Marguerite McDonald

Clinical Professor of Ophthalmology, NYU Langone Medical Center, New York; Clinical Professor of Ophthalmology, Tulane University Health Sciences Center, New Orleans, Louisiana; OCLI Vision, Oceanside, New York, USA

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

I was a performing ice skater in grade school, and skated in the Ice Capades.

Why did you decide to pursue ophthalmology/your subspecialty?

I had poor vision as a child.

Who is someone in ophthalmology/your subspecialty that you feel has been particularly influential over the past 10 years?

Dick Lindstrom; his editorials are legendary for their ability to synthesize complex issues into clear cut professional guidance.

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

The widespread adaptation of femtosecond laser cataract surgery. A perfect capsulorhexis is obtained every time, and nuclear disassembly aids in all – but especially the denser – cataracts by allowing less phaco time.

Who would you invite to your dream dinner party?

Amelia Earhart, Martin Luther King, Queen Elizabeth, Ronald Reagan, Abraham Lincoln, Luciano Pavarotti and Freddie Mercury (who would sing their duet of Nessun Dorma to us during cocktails), Edith Piaf (who would sing Le Vie en Rose during dessert), Elon Musk, and Thomas Edison.