Alan Robin

Affiliation

Johns Hopkins University

Biography

Dr. Robin is a leader in the clinical management and scientific study of glaucoma as well as the global impact of eye care. He holds joint Associate Professorships in Ophthalmology and in International Health at Johns Hopkins University and is an Adjunct Professor at the University of Michigan. He is the Executive Vice President of the American Glaucoma Society. He has been the co-director of the Glaucoma Service at the Greater Baltimore Medical Center. Additionally, as a Professor of Ophthalmology at the VA system he has been actively involved with teaching optometry as well as ophthalmology. In fact, he has trained many fellows and residents who are currently serving as departmental chairs. He is also responsible for the in-depth training of 12 international fellows. He is a recognized leader in international ophthalmology and global health. He was the first to evaluate and report on the success of extracapsular cataract surgery and intraocular lenses in the developing world, now the gold-standard surgical technique. He developed a portable ND:YAG laser for the treatment of angle closure in the developing world and was the driving force behind the development of a novel glaucoma drug, apraclonidine. He worked closely with the Aravind Eye Care System and Mr. Thulasiraj Ravilla and together they performed the first modern prevalence study in India. They jointly evaluated cost of cataract surgery as well as surgical waste associated with surgery and its effect on the environment. He worked closely with Aurolab and is in part responsible for the development of a new low cost surgical glaucoma drainage device. Together with the Aravind team, I have evaluated the health-related quality of life and burdens of families with children with congenital glaucoma as well as the utility of surgical counseling. Hi current research interests also include the use of newer delivery systems for medications to treat open angle glaucoma, innovative collaborative screening for glaucoma and diabetic retinopathy, and improving adherence to glaucoma therapies. He is also deeply involved in both the global eradication of needless blindness and establishing strategies for better eye care delivery in collaboration with both the Aravind Eye Care System in India and Tilganga Eye Care System in Nepal. He has won many honors and awards during his career, among them the senior honor and Secretariat awards of the AAO, the Outstanding Humanitarian Service award of the AAO, Dr Venkataswamy Oration Award, the American Glaucoma Society Humanitarian Award, and the silver achievement award of the Associate of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences. He has given the Shaffer lecture at the AAO as well as the Ostbaum lecture at ASCRS.