Neil M. Bressler

Editor in Chief, JAMA Ophthalmology; Professor of Ophthalmology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Maryland, USA

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

I served as the Vice Chair of the Board of Trustees for the Interlochen Center for the Arts, engaging and inspiring people through excellence in educational, artistic, and cultural programs in the arts, and, as the 12th Life Trustee, I continue to serve as an emeritus trustee. I also serve on the Board of Directors of the JAEB Center for Health Research Foundation and JAEB Center Research Trust – a nonprofit center expanding scientific knowledge and improving public health by designing and conducting world-class clinical trials and epidemiologic research.

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

Optical coherence tomography is essential to retinal disease management in the 21st century, and advances in this field, such as swept source and other imaging, coupled with artificial intelligence analyses may help reduce the magnitude of vision loss from many of the common and rare ophthalmic diseases.

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

Monitoring visual acuity and retinal diseases through artificial intelligence interpretation of images from a cell phone. This might provide greater equity to the very best management of ophthalmic diseases, independent of individuals’ resources.

Where do you predict ophthalmology/your subspecialty will be 10 years from now?

Longer acting agents or delivery systems will greatly reduce the burden of monitoring and treatments for common and less common ocular diseases.

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

Spend as much time as possible with my children and four grandchildren – at our homes and around the world.