Allen C. Ho

Wills Eye Hospital Attending Surgeon, Director of Retina Research and Co-Director of the Retina Service, Professor of Ophthalmology, Thomas Jefferson University, Mid Atlantic Retina, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA

What is an interesting or little-known fact about you?

I have six amazing children and four granddaughters, very lucky. I enjoy sports, outdoors and physical activities, and I still compete in triathlon racing; I am a very mediocre swimmer on a lifelong journey to improve that leg of the race!

Is there a particular tool, technological advance, or instrument you would not have been able to live without over the past 10 years?

Undoubtedly, OCT imaging of ocular tissues has greatly helped us diagnose and understand retinal disease as well as monitor treatment and develop new treatments in our field. The basic science, translational science, and entrepreneurial business collaborations and importance of timing and luck in the development of OCT imaging is a fascinating tale told by Dr James Fujimoto and includes many of our current colleagues – Michael Huang, Carmen Puliafito and Joel Schuman, among others. The journey of OCT imaging is a shining case study of biomedical development for the betterment of mankind.

What is your prediction for where ophthalmology/your subspecialty will be 10 years from now?

Value based medicine and the ecosystem of basic science, translational science and clinician researchers continue to explore and to invest in vision improving and vision sustaining therapies because sight is so vital to quality of life and to societal costs of care, particularly in the elderly. We will have gene therapies and some restorative cell/tissue therapies in our offerings for patients with retinal disease. Locally and globally, the spotlight on health care inequities and the problem solving required to deliver care will continue to raise the bar for vision for all. Ophthalmology will continue to be among the most sought after, appealing, rewarding, and impactful careers in medicine.

Do you have any personal missions for the next 10 years?

Establish and evolve a sustainable public health initiative to eliminate preventable diabetic blindness locally in greater Philadelphia that serves as a model for other areas of the country.

Who would you invite to your dream dinner party?

This is fun and with the living... Katie Ledecky and Mikaela Schiffrin, US Olympians; Jimmy Chin, adventurer and filmmaker/photographer; Elon Musk, inventor; Dr David Cook, author of the book Greatness; Dr Yvon Chouinard, CEO of Patagonia and global citizen; Dr Julia Haller – no one is better at dinner partying; and, of course, family.