications. Ophthalmic Genet. 2015;36(4):339-48.

2013

Binenbaum G, Christion CW, Forbes BJ, et al. Retinal hemorrhage and brain injury patterns on diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging in children with head trauma. J AAPOS. 2013 Dec;17(6):603-8.

Binenbaum G, Rogers DL, Forbes BJ, et al. Patterns of retinal hemorrhage associated with increased intracranial pressure in children. Pediatrics. 2013 Aug;132(2):e430-4.

2010

Barry GP, Ny BM, Zackai EH, Grunwald L, Forbes BJ. A case report of a patient with Pfeiffer syndrome, an FGRF 2 mutation (Trp290Cys) and unique ocular anterior segment findings. Ophthalmic Genet. 2010 Sep 1. [Epub ahead of print]

Forbes BJ. Congenital craniofacial anomalies. Curr Opin Ophthalmol. 2010 Jul 14. [Epub ahead of print].

Forbes BJ, Rubin SE, Margolin E, Levin AV. Evaluation and management of retinal hemorrhages in infants with and without abusive head trauma. J AAPOS. 2010 Jun;14(3):267-273.

Coats B, Binenbaum G, Peiffer RL, Forbes BJ, Margulies SS. Ocular hemorrhages in neonatal porcine eyes from single, rapid rotational events. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci. 2010 Sep;51(9):4792-7. Epub 2010 Apr 30.

Early Treatment for Retinopathy of Prematurity Cooperative Group, Good WV, Hardy RJ, Dobson V, Palmer EA, Phelps DL, Tung B, Redford M. Final visual acuity results in the early treatment for retinopathy of prematurity study. Arch Ophthalmol. 2010 Jun;128(6):663-71. Epub 2010 Apr 12.

Nallasamy S, Davidson SL, Kuhn I, Mills MD, Forbes BJ, Anninger WV, Stricker PA. Simultaneous bilateral intraocular surgery in children. J AAPOS. 2010 Feb;14(1):15-9.

Editorials, Reviews, Chapters

Forbes B, Katowitz WR, Katowitz JA. Congenital craniofacial anomalies and their management. In: Edward Jaeger, editor. Duane's Ophthalmology. Philadelphia: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins;2009. Chapter 41.

Patient experience rating

(based on 119 submissions)

  • Provider listened carefully
    4.8 of 5
  • Trust provider with care
    4.7 of 5
  • Provider gave enough info about child's health
    4.7 of 5
  • Would recommend the provider
    4.9 of 5
Learn about the patient experience rating system

Comments

  • Knowledgeable and thorough. Tailor's treatment to my child's specific needs.

    5 of 5
    Aug 10, 2026
  • Dr. Forbes is fantastic. My daughter actually enjoys and looks forward to going to the eye doctor now, & that's huge for her. He's great, and I personally love how direct he is about everything.

    5 of 5
    Jul 30, 2026
  • Dr. Forbes and his staff are phenomenal. Very understanding and considerate.

    5 of 5
    Jul 23, 2026
  • Dr. Forbes is the absolute best! I'm dreading the day he retires!

    5 of 5
    Jul 15, 2026
  • This doctor is the best doctor we've ever had at CHOP

    5 of 5
    Jul 02, 2026
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About the Patient Experience Rating System

The patient experience rating is an average of all responses to the care provider-related questions from surveys submitted by patient families and verified by our survey partner National Research Corporation (NRC Health), an independent company that specializes in patient experience. Patients that are treated in outpatient or hospital environments may receive different surveys, and the volume of responses will vary by question. Responses are measured using percent positive scoring. Percent positive is the percentage of respondents who answered with the most desirable response. We are committed to transparency and sharing the voices of our patients and families. Comments are reviewed before posting to ensure accuracy, privacy, and relevance. To provide meaningful feedback, comments are displayed on provider profiles once a sufficient number have been received. All feedback is also shared internally to support learning, recognition, and continuous improvement. The comments reflect the experiences and perspectives of the patients and families who submitted them. The comments are not endorsed by and do not reflect the views of Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia.

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