Iqbal (Ike) Ahmed, MD – Chair and Moderator
Darren Albert, MD
John Blaylock, MD
Thomas Kohnen, MD
Devesh Varma, MD
Iqbal (Ike) Ahmed, MD, FRCSC
Iqbal (Ike) Ahmed, MD, FRCSC
Clinical Professor, University of Utah
Fellowship Director, Glaucoma & Anterior Segment Surgery (GAASS) Fellowship, University of Toronto
Research Director, Kensington Eye Institute, University of Toronto
Division Head, Ophthalmology, Trillium Health Partners, Mississauga
Medical Director, Prism Eye Institute, Mississauga
Co-Medical Director, TLC Mississauga
Ike Ahmed is a fellowship-trained glaucoma, cataract, and anterior segment surgeon with a practice focus on the surgical management of glaucoma, complex cataract and intraocular lens complications. He is board certified in ophthalmology in Canada and the USA, and is an active member of numerous national and international societies.
Dr. Ahmed has become world renowned for his skills and groundbreaking work in the diagnosis and surgical treatment of highly complex eye diseases including glaucoma and surgical complications. He is recognized as being one of the most experienced complex eye surgeons in the world and has trained numerous surgeons in innovative surgical techniques. Furthermore, he has been at the leading edge of novel treatments for glaucoma, cataract and lens implant surgery. Patients are referred to him locally, nationally, and from around the world. He has been invited to perform surgery in 4 continents across the globe. In 2010, Dr. Ahmed was selected as one of Canada’s “Top 40 under 40” – a prestigious national award recognizing significant achievements at a young age. In 2014, Dr. Ahmed was selected to receive the prestigious Binkhorst medal at ASCRS, which has been awarded to the world’s most prominent ophthalmologists whose careers have made significant contributions to the science and practice of ophthalmology.
Dr. Ahmed has a keen interest in the development of advanced microsurgical devices and techniques in glaucoma surgery and complicated cataract extraction, and is actively involved in research and medical education at a national and international level. He has received research grants to study glaucoma medications, glaucoma laser and surgical devices/techniques, angle closure glaucoma, anterior segment and retinal/optic nerve imaging in glaucoma, cataract surgical techniques and devices, and intraocular lens designs. Dr. Ahmed has designed innovative glaucoma diamond scalpels for surgery, microsurgical instrumentation, and devices, implants, and techniques for the management of the dislocated cataract, iris reconstruction, and glaucoma implant devices. He has done pioneering work in innovative glaucoma surgery, developing and coining the term “Micro-Invasive Glaucoma Surgery (MIGS)” as a new genre of surgical approaches and devices. He also performed the first laser cataract surgery in Canada. As a result of his innovative expertise, Dr. Ahmed has been asked to consult for a variety of companies and manufacturers, especially pertaining to the development of new devices and technologies.
He founded and directs the Toronto Cataract Course and the COS Surgical Teaching Series, as well as a number of AAO and ASCRS Courses. He directed the third International Congress on Glaucoma Surgery in May 2006 in Toronto. He sits on the editorial boards of Ophthalmology, Canadian Journal of Ophthalmology, Ocular Surgery News, Cataract and Refractive Surgery Today, and Glaucoma Today, and is a reviewer for numerous journals.
Dr. Ahmed has published over 100 peer-reviewed papers, as well as numerous book chapters, and has won five film festival awards, six best papers of the session, and a poster award at ASCRCS, as well as an ESCRS first place video award and AAO “Best of Show” award. He has given over 750 scientific presentations thus far in his career, including 31 visiting professor’s lectures around the world.
He is currently an assistant professor at the University of Toronto, and a clinical professor at the University of Utah. He is the Director of the Glaucoma and Advanced Anterior Segment Surgery (GAASS) fellowship at the University of Toronto, and Director of Research at the Kensington Eye Institute, University of Toronto. He has trained glaucoma specialists who are now practicing in Canada and around the world, as well as residents and medical students. Dr. Ahmed has a large tertiary glaucoma/cataract practice at Prism Eye Institute in the Greater Toronto Area, and primarily performs surgery at the Trillium Health Partners, Mississauga, Ontario, the Kensington Eye Institute, University of Toronto, and TLC Mississauga.
Financial disclosure: I have/had an affiliation (financial or otherwise) with a commercial organization.
|
|
Darren Albert, MD
Darren Albert, MD
Dr. Albert has performed over 20,000 cataract procedures and is an active member of several scholarly and professional associations. Through his writing, speaking, and committee work, he has made important contributions to vision research, eye care and medical care internationally. He is actively involved in the surgical training of ophthalmology residents at McGill University.
