Dr. Kara Hartl

Dr. Kara Hartl is an American ophthalmologist, physician, and philanthropist dedicated to bringing high-quality medical care to underserved communities in rural areas. She is the founder and CEO of Troy Medical, a telehealth company that uses a hybrid model to deliver specialized care to patients in remote locations.
 
Dr. Hartl is also a philanthropist, having founded the international nonprofit Gift of Sight, dedicated to curing blindness worldwide. In 2023, she was recognized as a Top Women Leader in medicine.
==Early life and education==
Dr. Hartl was born and raised in Alaska. She graduated with a doctorate in medicine from the UC San Diego School of Medicine and an undergraduate degree in biology from Harvard University. She completed her ophthalmology training at the Bascom Palmer Eye Institute, the top eye hospital in the United States.
==Career==
After graduating from Harvard, Dr. Hartl started her career volunteering at a clinic in rural Mexico.
 
After completing her ophthalmology training at Bascom Palmer Eye Institute, Dr. Hartl founded Mountain View Eye Center, providing medical and surgical treatment of ocular diseases in Fairbanks, Alaska. She practiced there for 15 years, witnessing the challenges faced by rural patients in accessing specialized care. In December 2021, Dr. Hartl sold Mountain View Eye Center to Sight Partners.
 
In 2022, Dr. Hartl founded Troy Medical, a telehealth company based in Fairbanks, Alaska. Troy Medical employs a hybrid model to deliver specialized care through online and in-person services. The company aims to improve healthcare access in remote and underserved communities.
 
Additionally, Dr. Hartl has initiated public education efforts to raise awareness about the effects of increased screen time on eye health, based on her decade-long study of light exposure. She is an executive board member at the Harvard Club of Austin.
 
Dr. Hartl is an international speaker on telehealth, rural healthcare, and medical technologies. She is a thought leader in healthcare, pioneering the use of telehealth and technology to improve healthcare delivery in rural and underserved areas.
==Philanthropy== 
In 2014, Dr. Hartl co-founded the international nonprofit Gift of Sight, which focuses on curing blindness globally. She established the Prevention of Global Blindness Fellowship to empower recent graduates to join the international medical community. Her work includes collaborating with early-stage start-ups in medical technology to advance the field of eye care.
==Awards and recognitions==
Dr. Hartl has received several honors throughout her career, including:
* Best Telemedicine Provider CEO 2023 by CEO Monthly
* Most Inspirational Women Leaders in Business to Look Out For in 2023 by Insights Success
* Top 50 Women Leaders of Austin for 2023 by Women We Admire
* Volunteer of the Year 2017 by the Greater Fairbanks Chamber of Commerce
* Top 40 Under 40 by the Chamber of Commerce in 2015
* Visionary Award by Global Blindness Prevention in 2015.
==References==
==External links==
* Personal website
* Troy Medical
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Category:American ophthalmologists
Category:American physicians
Category:American philanthropists
Category:Harvard University alumni
Category:American people
Category:People from Alaska