As I prepare to transition out of my role as Chair and DEO of the Department of Ophthalmology & Visual Sciences, I find myself reflecting with deep gratitude on the remarkable journey we have shared. It has been one of the greatest honors of my career to lead this department, and I am proud of what we have accomplished together. Your generosity has fueled the progress we have made and positioned this department to continue thriving in the years ahead.
Philanthropy has truly transformed our department. With your help, we have added endowed chairs and professorships that strengthen our faculty, expand our research, and ensure that our residents and fellows are trained by leaders in every subspecialty. Today, we proudly hold 12 named lectures and awards, 12 endowed professorships, and 12 endowed chairs—a remarkable testament to the commitment of our alumni and supporters. We’ve also increased the number of full-time female faculty from 5 in 2005 to 20 in 2025.
Your support has fueled groundbreaking advancements at the Institute for Vision Research, where Dr. Ed Stone and his team have identified genes responsible for inherited eye conditions such as retinitis pigmentosa, early-onset glaucoma, and several others. Our faculty are now working to translate these discoveries into gene and stem cell therapies for the patients who need them most.
We have also pioneered digital and imaging innovations that are shaping ophthalmology worldwide. EyeRounds.org has grown into a global teaching tool, now used by more than a million people each year. At the same time, advances in Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT), adaptive optics, and faculty member Michael Abràmoff’s company, Digital Diagnostics, which developed artificial intelligence to diagnose eye disease, have kept Iowa at the forefront of innovation. Together, these achievements show how Iowa continues to bring the future of vision care to patients today.
Education remains central to our mission. I am proud that our residency program has been consistently ranked among the top five nationally, with subspecialty fellowships in retina, cornea, glaucoma, pediatrics, neuro-ophthalmology, ophthalmic genetics, and oculoplastics that attract outstanding trainees from across the world. International training opportunities have further enriched their experience, giving our graduates both exceptional skills and a global outlook.
We have also deepened our service to our community and the world beyond. Through Operation HawkEyeSight, residents provide vision-saving care to uninsured Iowans, while global partnerships, such as with the LV Prasad Eye Institute in India and Orbis International, extend our reach internationally.
As I reflect on my time as chair, I am humbled by all that we have accomplished together. Looking forward, I am confident that this department—anchored by its exceptional faculty, dedicated trainees, and loyal alumni and donors—will continue to lead with vision, discovery, and compassion under our new Chair and DEO. Thank you for walking alongside me in this journey and for ensuring that the University of Iowa remains a place where innovation and excellence in ophthalmology flourish for generations to come.
With gratitude,
Keith Carter, MD, FACS
Chairman and Head, Department of Ophthalmology
Lillian C. O'Brien and Dr. C.S. O'Brien Chair in Ophthalmology