The Eyelid Surgery Expert
I believe in a highly personalized approach - one that begins with truly listening to your concerns and understanding your aesthetic goals. Each treatment plan is thoughtfully tailored to enhance your unique features and refined preferences. My commitment is to deliver beautifully natural results in a setting defined by the highest standards of safety, precision, and care.
HOME › JEAN-PAUL ABBOUD MD PhD
Meet Dr. Abboud
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Dr. Jean-Paul Abboud is a fellowship-trained Oculofacial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgeon in San Diego, California, specializing in advanced eyelid surgery, facial rejuvenation, and complex oculoplastic procedures. With over a decade of experience, he is board-certified by the American Board of Ophthalmology and an active member of the American Society of Ophthalmic Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery (ASOPRS). Dr. Abboud is known for his meticulous surgical technique, artistic approach, and dedication to delivering natural-looking results.
His expertise includes cosmetic and reconstructive eyelid surgery (upper and lower blepharoplasty), brow and forehead lifts, periocular and orbital surgery, and non-surgical facial rejuvenation. As an oculoplastic surgeon, he is uniquely qualified to address conditions involving the eye socket, tear drainage system, facial trauma, and complex eyelid injuries — blending aesthetic refinement with functional restoration.
Dr. Abboud earned his Bachelor of Science in Biological Sciences at Rutgers University in New Jersey before being accepted into the highly competitive Princeton University / Rutgers – Robert Wood Johnson Medical School Physician Scientist Program. There, he completed both his M.D. and Ph.D. in Biomedical Engineering.
Under the mentorship of world-renowned developmental neuroscientist Dr. Richard Nowakowski, Dr. Abboud conducted pioneering research on neural development of the eye, focusing on the retina. His work culminated in his doctoral thesis, “A Comprehensive in silico Model of Retinal Neurogenesis.”
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His surgical training began with a General Surgery internship at Rutgers – Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital and the University Medical Center of Princeton. He then completed a residency in Ophthalmology at the University of California, San Diego’s Shiley Eye Institute in La Jolla, where he mastered the delicate microsurgical techniques of eye and eyelid surgery.
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Dr. Abboud went on to complete an elite fellowship in Orbital and Oculofacial Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery at West Virginia University, one of only four U.S. programs accredited by both ASOPRS and the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME). Fewer than 20 surgeons nationwide are selected for this training each year. Following his fellowship, he achieved board certification and became an active ASOPRS member, a distinction held by fewer than 800 surgeons worldwide.
Beyond his private practice at Oculofacial Surgical Arts in Del Mar, Dr. Abboud treats pediatric patients at Rady Children’s Hospital San Diego, where he performs complex reconstructive surgeries on children—including newborns — with oculofacial disorders. A dedicated humanitarian, he frequently volunteers his surgical skills in underserved regions worldwide, providing life-changing care to both children and adults.
Dr. Abboud is also passionate about teaching, sharing his expertise with the next generation of surgeons. An accomplished artist, he enjoys painting, photography, and digital design. Fluent in Arabic and proficient in French, he values spending his free time with his wife and two young children.
Surgeon​
Before entering medical school, Dr. Jean-Paul Abboud worked as an anesthesia assistant in the operating rooms at Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital, where he observed surgeons’ skillful, precise handwork. Inspired, he spent hours practicing surgical knots and techniques, which solidified his decision to become a surgeon.
As a General Surgery intern, Dr. Abboud returned to those same operating rooms — this time joining the masterful surgeons he once admired. He learned the fundamentals of surgery and began honing his own technical skills, later refining them during his Ophthalmology residency at the University of California, San Diego, where he performed delicate microsurgical procedures in and around the eye. This experience deepened his appreciation for the eyes’ sensitivity and the protective role of the eyelids.
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During his fellowship in Orbital and Oculofacial Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery at West Virginia University, Dr. Abboud received extensive training in all aspects of adult and pediatric oculoplastic surgery — including reconstructive and cosmetic eyelid surgery, orbital surgery, lacrimal surgery, facial trauma, and facial aesthetics. His training also included multi-disciplinary surgical collaboration in sinus and skull base surgery with Otolaryngology and Neurosurgery, as well as advanced laser medicine with Dermatology specialists.
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Artist
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​​Dr. Abboud’s artistic journey began in his teenage years with oil painting, focusing on portraiture and facial expression. Inspired by Italian Renaissance masters such as Guido Reni, Leonardo da Vinci, and Michelangelo, his more recent works draw influence from contemporary artists like Chuck Close, Jonathan Yeo, and Shepard Fairey. He also enjoys pyrographic portraiture, creating intricate burned-wood portraits.
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In college, Dr. Abboud explored 35 mm black-and-white photography, spending hours in the darkroom developing his prints. His first SLR camera was a Canon — and he’s remained an unapologetic Canon user ever since. Over the past decade, he has embraced digital photography, with much of his work dedicated to capturing portraits of his two children, inspired by renowned photographers such as Marco Grob, Martin Schoeller, and Annie Leibovitz.
St. Matthew and the Angel. Oil on Canvas. Jean-Paul Abboud. 1997
Oculofacial plastic surgery reflects my personal artistic sensibilities and embraces the aesthetic principles of beauty, symmetry, and foresight—qualities I bring to painting, photography, and digital design. These same principles guide me in both the precision of a surgical incision and the stroke of a brush, as well as in the foresight required to reshape tissue or capture the perfect moment through a lens.
