Interim Head, Professor of Ophthalmology, and Vice-Chairman for Education
Illinois Eye and Ear Infirmary, University of Illinois at Chicago
Chicago, Illinois
Dr. Mieler is interim head, professor of ophthalmology, and vice-chairman for education in the Department of Ophthalmology & Visual Sciences at the University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL. He also serves as the residency pogram director, and as the director of vitreoretinal fellowship training. His specialty areas include diseases and surgery of the retina and vitreous, along with ocular oncology.
Dr. Mieler received his doctorate of medicine degree at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, Medical School (1979). After completion of his Internship at Mercy Hospital Medical Center in San Diego, CA (1980), he completed his three-year ophthalmology residency at the Bascom Palmer Eye Institute, University of Miami, Miami, FL (1980-83). This was followed by a one-year vitreoretinal fellowship at the Eye Institute, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI (1983-84). He then returned to the Bascom Palmer Eye Institute where he served as Chief Resident and Clinical Instructor (1984-85). Dr. Mieler then completed a second fellowship in Ocular Oncology, at Wills Eye Hospital, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA (1985). In 1985, he joined the full-time faculty at the Medical College of Wisconsin, where he became Professor of Ophthalmology (1992) and was awarded the Jack A. and Elaine D. Klieger Chair in Ophthalmology (1998). Dr. Mieler then joined the faculty at the Baylor College of Medicine, in Houston, TX, as Professor of Ophthalmology (1999-2004). He then accepted the position of Professor and Chairman, Department of Ophthalmology, at the University of Chicago (2004-08), prior to his current position at the University of Illinois at Chicago (2008-present).
Dr. Mieler has authored or co-authored 335 scientific papers, 70 book chapters, and five textbooks. He is/has been the principle investigator or co-investigator of more than 50 scientific grants and collaborative studies. He has served the American Board of Ophthalmology (ABO) as a board director (1997-2005), chairman of the Board (2005), as associate executive director (2006), and as emeritus director (2006-present). He serves on several committees with the American Board of Medical Specialties (ABMS). Dr. Mieler is also the past president of the Macula Society (2003-04), and he recently received the Gass Medal (2013). He has served on the executive committees of the Retina Society and the American Society of Retina Specialists (ASRS). In 2011, he was named recipient of the Founders Award by the ASRS. He is a past member of the Pan-American Board of Directors (2001-08), and he currently chairs the Foundation Grants Committee (2006-present). Dr. Mieler currently serves on the ARVO Board of Trustees (2010-15), representing the retina section, and is president of ARVO (2014-15). He has served on the editorial board of Archives of Ophthalmology, RETINA, and Current Eye Research, and he also serves as a scientific reviewer for 31 additional scientific journals. From the American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO), he has received the Honor Award (1992), the Lifelong Education for the Ophthalmologist Award (2000), the Senior Honor Award (2001), and the Life Achievement Honor Award (2011). He also has served as a member of the AAO Council (2001-08), the EyeNet Editorial Advisory Board (2003-07), and the Chair of the Schepens Award (2007-10). He continues to serve the AAO as a media spokesperson (2001-present), as a member of the CME Committee, and as associate secretary for the AAO Subspecialty Day programs (2011-15).