About
M. Alejandra Valenzuela, MD, is a board-certified, multi-fellowship-trained ophthalmologist with more than 25 years of experience treating eyelid, tear duct and eye socket conditions in children and adults. Dr. Valenzuela offers treatments for eyelid drooping, tear duct obstruction, orbital (eye socket) disease and tumors, reconstruction of the area around the eye after trauma or skin cancer treatment, eyelid and brow lift, rehabilitation after facial palsy, and orbital decompression and eyelid reconstruction for patients with Graves disease.
Dr. Valenzuela chose the field of medicine because she believes in helping people in a very vulnerable part of their lives by using compassion and empathy. Her goal is to treat every patient like a member of her family and always consider their best interest. She is excited to join MU Health Care to serve the needs of patients in mid-Missouri.
Outside of work, Dr. Valenzuela and her husband dote on a grandbaby and three dogs. Her hobbies include spending time with family, cooking, skiingand being outdoors.
Education & Training
Medical School
Pontificia Universidad Catolica de Chile
Residency
Ophthalmology
- Universidad De Los Andes
Fellowship
Oculoplastics and Orbital Surgery
- Royal Brisbane and Women's Hospital
- University of British Columbia GME
Ocular Oncology
- University of Toronto
Boards
Insurances
MU Health Care participates with most major managed care organizations. To find out whether MU Health Care is a participating provider in your insurance plan or network, or for information on co-payments and deductibles, please contact your insurance carrier directly.
Academic Information
Research Profile
M. Alejandra Valenzuela, MD, is a physician and researcher with more than 25 years of experience treating complex ophthalmologic conditions in adults and children. Her multiple fellowships and residency experience have equipped her to treat cancers of the orbital bone and eye socket, as well as a range of nonsurgical and surgical treatments for conditions including eyelid malposition, post-traumatic periocular and midfacial reconstruction, facial nerve conditions and more.
Dr. Valenzuela’s research interests include biotechnology to rehabilitate people who have lost eyes or eye sockets. She has published work on facial and eye socket cancers, and her research work also includes continued investigation of new surgical techniques to treat cancer affecting the eye socket or eyelid. Dr. Valenzuela's work further includes the potential of using biotechnology for 3D printing of tissues and its impact on progress toward a bionic eye in humans.
Research Interests
- Biotechnology to rehabilitate people who have lost eyes or eye sockets
- Cancer affecting eye socket or eyelid including new surgical techniques
Areas of Expertise
- Eyelid malposition: ptosis, entropion, ectropion and others in children and adults
- Watery eyes and lacrimal obstruction
- Orbital diseases and tumors
- Periocular and midfacial reconstruction, post trauma or Mohs surgery
- Eyelid and brow rehabilitation post facial palsy
- Orbital decompression and lid reconstructions for patients with Graves’ ophthalmopathy