Yvonne M. Buys, MD
Yvonne M. Buys, MD
Professor, Department of Ophthalmology and Vision Sciences, University of Toronto
Co-Director, Glaucoma Unit, University Health Network
Research interests: Glaucoma epidemiology. Health economics. Surgical innovations in glaucoma and cataract. Optic nerve imaging. Sleep issues in glaucoma. IOP variations, diurnal and positional. Ocular blood flow.
Leadership positions: Annual Meeting Chair and Board Member of the Canadian Ophthalmological Society; Planning Committee member for glaucoma subspecialty day at the American Academy of Ophthalmology; glaucoma section editor for the Canadian Journal of Ophthalmology; Past-President of the Canadian Glaucoma Society; Past-President and founding member of the Toronto Area Glaucoma Society; noneconomic loss physician for the WSIB; past examiner for the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada; member of the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario, the Toronto Hospital Research Institute, among many others. Published over 130 peer-reviewed scientific papers, 12 invited editorials and seven book chapters. Trained over 20 glaucoma fellows, from all continents and from countries as far away as Saudi Arabia and Australia
Special honours: Toronto Hospital Anderson Award (1998); University of Toronto Clive Mortimer Postgraduate Teaching Award (1999); American Academy of Ophthalmology Achievement Award (2015).
Financial disclosure: I do not have any affiliation (financial or otherwise) with a commercial organization.
Larry Allen, MD
Financial disclosure: I do not have any affiliation (financial or otherwise) with a commercial organization.
Kashif Baig, MBA, MD
Kashif Baig, MBA, MD
Financial disclosure: I have/had an affiliation (financial or otherwise) with a commercial organization.
- Abbott Medical Optics
- Alcon
- Allergan
- Bausch and Lomb
- Labtician
- Merck
- Moria Surgical
Ralf Buhrmann, MD
Ralf Buhrmann, MD
Dr. Buhrmann completed medical school at McGill University in 1989 and residency training in ophthalmology there in 1994. He went on to complete his master’s in public health at Johns Hopkins University in 1996 and remained there for an additional two years to complete concurrent fellowships in public health ophthalmology (at the Dana Center for Preventive Ophthalmology) and glaucoma with Dr. Harry Quigley.
In his role with the Canadian Ophthalmological Society, Dr. Buhrmann serves as the president of the Canadian Society of International and Public Health Ophthalmology and as a member of the Continuing Professional Development Committee. At the University of Ottawa Eye Institute, he serves as the chair of the Non-Governmental Institutional Partnership Organization, which facilitates a long-standing institutional partnership with Srikiran Eye Institute in India.
Dr. Buhrmann has spent two years working in Africa including a year with CBM in Sierra Leone and Cameroon. During his time at Johns Hopkins, he served as project director for the Kongwa Eye Project, a research and service outreach in Tanzania. This research formed the basis for his PhD thesis in 2001, which demonstrated the link between vision loss and mortality in this population in rural Tanzania. His public health work in Canada includes leading the development and writing of the “Foundations for a Canadian Vision Health Strategy” in 2006 for the Vision Health Coalition, “Evidence-based Guidelines for Immigrant and Refugee Health” (vision chapter) in 2011 for the Canadian Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Health, and documenting the underutilization of screening for diabetic retinopathy in Ontario with the Institute of Clinical Evaluative Sciences in Toronto.
Jean Deschênes, MD
Jean Deschênes, MD
He was the first in the Department of Ophthalmology to become a Chercheur Boursier for the Fonds de Recherche en Santé du Québec for funds to support his work in ocular immunology. Thus, Dr. Deschênes set up a practice centre for seeing patients in ocular immunology dealing with uveitis, external disease and cornea.
In teaching, a new section of ophthalmology, concerning ocular immunology and uveitis, was set up, a facility that was unique in Quebec and Canada, and which became well known. With all of the developments in ocular immunology occurring at McGill, there were many publications and invitations for Dr. Deschênes to write chapters in prominent textbooks. From the research point of view, his and the research unit’s major contribution has been in the understanding of the normal immunology of the eye and the changes occurring in ocular inflammation.
In addition, over the years, innovative treatments were developed in the ocular immunology and AIDS clinics. Beyond the research done and treatments developed at the research ophthalmology immunology unit, it was not long after its creation that the unit began to produce additional ocular immunologists, with fellows and research trainees doing rotations under the direction of Dr. Deschênes. Many of the residents and fellows who worked with Dr. Deschênes are now well established in university centres in Canada, South America and the United States.
