An international leader in pediatric ophthalmology and the former Ophthalmologist-in-Chief at Boston Children’s Hospital, Dr. Robb made many seminal contributions to the field, as well as Harvard Ophthalmology. 

Born in Altoona, Pennsylvania, Dr. Robb earned his AB from Princeton and MD from the University of Pennsylvania. He then completed a research fellowship at the Howe Laboratory and ophthalmology residency at Mass Eye and Ear before joining the faculty at Boston Children’s Hospital in 1965. He also developed additional expertise in ophthalmic pathology, spending a year as a Special Research Fellow in the Laboratory of Vision Research at the National Eye Institute, after which he added the role of Consultant in Pathology to his many activities at the hospital.

Shortly after joining Boston Children’s Hospital, Dr. Robb established a hospital-based outpatient eye clinic. The following year, he recruited Dr. Robert Petersen to join the faculty, essentially founding the Ophthalmology Department at Boston Children’s Hospital. Dr. Robb went on to serve as Ophthalmologist-in-Chief at Boston Children’s Hospital for the next three decades. During his tenure, he established a department that was second to none in the world. He made important academic contributions in an astonishing variety of areas, most notably in the fields of congenital anomalies of the anterior segment, congenital nasolacrimal duct obstruction, optic nerve drusen, and cataracts. Notably, his pathology research greatly advanced our understanding of congenital cataracts, rubella cataracts, and Down syndrome cataracts.

Even after stepping down as Ophthalmologist-in-Chief in 2002, Dr. Robb continued to care for patients and serve his ongoing love of teaching in ophthalmic pathology by continuing to lead monthly pediatric eye pathology rounds at Boston Children’s Hospital. Illness forced him to step down completely after more than 50 years of service to our profession. 
 
Today’s Ophthalmology Department at Boston Children’s Hospital is built upon Dr. Robb’s legacy of providing excellence in clinical care while supporting fundamental ophthalmology research. To recognize that legacy, Boston Children’s Hospital established an endowed chair in pediatric ophthalmology in his name shortly after he stepped down from his leadership role. Prior to that, former fellows had already established the Robb-Petersen Lectureship endowment; that fund has allowed 33 luminaries in our field to deliver lectures in the name of Drs. Robb and Petersen. Dr. Robb and his wife Lucy, responding to his devotion to teaching ophthalmic pathology, also established an endowment in ophthalmic pathology education at Boston Children’s Hospital prior to his retirement. 
 
The passing of Dr. Robb is a sad loss for pediatric ophthalmology, but it is reassuring that he will always be remembered thanks to the establishment of a named chair, the Robb-Petersen lectureship, and the pediatric ophthalmic pathology fund. Harvard Ophthalmology will continue to celebrate his accomplishments and devotion.