Dr. Samer A.
Charleston Stores
Dr. Samer Arafat was born in Iowa City, Iowa, and grew up in Amman, Jordan. After graduating high school overseas, he attended the University of Iowa, where he earned a Bachelor's degree in biology and chemistry with honors.
He received his medical degree from the American University of Beirut in Beirut, Lebanon, and then completed his post-doctoral research fellowships at the Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary and Schepens Eye Research Institute/MEEI in Boston, Massachusetts, under the mentorship of Drs. Claes H. Dohlman and Ilene K. Gipson.
Dr. Arafat has authored peer-reviewed papers and presented his work in the fields of cornea, ocular surface, and inflammation, as well as on the Boston Keratoprosthesis (Boston KPro), an artificial cornea invented by his mentor, Dr. Dohlman. Among his research, he has studied potential specific inflammatory markers on the ocular surface and worked on developing methods to improve the Boston KPro retention in patients predisposed to corneal melting.
He graduated Magna Cum Laude from the New England College of Optometry, followed by a year-long Ocular Disease Residency at the Louis Stokes Cleveland Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Cleveland, Ohio.
Dr. Arafat’s passion for eye care began at an early age, as he is now a third-generation eye doctor. He had the great opportunity to witness firsthand the importance of eye health and vision in the lives of many patients spanning generations, as well as the value his father and grandfather placed on providing quality care and their unwavering dedication to this rewarding profession. This appreciation for the eye led him to pursue a career in healthcare, and it has been a perfect match that set him on an incredible journey to provide the best care for his patients.
Dr. Arafat is fluent in English and Arabic. He is a cinephile and a lover of history. He keeps up with current events and enjoys discussing sports, movies, and shows. In his free time, he is self-learning Spanish, working on a screenplay he started, staying updated on pop culture and entertainment news, listening to music, and spending time with good friends.