Ocular immunology has become an important part of the program for teaching clinical care and research. Its international reputation is growing and McGill is known as a centre where treatment of immune diseases of the eye is first rate with excellent research being done.
In addition to his work at McGill and its hospitals, Dr. Deschênes has also found time to be active in many professional associations including, among others, the Canadian Ophthalmological Society, the Association des médecins ophtalmologistes du Québec as president and the International Uveitis Study Group. He has also been an Associate Dean in the Faculty of Medicine and acted as the Residency Training Program Director.
The university’s reputation as a leading centre in immune disease treatment and research can largely be attributed to Dr. Deschênes’ work. He is a first rate teacher and role model for colleagues and students, combining clinical ophthalmology and research. A prodigious worker, it is fortunate that he is physically strong, a quality that he goes to great lengths to maintain, including having a gymnasium installed in the basement of his house. Despite being incredibly busy and in demand, he always finds time to talk to colleagues and residents. He is indeed a leader in his field and has brought luster to the McGill Department. That he can perform all of the duties of a clinician, as well as those of an internationally known researcher, is indeed remarkable.
Financial disclosure: I do not have any affiliation (financial or otherwise) with a commercial organization.
Bryce Ford, MD
Bryce Ford, MD
Financial disclosure: I do not have any affiliation (financial or otherwise) with a commercial organization.
Jane A. Gardiner, MD
Pediatric ophthalmologist, British Columbia Children’s Hospital, Vancouver
Dr. Gardiner graduated from Memorial University of Newfoundland in St. John’s and went on to do a residency in ophthalmology at the University of British Columbia in Vancouver. She subsequently did a fellowship in Oculoplastics at UBC and Moorfields Eye Hospital and a fellowship in Pediatric Ophthalmology at the Hospital for Sick Children. She returned to British Columbia Children’s Hospital in 2000, where she is currently on staff.
Dr. Gardiner is a clinical professor in the Faculty of Medicine at the University of British Columbia. She is actively involved with the Faculty of Medicine. She is currently the Undergraduate Director for Ophthalmology at UBC and teaches medical students, residents and fellows regularly.
She is also involved nationally. She is a Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons Examiner in Ophthalmology and the President of the Canadian Association for Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus.
Financial disclosure: I have/had an affiliation (financial or otherwise) with a commercial organization.
- Vertex
Jit Gohill, MD
Simon Holland, MD
Financial disclosure: I have/had an affiliation (financial or otherwise) with a commercial organization.
- Alcon
Bernard Hurley, MD
Bernard Hurley, MD
A native of Oromocto New Brunswick, Dr. Hurley completed a degree in Engineering Physics from the Queen’s University in Kingston Ontario in 1995 with work experience in the design and application of laser and laser systems with Lumonics Inc. a high technology company located in Kanata Ont. Dr. Hurley subsequently obtained his medical degree from the University of Western Ontario in London Ont. in 1999 and completed a residency in Ophthalmology at the University of Ottawa Eye Institute in 2004. Dr. Hurley than completed his post graduated medical education in 2004 with a fellowship in Vitreo-Retinal surgery at Thomas Jefferson University in Philadelphia Pennsylvania through the prestigious Wills Eye Hospital. For the fellowship training, he was awarded the CNIB EA Baker Scholarship and the University of Ottawa External Fellowship Award as well he twice received the William Tasman Fellowship Award (2005 and 2006) as the most outstanding fellow at the Wills Eye Hospital.
Dr. Hurley now provides full service vitreo-retrinal care to patients through the University of Ottawa Eye Institute and CHEO. Clinic interests include surgical management of the posterior segment including complications of cataract surgery, ocular trauma, retinal detachment, epi-retinal membrane, macular hole, and complications of diabetic retinopathy as well as the medical management of retinal-vitreal disorders including diabetic retinopathy and age-related macular degeneration. Dr. Hurley is also an active clinical educator with the University of Ottawa and trains retina fellows, ophthalmology residents, medical students and ophthalmic medical technologists. As the Program Director of the Department of Ophthalmology, Dr. Hurley coordinates the medical and surgical training for all ophthalmology residents at the University of Ottawa.
