Professor of Ophthalmology
University of Ottawa Eye Institute
Ottawa, Canada
Executive Director
The Sally Letson Foundation
Dr. Leonard is a vitreoretinal surgeon at the University of Ottawa Eye Institute at the Ottawa Hospital in Ottawa, Canada. He is Professor of Ophthalmology, Past-Chair of the Department of Ophthalmology, University of Ottawa Medical School and was the founding Director of the University of Ottawa Eye Institute at the Ottawa Hospital. He led the Eye Institute planning and development team, from conception to construction.
Brian has made multidimensional contributions towards sustainable solutions for world sight-global blindness, through the Canadian International Development Agency, the World Health Organization and other institutions. He is a board member and executive director of the Sally Letson Foundation. This foundation sponsors the largest annual ophthalmic clinical symposium in Canada, provides funding for ophthalmic fellowship training and funds an ophthalmic outreach program in the Caribbean. Brian has participated in over 70 ORBIS International volunteer surgical mentoring missions in developing countries worldwide. He is a member of the ORBIS International Board of Directors and currently chairs the ORBIS Board in Canada. He is also a member of the ORBIS Telemedicine Advisory Council and chair of the Medical Advisory Committee of ORBIS International. He serves as a board member of a number of international vision-related committees and peer-reviewed medical journals. He has served on the American Academy of Ophthalmology International Outreach Committee and on the BCSC committee.
He has made contributions to age-related blindness research through his unique role as independent consultant to all four of the major pharmaceutical firms competing for therapeutic strategies for advanced AMD. He has provided them with critical appraisal of study design, data interpretation and future concepts, and has contributed as principal investigator and/or international medical advisory board member for each of these firms. He is also actively involved in a number of investigator initiated clinical trials for age-related visual disorders and collaborates with Eye Institute scientists on cell and gene transfer to the retina in animal eyes.
Brian has received many awards for his contributions and achievements, including the American Academy of Ophthalmology Award of Honor, the American Medical Association Billings Gold Medal and the Governor General of Canada Meritorious Service Cross.