UI Health Retina specialist to lead vision research organization
Thursday, May 30, 2013
Dr. William Mieler, professor and vice chair of ophthalmology and visual science at the University of Illinois Hospital & Health Sciences System, has been elected president of the Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology (ARVO).
"It is an honor to have one of our own elected as president of the most prestigious and largest eye research organization in the world," says Dr. Rohit Varma, chair of ophthalmology and visual science at UI Health. "Dr. Mieler is very well-known for his research in macular diseases and is an excellent choice to lead ARVO."
The association has more than 12,000 members in 80 countries.
Mieler's election was announced at the association's annual meeting in Seattle earlier this month. He will serve for one year as president-elect, then as president for the following year.
Mieler is a renowned expert in treating diseases of the eye, particularly of the macula, retina and vitreous. His primary research interests are pharmacology, imaging, and tumors of the eye. He conducts national clinical trials in the treatment of macular diseases.
Mieler has served on the American Board of Ophthalmology as its director, vice-chair and chair, and as president of the Macula Society, which this year awarded him the J. Donald Gass Medal for his contributions to the study of macular diseases.
Mieler has more than 315 peer-reviewed articles and 65 book chapters. He has edited or co-edited five textbooks and serves on the editorial board of more than 10 journals. He currently serves as the ARVO retina section trustee and has served the American Board of Medical Specialties on a number of committees.
Mieler joined the UIC faculty in 2008. He received his undergraduate and medical degrees from the University of Wisconsin, Madison. He did his residency at Bascom Palmer Eye Institute at the University of Miami. He completed fellowships at The Eye Institute at the Medical College of Wisconsin, and at the Wills Eye Hospital at Thomas Jefferson University in Philadelphia.
Media Contact: Sharon Parmet, 312.413.2695, sparmet@uic.edu
