Melissa Ko, MD

Bio

Dr. Melissa W. Ko, MD, MBA, CPE joined the Indiana University School of Medicine in 2019 and is a tenured professor of neurology and ophthalmology. 

For over a decade prior, she served on faculty at SUNY Upstate in Syracuse, New York.  Dr. Ko received her undergraduate degree in biology at Yale University, medical school degree at the University of Rochester, and her residency and fellowship training at the University of Pennsylvania/Scheie Eye Institute/Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. She is a certified physician executive via the American Association of Physician Leadership and received her MBA from the University of Massachusetts-Amherst.

Dr. Ko is an adult and pediatric neuro-ophthalmologist based at the IU Neuroscience Center. On behalf of the American Academy of Neurology (AAN) and neurological patients, Dr. Ko has met with congressional leaders in Washington, DC, since 2010 to increase neurological education and research, to expand telehealth access for neurological patients and to reduce medical costs for patients.

In addition to caring for patients, Dr. Ko is involved in neurology and neuro-ophthalmology leadership at the national and international level. She is an executive board member and the current president-elect  of the North American Neuro-Ophthalmology Society (NANOS). She was appointed editor-in-chief of the American Academy of Neurology (AAN) news and serves/chairs numerous committees within NANOS and the AAN.

She has been invited to organize and to speak at regional, national and international conferences on neuro-ophthalmology subjects and has authored numerous peer-reviewed neuro-ophthalmology publications, editorials and book chapters. Dr. Ko has also mentored many trainees over the last two decades into the fields of neurology/neuro-ophthalmology.

Dr. Ko enjoys time at home with her husband and three children. She enjoys serving her community and launched Indiana Blind Tennis in 2026.