Donald J. D'Amico, M.D.

Ophthalmology

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Biographical Info

Donald J. D'Amico,  MD, Professor and Chair of the Israel Englander Department of Ophthalmology at Weill Cornell Medical College and Ophthalmologist-in-Chief at the New York Presbyterian Hospital, is an internationally recognized leader in the field of vitreoretinal surgery. He assumed the Chair at Weill Cornell in 2006 after his longstanding positions at Harvard Medical School as Professor of Ophthalmology, and as Associate Chief of Ophthalmology and Director of the Diabetic Unit at the Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary.

A graduate of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and the University of Illinois College of Medicine, he completed his residency at the Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary. He completed his fellowship in vitreoretinal diseases at the Bascom Palmer Eye Institute, University of Miami, followed by selection as Chief Resident in Ophthalmology at the Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary prior to joining the Harvard faculty.

Dr. D'Amico has published over 175 articles on vitreoretinal diseases and has co-edited two books covering comprehensive retinal themes. He has participated as a principal investigator or co-investigator in many clinical trials and laboratory investigations. His major interests include: vitreoretinal surgery; diabetic retinopathy; macular degeneration; experimental lasers and other technologies for the surgical treatment of vitreoretinal disorders such as retinal detachment, macular holes and epiretinal membranes; and endophthalmitis and intravitreal drug therapy. As attending physician specializing in the care of patients with vitreoretinal disorders at the Israel Englander Department of Ophthalmology, Dr. D'Amico also provides direct instruction of medical students, ophthalmology residents, and retina fellows. In this role he has twice received the Teacher of the Year Award given by the residents of the Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary.

Dr. D'Amico is a distinguished national and international lecturer and is the recipient of many honors, including the Honor Award and the Senior Achievement Award from the American Academy of Ophthalmology. He serves on the board of four major journals, and is highly active in professional societies. He is a past President of the Retina Society, and is the immediate past President of the prestigious international retinal organization Club Jules Gonin.

 Donald J. D'Amico, M.D., Professor and Chair of the Israel Englander Department of Ophthalmology at Weill Cornell Medical College and Ophthalmologist-in-Chief at NewYork-Presbyterian/Weill Cornell Medical Center, discusses diabetic retinopathy, a retina disorder caused by complications of diabetes.

Honors and Awards

1977 University of Illinois College of Medicine Research Award: "Direct Microdetermination of Manganese in Normal Serum and Cerebrospinal Fluid by Flameless Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometry"

 

1981 Heed Ophthalmic Foundation Scholarship

 

1988 Guest of Honor Lecture, "Intravitreal Drug Therapy: Clinical Considerations and Current Research," at the request of the Japanese Ophthalmological Society for their 92nd Congress, Kyoto, Japan

 

1990 Honor Award, American Academy of Ophthalmology

 

1991 Invited Named Lecture, "Endophthalmitis: Clinical Management and Current Research" for the 1991 Illinois Society for the Prevention of Blindness Lectureship, presented at the 1991 Annual Meeting of the Chicago Ophthalmological Society

 

1993 Invited Named Lectureship, the Emory Retina Lecturer, "Endophthalmitis: New Perspectives on Prophylaxis and Management", "Retinal Manifestations of AIDS", and "Diagnosis and Management of Diabetic Traction Retinal Detachment" Emory University, Atlanta GA

 

1995 Teacher of the Year Award, given by the Residents of the Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary

 

1995 Guest of Honor Lectures "Experience With An Erbium-YAG Laser For Vitreoretinal Surgery" and "Management of Proliferative Diabetic Retinopathy" at the request of the Korean Ophthalmological Society for their annual meeting, Seoul, Korea

 

1996 Invited Named Lecture, the Everett R. Veirs Lecture "Diagnosis and Management of Endophthalmitis" given at the Scott & White Clinic, Texas A & M University, Temple TX

 

1997 Invited Named Lecture, the Taylor R. Smith Lecture "Endophthalmitis 1997" given at 25th annual meeting of the Aspen Retinal Detachment Society, Snowmass, CO

 

2000 Teacher of the Year Award, given by the Residents of the Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary

 

2002 Senior Achievement Award, American Academy of Ophthalmology

 

2002 Guest of Honor Lecture “Seeking New Possibilities in Vitreoretinal Surgery" for the 56th Congress of Clinical Ophthalmology in Japan, Morioka, Japan

 

