Robert N. Weinreb

About Robert N. Weinreb

Distinguished Professor and Chair, Ophthalmology, Director, Shiley Eye Institute, Distinguished Professor, Bioengineering, Director, Hamilton Glaucoma Center, Morris Gleich, MD Chair of Glaucoma, University of California, San Diego, California, USA

A little-known or interesting thing about you...

With a background in mathematics and electrical engineering, I was interested in visual perception and thought it might be possible to interface computers with the brain to restore and enhance vision. I realized that I would need a medical degree to engage in clinical investigation. Early in my ophthalmology training, however, I placed my goal of interfacing computers and the brain aside, as I recognized that computing capabilities would be insufficient for decades. Fortunately, I discovered glaucoma as a resident, a specialty that was replete with unmet needs and ripe with opportunities to translate laboratory discoveries to enhance care.

One practical tip for a fellow expert...

One should never stop learning as there are many more questions about glaucoma than answers. In my office, I have a plaque with a quote by Michelangelo that reads, “I am still learning.”  Every day, I am reminded how fortunate I am to be able to do this.