Our Department

From The Chair

Dear Friends,

As we approach our 50th anniversary as an established medical school department in 2020, I wish to share with you some of the wonderful departmental accomplishments of this year. It is indeed an exciting time as our team members continue in their quest to save sight through research discovery, adopting new patient care approaches, developing innovative treatments, and employing different teaching models for providers and researchers in training.

In this 2019 annual report of the department, you will find stories from our patients, faculty, learners, and administrators. These stories are your stories—we could not do this work without you as our inspiration

The University of Wisconsin Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences continues to be a leader in saving sight by fueling our top priority, which is you. Inside you will learn of some of our initiatives:

• Stem cell and gene therapy progress for inherited retinal disorders.
• A near-blind North Freedom man who regained sight after his last-ditch effort visit with a genetic counselor and provider specialist to Wisconsin’s sole Inherited Retinal Degeneration Clinic.
• New partnerships in our International Ophthalmology Program for trainees.
• Our department’s teleophthalmology screening initiative, which provides accessible eye care for those living with diabetes in rural Wisconsin.
• Enhanced clinical practices and technologies through lean modeling, which places the patient at the center of their care experience.

Should you have thoughts on how we can be of better service, please feel free to contact me at any time. I am grateful to you for supporting our people and mission to save sight—thank you!

On, Wisconsin!