Dr. Robert Ritch to Step Down from The Glaucoma Foundation

New York, NY January 27 — Dr. Robert Ritch, the founder of The Glaucoma Foundation (TGF) and its Medical Director and Co-Chair of its Scientific Advisory Board, is stepping down from these roles as of March 1st after 40 years of exceptional service.

“We are most grateful for Dr. Ritch’s outstanding and singular contributions over the years,” said Dr. Gregory K. Harmon, TGF’s Board Chairman. “As a preeminent surgeon, clinician, and researcher, Dr. Ritch has devoted his career to broadening our knowledge of the underlying etiologies of glaucoma and innovation in its medical, laser, and surgical treatment.”

Dr. Ritch founded The Glaucoma Foundation in 1984 to support basic and clinical research to identify factors that lead to glaucoma and to develop new methods of treatment. At that time, the public was much less aware of the disease and its devastating impact.

In 1994 Dr. Ritch initiated the Glaucoma Foundation’s Annual Think Tank on Optic Nerve Rescue and Restoration, gathering 12 scientists and researchers that first year to discuss collaborative approaches in the emerging field of optic nerve regeneration.

The TGF International Think Tank, unique in its interdisciplinary format, has attracted world-renown researchers in other fields to glaucoma and continues to generate new concepts that have greatly advanced the field. In the last few years, research projects motivated by TGF Think Tank meetings have more than tripled.

In 2008 the Foundation created the Dr. Robert Ritch Award for Excellence and Innovation in Glaucoma to recognize the contributions of individuals who have played a significant and unique role in promoting the science of glaucoma. The first award was presented to Dr. Robert Ritch; it has been presented annually since.

“We honor Dr. Ritch’s stellar accomplishments over the decades,” says Elena Sturman, TGF President and CEO.  “His contributions to the field of ophthalmology and glaucoma will continue to have an impact in the years ahead.”

About The Glaucoma Foundation

The Glaucoma Foundation is dedicated to improving the lives of people with glaucoma. Since 1984, The Foundation has worked to encourage and support basic and applied research in glaucoma, to gain and disseminate new information about its causes and treatment, and to further identify and develop novel approaches to preserve visual function and reverse blindness. Through education and outreach, we strive to be a valuable resource to help patients, their families, and at-risk individuals to manage their disease and its repercussions.

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