Masters of the Ophthoverse
Ophthalmic experts talk about their heroes – the giants of ophthalmology
Oscelle Boye | | 5 min read | Opinion
Cathleen M. McCabe
Chief Medical Officer, Eye Health America; Medical Director, The Eye Associates; Chair, Refractive Surgery Clinical Committee ASCRS; Co-Chief Medical Editor, Cataract Refractive Surgery Today; Co-Chief Medical Editor, Ophthalmic ASC Magazine; President, Outpatient Ophthalmic Surgery Society, Bradenton, Florida, USA
The person I look up to is David Chang. I am fortunate to have worked with him more in the past year and I admire his endless energy towards globally impacting projects, such as the delivery of care in developing parts of the world and the impact of waste on sustainability. He is a gentle and effective leader who treats everyone with respect; he truly listens to and collaborates with others to create a team that is far more effective than the sum of its parts. He is persistent and resourceful in problem solving, in all areas including the operating room, committees, and leadership. Chang does all of this while running a successful practice and taking excellent care of patients surgically and clinically. He remains on the cutting edge of research and is an innovator in the delivery of care, developing new surgical tools and techniques that improve efficiency, safety, and outcomes. He has worked tirelessly to improve our ability to care for patients by taking on legislative and regulatory challenges and by working behind the scenes on these and other issues. He has been a partner of industry in guiding new treatments and devices, and a supporter of smaller companies and new ideas, and he is a generous philanthropist with a concern for the global community of ophthalmologists and patients.
Damien Gatinel
Head of the Anterior Segment and Refractive Surgery Department, Rothschild Foundation Hospital, Paris, France
I admire many of my peers; however, among them, I attribute a special place to Jack Holladay. He’s an expert in several areas of my interests, including exploration of the eye’s optical qualities in relation to refractive or cataract surgery. I like to read through some of his “old” articles that dealt with IOL power calculation ahead of their time. I recently appreciated his explanatory reports on dysphotopsias, and on the descriptive statistics of refractive error in cataract surgery. I’ve had the chance to listen to him and debate with him on many occasions, which has always been rewarding.
Edward J. Holland
Director of Cornea, Cincinnati Eye Institute; Professor of Ophthalmology, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA
The person I admire most is Richard Lindstrom. Dick was my mentor during residency and guided me to do a fellowship in cornea and then in ocular immunology. I joined the Cornea Service at the University of Minnesota, US, and was his partner for several years. He has given me excellent advice throughout my career relating to surgical and clinical issues, research, and collaboration with industry. I have not made a significant career move without his sage counsel. He is a tremendous surgeon and clinician and he has made major contributions to ophthalmology in cornea, refractive, cataract, and glaucoma fields. In addition to all of that, he is a mentor, respected colleague, and a great friend.
Deepinder K. Dhaliwal
Professor of Ophthalmology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine; Chief, Divisions of Cornea and Refractive Surgery, UPMC Eye Center; Director and Founder, Center for Integrative Ophthalmology; Clinical Co-Director, Corneal Regeneration Laboratory; Associate Director, Charles T. Campbell Ocular Microbiology Laboratory; Medical Director, UPMC Laser Vision Center, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
I look up to Sheraz Daya. He is like a big brother to me. I admire his thoughtful approach to innovation. He thinks critically about products, techniques, and technology, and does not simply jump on the bandwagon. He speaks his mind and is always open and honest even when his point of view may be less popular. When I am contemplating starting a new procedure or using a new device, I call him for his opinion. I trust him. He has also been an amazing guide outside of ophthalmology with his approach to life, balance, and spirituality.
H. Burkhard Dick
Professor and Chairman, Director, Ruhr University Eye Hospital, Germany
I admire Norbert Pfeiffer, Director of the University Eye Clinic and Medical Director of the Johannes Gutenberg University’s Medical Center in Mainz, Germany. He was my boss and teacher in my early clinical years and there is so much I admire about him. He is an authority in ophthalmology, particularly in glaucoma, an administrator and researcher of the highest ability, an outstanding teacher, a kind and humane superior and, in every respect, an inspiration!
Eduardo C. Alfonso
Director of Cornea, Cincinnati Eye Institute, Professor of Ophthalmology, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA
The person I most admire in the field is Edward W.D. Norton – the insightful ophthalmologist who founded Bascom Palmer Eye Institute 60 years ago and guided its growth for more than three decades. Norton – a remarkable physician, professor, and administrator – inspired openness and trust. That transparency and integrity created the foundation that to this day allows Bascom Palmer to grow and flourish. All of us at Bascom Palmer, including alumni around the world, are proud to continue his legacy of providing compassionate patient care and advancing our understanding of ophthalmology.
I have always been fascinated by stories. During my biomedical sciences degree, though I enjoyed wet lab sessions, I was truly in my element when sitting down to write up my results and find the stories within the data. Working at Texere gives me the opportunity to delve into a plethora of interesting stories, sharing them with a wide audience as I go.