Dr. Albert’s accomplishments and professional affiliations include:
- Medical degree and post-doctoral fellowship in ophthalmic pathology from McGill University
- Fellowship in vision rehabilitation, McGill University and Lighthouse International, a world-renowned vision rehabilitation institute in New York, NY
- He is the former chief of the Ophthalmology Service at Anna Laberge Hospital on Montréal’s South Shore
- Assistant professor of ophthalmology, McGill University, Montréal
- Director of Eye Health MD, a large multi-specialty ophthalmology practice in Montréal
- Senior member of Cataract MD a national, private cataract center across Canada
- Member of the Departments of Ophthalmology at the Jewish General Hospital, St. Mary’s Hospital and the Lakeshore General Hospital in Montréal
- Former senior clinical educator at Lighthouse International vision rehabilitation institute in New York
- Active member of the American Academy of Ophthalmology Vision Rehabilitation Committee
- Active member of the Association of Medical Ophthalmologists of Quebec
- Specialist certificate of ophthalmology of Quebec
- Has helped establish training programs to improve vision care in South America, India, Europe, Canada, and the United States
Professional memberships: Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada, Canadian Ophthalmology Society, Ontario Medical Association, College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario, American Board of Ophthalmology, American Academy of Ophthalmology, American Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgery.
Financial disclosure: I have/had an affiliation (financial or otherwise) with a commercial organization.
- Abbott Medical Optics (AMO)
- Alcon
- Bayer
John Blaylock, MD
John Blaylock, MD
Financial disclosure: I have/had an affiliation (financial or otherwise) with a commercial organization.
- Alcon
Thomas Kohnen, MD, PhD, FEBO, Frankfurt, Germany
Thomas Kohnen, MD, PhD, FEBO
Dr. Kohnen is professor and chairman of the Department of Ophthalmology, Goethe-University, Frankfurt, one of the busiest teaching hospitals in Germany. He leads a team that helps over 35,000 patients annually, and is highly active in teaching and research. He is Visiting Professor of Ophthalmology at the Cullen Eye Institute, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, USA.
Dr. Kohnen originally studied medicine in Germany, Italy, India and the USA before specializing in ophthalmology in 1989. After his residency, he was awarded a 2-year scholarship from the German Research Foundation to study at the Cullen Eye Institute in 1995/6 and gained an additional degree in Healthcare Management in 2006/7. During his career, he has worked both as a physician and scientist. This dual approach to the clinical and research aspect of the job is one he continues to be passionate about today.
A leading expert in the anterior segment, he specializes in cataract, IOL, refractive and cornea surgery as well as treating glaucoma and retinal problems to increase optical quality. His research focuses on intraocular lenses, laser technology and cataract, refractive and corneal surgery. He publishes and holds lectures worldwide regularly on these subjects.
Dr. Kohnen is editor of the Journal of Cataract and Refractive Surgery, associate editor of Der Ophthalmologe, focal topic editor of Klinische Monatsblätter für Augenheilkunde, Editorial Board member of Graefe’s Archive for Clinical and Experimental Ophthalmology, and frequently peer-reviews for top journals. A recipient of several prestigious awards including the AAO Lifetime Achievement Honor Award in 2002. Professor Kohnen holds senior board positions for a number of professional organisations: president of the Deutsche Ophthalmologische Gesellschaft (DOG), past president of the Deutschsprachige Gesellschaft für Intraokularlinsen-Implantation, interventionelle und refraktive Chirurgie (DGII), elected treasurer and Executive Board Member of the European Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgeons (ESCRS), and treasurer of the International Intraocular Implant Club (IIIC).
Financial disclosure: I have/had an affiliation (financial or otherwise) with a commercial organization.
Research funding:
|
Consultant or advisory board:
|
Devesh Varma, MD, BEng, FRCSC
Devesh Varma, MD
He specializes in the full range of glaucoma surgery, performing both traditional and a variety of new minimally invasive procedures. In addition to routine and refractive cataract surgery, he has particular expertise in high-risk cataracts, the repair of complications from cataract surgery and reconstruction of the front portion of the eye.
He completed a bachelor’s degree in engineering at Dalhousie University in Halifax where he graduated first in his class and was awarded the University Medal. He went on to complete his medical school training in Halifax and then a residency in ophthalmology in Saskatoon, which he completed in 2009. He pursued further training at the University of Toronto under Dr. Ike Ahmed, as a subspecialist in glaucoma and advanced anterior segment surgery.
After his fellowship, Dr. Varma joined Dr. Ahmed as a partner at the Prism Eye Institute – a large multidisciplinary practice with locations in Mississauga and Brampton. He performs surgery at Trillium Health Partners in Mississauga, Kensington Eye Institute, and TLC Mississauga.
Dr. Varma is an assistant professor of ophthalmology at the University of Toronto, where he leads undergraduate ophthalmology teaching at the Mississauga campus, teaches residents, fellows and delivers a wide variety of continuing education programs for practising physicians.
He actively conducts research and has special interest in angle closure glaucoma and new technologies, having authored over 20 publications and delivered over 60 presentations at national and international conferences.