On behalf of the entire Texas Retina team, Gary Edd Fish, MD, recently presented a $2,000 donation to the Retina Foundation to honor the 90th birthday of one of Texas Retina’s founders, Albert Vaiser, MD. Debbie Klein, Dr. Vaiser’s granddaughter, accepted the donation during a gathering of Retina Foundation employees.
A Pioneer in Retina Care
In 1966, Albert Vaiser, MD, began a private practice as the first ophthalmologist in Dallas specializing in diseases and surgery of the retina and vitreous. In 1968, he was joined by William Snyder, MD, who had been on the faculty at University of Texas Southwestern. Their mission was to bring patients the newest and most proven techniques and treatments for management of diseases of the retina and vitreous. Then in 1973, William Hutton, MD, an expert in the new technique of vitrectomy, joined the group. The three physicians became lifelong partners and friends.
Eager to advance care in their emerging field of medicine and to prevent vision loss and restore sight through innovative research and treatment, Dr. Vaiser, Dr. Snyder and Dr. Hutton established Texas Retina Associates and also co-founded the Retina Foundation. Over the years, the Retina Foundation has made many ground-breaking discoveries for the way the world understands, prevents and treats vision loss caused by pediatric eye conditions, inherited retinal diseases and age-related macular degeneration. At the Retina Foundation, specialized assessments, genetic testing/counseling and treatment trials are provided at no charge to participants.
“Dr. Vaiser was a true pioneer in the field of retina, and his legacy continues to inspire breakthroughs and advancements that are changing lives — all right here in Texas,” shared Dr. Fish. “His vision and hard work helped pave the path for the incredibly talented teams that both Texas Retina and the Retina Foundation have today.”
Collaborative Retina Research
While separate organizations, Texas Retina physicians and Retina Foundation scientists continue to work closely together to identify new treatments for retina conditions that are the leading causes of vision loss for millions of people throughout the world. Texas Retina’s Rajiv Anand, MD, currently serves on the Retina Foundation’s Board of Directors.