Dr. Hurley maintains an active clinical research program and has been the principle or co-investigator for 15 separate clinical trials for the treatment of choroidal neovascularization secondary to age-related macular degeneration (including novel research into the use of Anti-VEGF medications), the treatment of macular edema from retinal vascular disorders and uveitis. He is a sought after speaker and lecturer and each year he is invited to speak at national conferences as has been an invited visiting professor at several major Canadian Universities.
Research and clinical Interests: Primary research interests are diabetic retinopathy, retinal vascular disorders including CRVO and BRVO, and age related macular degeneration. Clinic interests include surgical management of the posterior segment including complications of cataract surgery, ocular trauma, retinal detachment, epi-retinal membrane, macular hole, and complications of diabetic retinopathy as well as the medical management of retinal-vitreal disorders including diabetic retinopathy and age-related macular degeneration.
Financial disclosure: I have/had an affiliation (financial or otherwise) with a commercial organization.
- Alcon
- Bausch and Lomb
- Bayer
- Novartis
Delan Jinapriya, MD
Delan Jinapriya, MD
- Aerie Pharmaceuticals
- Alcon
- Allergan
- Bausch and Lomb
G. Robert LaRoche, MD, FRCSC
G. Robert LaRoche, MD, FRCSC
Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Dalhousie University
Division Chief, Pediatric Ophthalmology and Adult Strabismus
IWK Health Centre, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada
Dr. LaRoche obtained his MD and a residency in ophthalmology at Laval University in Québec City, Canada. This was followed by a fellowship in Paediatric Ophthalmology and Adult strabismus at McGill University as well as a year at Baylor College with Gunter von Noorden. This led to a clinical teaching career in the department of Ophthalmology at Dalhousie University in Halifax, Canada. The dynamic environment of both Dalhousie and the IWK Health Center help Dr LaRoche develop there a comprehensive academic tertiary care centre serving eastern Canada.
For three decades, Dr. LaRoche has continued to be influential in paediatric ophthalmology, adult strabismus care, and public health policies devoted to children’s vision in Canada. Dr. LaRoche was a founding member of the Canadian Association of Paediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus, as been a board member of both the International Strabismological Association and the American Association of Paediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus, as well as a long-term director of the Canadian Orthoptic Council and its American counterpart. He was also the representative of the Canadian Ophthalmological Society on the Joint Commission of Allied Professionals in Ophthalmology. After many years of dedication to the development and recognition of the Orthoptic profession in Canada and abroad, Dr. LaRoche oversaw the Halifax Orthoptic training program evolve into the only University-based Graduate and Masters study program in that field in North America. The program has graduates on practically all continents and provides internationally recognized educational expertise to both on-site and distance students.
Dr. LaRoche was residency program director in Ophthalmology for over a decade and now continues as post-residency fellowship director in Paediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus at Dalhousie. For the last 10 years, Dr LaRoche has been the co-organizer of the only national Symposium for Ethics Teaching aimed specifically at Ophthalmology residents. He also continues to be involved in teaching and clinical research with a regular output of peer review publications, graduate students thesis, as well as chapters and various other communications. He is a frequent lecturer at Canadian and other Universities, as well as at national and international meetings.
On a national level of specialty development, medical policy and teaching, Dr. LaRoche is involved with the Royal College of Physician and Surgeons of Canada as member of its Council and other committees.
Outside work, Dr. LaRoche enjoys a well-prepared meal – even of his own hands, well played “real” music, a good rough paddle on the sea or a good ski trip. But above all, he enjoys his lively family of high achievers, including two young busy grand-children.
Financial disclosure: I do not have any affiliation (financial or otherwise) with a commercial organization.
Sam Markowitz, MD, FRCSC
Sam Markowitz, MD
Active research and practice involvement in Low Vision Rehabilitation in the following domains: accessibility and barriers to low vision rehabilitation, characteristics of scotomata and of preferred retinal loci, identification of residual potential visual acuity, rehabilitation with surgical telescopic magnification, and with prisms towards PRL, rehabilitation of residual oculomotor characteristics including stereopsis, fixation location and fixation stability, microperimetry assessment, residual chromatic vision, restitution of vision in older children with amblyopia, field expansion in Stroke, Retinitis Pigmentosa and end stage Glaucoma, interventions to promote brain plasticity and development of indoor navigation systems for the visually impaired and retinal prosthesis applications in low vision. Many research papers in Low Vision Rehabilitation published in leading journals national and international.
