Eric Donnenfeld

Founding Partner, Ophthalmic Consultants of Long Island; Clinical Professor of Ophthalmology, New York University, USA

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

I was born in the Philippines at Sangley Naval Base.

Why did you decided to pursue ophthalmology/your subspecialty?

When I was seven years old, I lived next to a farm; the farmer slaughtered a pig and gave me a pig eye that I took home and dissected with my father. I have known that I wanted to be an ophthalmologist since that day.

What’s been the biggest breakthrough in ophthalmology/your specific field over the last 10 years?

Corneal crosslinking has allowed us to prevent keratoconus from progressing, saving the need for rigid contact lenses and corneal transplantation for thousands of patients.

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

Macula OCT is a breakthrough that allows me to evaluate the retina of cataract patients to determine the optimal IOL selection.

What would you like to see change in ophthalmology/your subspecialty over the next 10 years?

I would like to see drug delivery become the standard and topical drops replaced in the postoperative management of cataract surgery.

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

I would like to see corneal endothelial cell blindness eradicated over the next 10 years with the advent of cell therapy.

Who would you invite to your dream dinner party?

I would like to have a drink with Winston Churchill.