Evangelos Gragoudas, MD, presented the J. Donald M. Gass lecture at the Retina Society Annual Meeting in Paris, France on October 8, 2015. A pioneer and a world authority on the diagnosis and management of intraocular tumors and retinal disease, Dr. Gragoudas and colleagues developed the use of proton beam irradiation for uveal melanoma, which has been used worldwide in over 15,000 patients to date. He also co-developed photodynamic therapy with verteporfin (Visudyne®), the first pharmacologic therapy for age-related macular degeneration (AMD), and co-discovered the role of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) in vascular eye diseases, including neovascular AMD. He received this award from the Retina Society in recognition of the 40th anniversary of the first patient with choroidal melanoma being treated with proton beams. In 2013, Dr. Gragoudas was inducted into the Massachusetts General Hospital Cancer Center's The One Hundred, which honors 100 individuals and groups for their discoveries, philanthropy, and passion to advance the fight against cancer.
About the J. Donald M. Gass Award
"In 2006, The Retina Society inaugurated the J. Donald M. Gass lectureship. Dr. Gass was a peerless observer of the fundus. His unique and repeated ability to identify fundamental patterns of disease from the mass of seemingly chaotic details invites sincere comparison to Michelangelo working in marble. With this lectureship, we honor his memory as a warm and cherished member and friend as well as his inestimable importance to our patients and our field."
- Retina Society