Financial disclosure: I have/had an affiliation (financial or otherwise) with a commercial organization.
- CenterVue
- eSight
- LumiThera
Amandeep Rai, MD
Financial disclosure: I do not have any affiliation (financial or otherwise) with a commercial organization.
Amadeo Rodriguez, MD
Dr. Rodriguez is an Ophthalmologist with subspecialty fellowship training in Neuro-Ophthalmology. He earned his MD from the Universidad Nacional de Cordoba in Argentina, and completed his residency in Ophthalmology in Buenos Aires, Argentina. He completed a clinical fellowship in Neuro-Ophthalmology at the University of British Columbia in Vancouver, and joined McMaster University in December 2008 where he holds an appointment as Associate Professor of Ophthalmology and Neurology. Dr. Rodriguez teaches Ophthalmology, Neurosurgery and Neurology residents as well as medical students. He is a member of the Ophthalmology Residency Education Committee.
Financial disclosure: I do not have any affiliation (financial or otherwise) with a commercial organization.
Lesya Shuba, MD
Lesya Shuba, MD
Financial disclosure: I have/had an affiliation (financial or otherwise) with a commercial organization.
- Allergan
Allan Slomovic, MD
Allan Slomovic, MD
Prior to starting Medical school, Dr. Slomovic completed a Master’s Degree in Clinical Psychology at the University of Montreal. He then went on to do his Medical School training at Memorial University in St John’s Newfoundland, followed by an internship in Internal Medicine at The Montreal General Hospital. Dr. Slomovic then went on to complete a 3-year residency training program at the New York University School of Medicine in Manhattan, New York. This was followed by two separate Fellowship programs at the Bascom Palmer Eye Institute in Miami, Florida. The first fellowship was in Cornea/External Ocular Diseases and the second was in Laser Microsurgery.
Dr. Slomovic has been involved with teaching residents and fellows, and with research and clinical practice over the past 30 years at the University Health Network. He served as the Program Director for Ophthalmology for the University of Toronto for 10 years (1991-2001) and led the program through two successful Royal College reviews. He has also trained 42 fellows in Cornea/External Ocular Diseases of the Eye from all over the world, including Canada, United States, Israel, Australia, Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, the Philippines, and Great Britain. In 2001, Dr. Slomovic was awarded the Mentor of the Year Award by the Royal College of Physicians of Canada. Dr. Slomovic is the inaugural winner of this award in the province of Ontario. Dr. Slomovic has published numerous articles in the area of Cornea/External Diseases of the Eye and Refractive Surgery and has also lectured on these topics locally, nationally and internationally. On March 2014, Dr. Slomovic was nominated by Toronto Life as one of Toronto’s best doctors.
Financial disclosure: I have/had an affiliation (financial or otherwise) with a commercial organization.
- Alcon Canada
- Bausch & Lomb Canada
- Allergan
Devesh Varma, MD
James Whelan, MD
James Whelan, MD
Dr. Whelan is currently an assistant professor, and chief of ophthalmology for the Department of Surgery at Memorial University of Newfoundland. He is a staff retina surgeon for the Eastern Health Corporation at the Health Science Center and Janeway Child Health Centre in St. John’s. He is president of the Canadian Retina Society, and secretary for the Canadian Ophthalmology Society.
Financial disclosure: I do not have any affiliation (financial or otherwise) with a commercial organization.
Valerie White, MD
I am an anatomic pathologist with subspecialty interest in Ophthalmic Pathology and have practiced for nearly 27 years in the Dept of Pathology at Vancouver General Hospital, participating in resident teaching in Pathology and Ophthalmology. I am a professor at the University of British Columbia with dual appointments in the Dept of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine and Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences. Last year I was appointed Section Editor for General Pathology for the Canadian Journal of Ophthalmology and will be organizing the Canadian Ophthalmic Pathology Society meeting at this year’s COS meeting in Victoria. In the last two years one of my major activities has been participating in the rewriting of the Lacrimal Gland chapter for the 8th edition of the AJCC staging system of the TNM classification for malignancies. My long-term research interests include ophthalmic malignancies and the correlation of eye and brain pathology in cerebral malaria.
Financial disclosure: I do not have any affiliation (financial or otherwise) with a commercial organization.