2003 Honor Award, the American Society of Retinal Specialists

 

2003 Invited Named Lecture, the Delbert P. Nachazel, Jr. Lecture “Vitreoretinal Surgery In Association With Permanent Keratoprosthesis" given at New Frontiers In The Management Of Retinal Diseases, Detroit, MI

 

2006 Invited Named Lecture, the Irving H. Leopold Lecture “Neovascular AMD: The Current Treatment Landscape" given at the 58th Alumni Conference of the Wills Eye Hospital, Philadelphia PA

 

2006 Invited Named Lecture, the Nikolaos Stangos Lecture “Changing Concepts in the Treatment of Retinal Detachment" given at the 4th Retina-Macula-Vitreous Hippocratic Symposium, Thessaloniki Greece

 

2006 Invited Named lecture, the Robert Haimovici Lecture “Advances in the Diagnosis and Management of Age-related Macular Degeneration, given at Boston University Medical Center, Boston MA

 

2007 Invited Named Lecture, the McLean Lecture “New Clinical and Experimental Approaches in Retinal Vein Occlusions" Weill Cornell Medical College, New York NY

 

2007 Invited Named Lecture, the Robert Haimovici Lecture “Diabetic Retinopathy: Advances in Pathophysiology, Drug Treatment, and Vitreoretinal Surgery" Bascom Palmer Eye Institute, Miami FL

 

2007 Invited Keynote Lecture, “Diabetic Retinopathy: Advances in Pathophysiology, Medical and Laser Treatment, and Vitreoretinal Surgery" and “Evolutionary and Revolutionary Trends in Vitreoretinal Surgery" British and Eire Vitreoretinal Society, St. Andrews Scotland, UK

 

 

2008 Invited Named Lecture, the Victor T. Curtin Lecture “Retinal Detachment Surgery 2008: Current Perspectives from a Surgeon of the Bascom Palmer School”, Bascom Palmer Eye Institute, Miami FL

 

2008 Invited Named Lecture, the Taylor R. Smith Lecture “Retinal Detachment Surgery 2008: Current Perspectives From One Surgeon Who Used to Hold the Strings for Dr. Taylor R. Smith” presented to the New England Ophthalmological Society, Boston MA

 

2009 Fellow Award, Association of Research in Vision and Ophthalmology

 

2009 Invited Named Lecture, the 27th Delta Gamma Lecture of the Houston Ophthalmological Society, “Advances in the Management of Retinal Detachment”, Houston TX Partnership Award, Lighthouse International

 

2009 Invited Named Lecture, the 12th L. Edward Perraut Memorial Lecture, “Advances in the Management of Retinal Detachment”, the 2009 Washington Retina Symposium, Washington DC

 

2009 Invited Named Lecture, The Joseph Smiddy Lecture, “Progress in Vitreoretinal Surgery: Recent Advances and New Controversies”, Current Concepts in Ophthalmology, Wilmer Eye Institute, Baltimore MD

 

2011 Invited Named Lecture, the Gian Battista Bietti Medal Lecture, "Advances in the Management of Retinal Detachment" (given in Italian) at the 9th meeting of the Società Oftalmologica Italiana, Rome, Italy

 

The 2012 Humes Visiting Professorship Award, presented by the Open Medical Institute of the American Austrian Foundation

 

2013 Invited Named Lecture, The Paul Sternberg, Jr. Lecture, "The Management of Retinal Detachment: Advances, Challenges, and Controversies" at the 27th Southeastern Vitreoretinal Seminar (SEVR) meeting, Emory University, Atlanta GA

Board Certifications
American Board of Ophthalmology
Clinical Expertise
Diabetic Retinopathy
Retinal Detachment
Vitreoretinal Disorder
Macular Degeneration
Retina and Vitreous Surgery
Detached Retina Repair
Diabetic Retinal Exams
Retina
Retina Degeneration
Retinal Surgery
Diabetes Eye Exam
Diabetic Eye Disease
Retinal Disease
Languages
English
Education 
  • M.D.
    University of Illinois College of Medicine
    1977
Appointments 
  • Chair of Ophthalmology
    Weill Cornell Medical College, Cornell University
  • Ophthalmologist-in-Chief
    NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital
  • John Milton McLean Professor of Ophthalmology
    Weill Cornell Medical College, Cornell University
  • Professor of Ophthalmology
    Weill Cornell Medical College, Cornell University

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Aufbau Holdings, Ltd.
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