EyeWorld Asia-Pacific September 2015 Issue

65 EWAP NEWS & OPINION September 2015 Tribute to Robert M. Sinskey, MD by Maxine Lipner EyeWorld Senior Contributing Writer continued on page 66 Dr. Sinskey visits the original Sinskey Eye Institute; the new building was built in 2013. T he field of anterior segment ophthalmology has lost one of its legendary pioneers: Robert Sinskey, MD . He was at the heart of a grass roots effort to bring the novel surgical technique of phacoemulsification first to the west coast of the United States and then to the world. He was the quintessential teacher who elevated cataract surgery from a high-risk procedure that was avoided until patients were incapacitated by their loss of vision to a procedure that markedly improves the quality of life of millions on an annual basis. However, Robert Sinskey was much more than a teacher of phaco. He was the consummate leader of our profession. As president of ASCRS, he led by his force of will and took our society from a small group of anterior segment surgeons to our 10,000 members today. He never stopped innovating and even in his 90s was working on novel surgical techniques. At this past year’s ASCRS•ASOA Symposium & Congress, he received a standing ovation for his surgical technique to correct nystagmus. In addition, he was an ambassador of good will and charitable work. His work with the ASCRS Foundation culminated in the Robert M. Sinskey Eye Institute in Ethiopia. As you will read in the following remembrances, he was simply an incredible person. The next time you are in the operating room and you are manipulating the IOL with a Sinskey hook, spend a moment and recall a great man and a great ophthalmologist. Eric Donnenfeld, MD, EyeWorld chief medical editor F ew of us have the good fortune and intellectual fortitude as the early pioneers in modern cataract and implant surgery. To recognize the changing times Robert M. Sinskey, MD and unique opportunities that existed for cataract surgeons in the 1970s was special. The easy road was to stay with the status quo, continue with intracapsular cataract surgery and anterior chamber IOLs. Why risk pushing the frontier? Why risk so much by jumping ahead into ECCE then phaco? Bob Sinskey was not one to rest on his laurels. From his training at Duke, Bob always distinguished himself and always pushed hard to make it better and get better results—devising new instruments, developing new IOLs and, most importantly, teaching phaco technique. He traveled the globe lecturing on phaco and making friends all along the way. He was never afraid to challenge authority or be challenged. He pushed the frontiers to make modern cataract surgery the hugely successful procedure it is. We will forever be grateful. – Richard Lewis, MD Bob Sinskey was a giant in our field. His many accomplishments as an ophthalmic surgeon are well known to all. What is less appreciated is his endless curiosity in identifying and solving challenges, both surgical and far away from eye disease. The most notable of the latter is the incredible success of his winery in Napa Valley and his commitment to organic biodynamic farming— again, a hallmark of his unbridled curiosity. His last major contribution to ophthalmology was a surgical cure for congenital nystagmus. Bob not only invented