He is Professor of Ophthalmology and Pathology at the Keck School of Medicine and Director of Uveitis Service. He is involved in the treatment of inflammatory ocular diseases affecting the uveal tract, vitreous, retina and sclera. He has received numerous honors and awards for his research endeavors on ocular inflammatory diseases from Research to Prevent Blindness and the National Institute of Health. He delivered several named lectures including visiting professorship at Harvard University, Johns Hopkins University, Yale university, Washington university, University of California, San Francisco, University of Paris, France, Moorefields Eye Institute, London, University of Rome, Italy, Tokyo Medical University, Kyushu University in Fukoka , Japan and University of Sydney. Dr. Rao has published over 375 peer reviewed articles in the United States and in international journals, four books on ophthalmic diseases. For his outstanding contributions to Ophthalmology, he was awarded Lorenz E. Zimmerman medal from American Academy of Ophthalmology, Ramon L. Font medal from Pan American Society of Ophthalmology, International Ocular Inflammation Society Award and award from European Vision and Eye Research Association in 2006. Recently he was selected to receive a prestigious international medal, Bietti medal from International Council of Ophthalmology.

 ocular diseases affecting the uveal tract, vitreous, retina and sclera