Claes H. Dohlman, MD, Cornea Research Pioneer and Visionary, Passes Away at 101
Cornea Research Pioneer Claes H. Dohlman, MD, PhD, professor of Ophthalmology, Emeritus, and former Chief and Chair of the Department of Ophthalmology at Mass Eye and Ear and Harvard Medical School (HMS), passed away at the age of 101 on July 14, 2024, Mass Eye and Ear announced on Monday.
Dr. Dohlman is considered by many to be the father of modern cornea science and is responsible for many firsts for the cornea field. He established the first subspecialty Cornea Service in the world at Mass Eye and Ear in 1964; was the first to create a formal cornea fellowship program (also at Mass Eye and Ear), and the first to pioneer several new surgical advances in corneal transplants (keratoplasty) and artificial corneas (keratoprosthesis). His Boston K-Pro device is the most widely used artificial cornea in the world, with more than 19,000 implantations to date.[1]
Dr. Dohlman was also a renowned educator. During his seven-decade career at Mass Eye and Ear, he trained more than 200 cornea specialists—more than any other ophthalmologist in the world, Mass Eye and Ear stated in a blog post memorializing his passing. He continued to work with and mentor trainees and junior faculty well into his nineties.
More recently in 2022, he was given the Champalimaud Vision Award for his exceptional contributions to the field, an award often referred to as the “Nobel Prize of Vision.”
“Dr. Dohlman’s pioneering research has forever changed the way conditions of the cornea are understood and treated,” Joan W. Miller, MD, Chair of Ophthalmology at Mass Eye and Ear and Harvard Medical School, stated online on the Mass Eye and Ear website. “His work has benefited millions of people around the world, and his legacy of knowledge thrives today in the hundreds of fellows, students, and colleagues he has trained and mentored over the years. Harvard Medical School—and indeed, the whole world—is a far better place today because of his remarkable talent, contributions, and character. He will continue to inspire all of us to greater accomplishment.”
To read Mass Eye and Eye’s full tribute to Dr. Dohlman, including a video on his legacy and impact on the field made after he won the Champalimaud Vision Award, click here. To view EyewireTV's coverage, click here.
References
- In Memory of Claes H. Dohlman, MD, PhD, 101, a Cornea Research Pioneer and Visionary. Mass General Brigham, Mass Eye and Ear. https://focus.masseyeandear.org/in-memory-of-claes-h-dohlman-md-phd-101-a-cornea-research-pioneer-and-visionary/. July 15, 2024.