Scientist/Engineer​
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From a young age, Dr. Abboud displayed a deep curiosity about how things worked — often disassembling electronics, studying their intricate parts, and reassembling them. As a child, he invented small gadgets, from a cardboard remote-controlled car to a makeshift electronic radio transmitter built from scavenged parts.
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At age nine, his mother gifted him a World Book Encyclopedia set, sparking a daily habit of learning and inspiring him with the lives of polymaths like Hippocrates, Leonardo da Vinci, Albert Einstein, and Thomas Edison. Determined to follow a similar path, he aspired to be a physician, artist, scientist, and inventor.
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This passion for problem-solving led him to pursue a Ph.D. in Biomedical Engineering, where his research focused on retinal neurogenesis, particularly in individuals with oculocutaneous and ocular albinism. His doctoral work was presented at multiple scientific conferences nationwide.
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Today, Dr. Abboud combines his engineering background with his expertise in oculoplastic surgery to advance research in bioimaging and biodesign. His current investigations include studying Thyroid Eye Disease using high-speed photography to analyze eyelid and globe movement, as well as exploring thermography, infrared imaging, ultrasonography, and other advanced modalities to improve diagnosis and treatment.
Teacher​
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Dr. Abboud inherited his passion for teaching from his parents, both devoted educators. Throughout his career, he has embraced every opportunity to share knowledge — beginning as a graduate student at Rutgers University, where he was awarded teaching assistantships in General Biology and Anatomy & Physiology.
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During his Ophthalmology residency at UCSD, he received the Outstanding Teacher Award for his dedication to mentoring residents and medical students. As a fellow and clinical instructor in Oculofacial Plastic Surgery at West Virginia University, he played an active role in resident education, organizing lectures, suture workshops, and dissection courses. He considers training the next generation of oculoplastic surgeons one of his greatest professional privileges.
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Dr. Abboud has also contributed to the academic field as an author of book chapters and peer-reviewed articles on oculoplastic surgery. He has presented his research, surgical techniques, and clinical experience at national and international conferences.​​
Humanitarian
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Dr. Abboud is deeply committed to global outreach, providing oculofacial surgical care to children and adults in medically underserved regions.
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He has volunteered in San Cristóbal de las Casas, Chiapas, Mexico with the Scripps Mercy Outreach Surgical Team (MOST) and in Vanua Levu, Fiji, where he performed procedures including congenital ptosis repair, entropion and epiblepharon correction, excision of facial lesions, eyelid and facial reconstruction, burn treatment, orbital tumor removal, and surgical correction for blepharophimosis syndrome.
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In San Diego, Dr. Abboud also serves as a volunteer surgeon with Fresh Start Surgical Gifts at Rady Children’s Hospital, offering life-changing care to children in need.
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To learn more, read Dr. Abboud’s blog entry chronicling his mission trip to Mexico or the feature article about his work in the San Diego Union-Tribune.​
In the Press​
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Dr. Abboud has been honored to share his journey and mission through recent features in two respected San Diego publications.
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San Diego Union-Tribune
September 21, 2023
Dr. Abboud was featured in a heartfelt piece by journalist Michael Kurima, highlighting his volunteer surgical work with Fresh Start Surgical Gifts at Rady Children’s Hospital and the Scripps Mercy Outreach Surgical Team (MOST). In the article, he reflects on the privilege of providing oculofacial plastic surgery and humanitarian care to underserved patients both locally and internationally.
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“Our surgeries change lives. A patient’s life, livelihood and future can be impacted profoundly by a surgery that might take only 20 minutes. These children grow up bullied and shunned by others because of a facial deformity, and we are able to give these kids back their self-esteem and self-confidence.”​
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You may read the article by clicking here.
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SD Voyager Magazine
October 2, 2023
Dr. Abboud was also interviewed by SDVoyager Magazine as part of their San Diego’s Most Inspiring Stories series. In this personal and uplifting feature, he shares his journey from his early life in Beirut, Lebanon, to founding Oculofacial Surgical Arts in Del Mar, CA.
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The article offers a behind-the-scenes look at the values, challenges, and vision that shape his practice — one rooted in empathy, excellence, and a deep commitment to patient care.
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Click here to read the article.
Dr. Abboud's Credentials
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ACADEMIC SUMMARY
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Undergraduate: B.S. in Biological Sciences, Rutgers University
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Medical School: M.D., Rutgers - Robert Wood Johnson Medical School
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Graduate School: Ph.D. in Biomedical Engineering, Rutgers - Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences
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via the Princeton University/Rutgers University Physician-Scientist Program
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SURGICAL TRAINING
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Internship: General Surgery, Rutgers - Robert Wood Johnson Medical School
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Residency: Ophthalmology, University of California San Diego, Shiley Eye Institute
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Fellowship: Oculofacial Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery (ASOPRS), West Virginia University
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BOARD CERTIFICATION
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American Board of Ophthalmology
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MEDICAL LICENSURES
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Medical Board of California
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Texas Medical Board
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PROFESSIONAL SOCIETY MEMBERSHIPS
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American Society of Ophthalmic Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery (ASOPRS)
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American Academy of Ophthalmology
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HOSPITAL AFFILIATIONS
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Scripps Memorial Hospital La Jolla
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Rady Children's Hospital - San Diego
Affiliations . Boards . Certifications
