Middlesex Eye Physicians marks Dr. Raji Mulukutla’s retirement as it expands care team

Middlesex Eye Physicians said Raji Mulukutla, MD, will retire at the end of 2026 after helping build the central Connecticut practice over more than three decades. The practice is adding another ophthalmologist and says patients will continue seeing the same care team during the transition.

Why it matters: - Dr. Raji Mulukutla has been one of Middlesex Eye Physicians’ long-time leaders, and her retirement closes a major chapter for a practice that has grown into a multi-location, multi-specialty eye care group. - The transition matters for patients because the practice is keeping continuity in care while adding new physician capacity. - Middlesex Eye Physicians is also signaling that its next phase will lean on a larger team, broader subspecialty coverage and continued independence.

What happened: - Middlesex Eye Physicians announced that Raji Mulukutla, MD, known to patients as Dr. Raji, will retire at the end of 2026. - The Middletown-based practice said Mulukutla helped shape Middlesex Eye into the organization it is today. - The practice said patients can continue scheduling appointments as usual during the transition. - The practice directed patients to middlesexeye.com for more information and appointments.

The details: - Mulukutla earned a B.A. and a Master of Public Health from Johns Hopkins University. - She graduated from The Ohio State University College of Medicine in 1989. - She completed ophthalmology training at Temple University Hospital, where she served as chief resident. - Her clinical work has included laser-assisted cataract surgery, glaucoma care, diabetic retinopathy, macular degeneration and cosmetic services. - Mulukutla is a senior attending surgeon at Middlesex Hospital and serves on staff at Hartford Hospital Eye Surgery Center. - She was named a CT Top Doc six years in a row, from 2012 through 2017. - Middlesex Eye Physicians said its roots in central Connecticut date to 1966. - The practice now serves patients from four offices in Middletown, Old Saybrook, Guilford and East Haven. - Middlesex Eye Physicians says it has a 4.9-out-of-5 average across about 2,200 verified patient ratings. - Mulukutla said Middlesex Eye remains physician-owned, operated and independent. - Mulukutla said cataract surgery has become a refractive procedure that enhances vision, not only a medical procedure. - Mulukutla said the foundation of the practice is a strong doctor-patient relationship and commitment.

Between the lines: - The retirement announcement is also a handoff message: Middlesex Eye Physicians is trying to preserve the culture Mulukutla helped build while widening the bench behind her. - The practice is emphasizing continuity, not disruption, by naming the existing physician and optometry team that will continue treating her patients. - The move to introduce a new fellowship-trained surgeon suggests the practice is preparing for long-term succession, not just a single retirement.

What’s next: - Mulukutla’s patients will continue care with Peter Shriver, DO; Kristy Mascarenhas, MD; Jessica A. Olayanju, MD; Nhu-Y T. Dao, MD; and the practice’s optometrists. - Middlesex Eye Physicians said Shaunak Bakshi, MD, will join the practice in November. - Bakshi graduated from Harvard Medical School and completed fellowship training in cornea and refractive surgery at Mass Eye and Ear/Harvard. - The practice said Bakshi will be formally introduced in a future announcement. - Mulukutla plans to travel, spend time in India and participate in surgical missions in the developing world.

The bottom line: - Middlesex Eye Physicians is using Dr. Raji Mulukutla’s retirement to underscore both continuity and renewal: a longtime physician leader is stepping away, while a larger specialist team takes over and the practice adds new talent.