A Letter from Dr. Ahmed

Dr. Alan S. Crandall was my one and only mentor. A selfless man, his skill and dedication to surgery, teaching, and innovation were rivaled only by his love and compassion for all in need. When he unexpectedly passed away in 2020, I pledged to honor his legacy of visionary and groundbreaking work in the field of glaucoma.

In a best-case scenario, glaucoma patients face years—if not a lifetime—of medications and surgeries to preserve their eyesight. For many, however, the disease goes unnoticed or untreated until it blinds them. Alan couldn’t live with that, and he dedicated most of his life to pursuing better treatments and outcomes for patients all over the world.

I’ve spent much of my career collaborating with colleagues and industry to change the reality of glaucoma for millions of people. We’ve made progress. Micro-invasive surgery technologies have drastically improved treatment options, but there is so much more we can and should be doing.

I believe we can change the trajectory of this disease. To do it, we have to accelerate the speed of breakthroughs. My partnership with the John A. Moran Eye Center to create the new Alan S. Crandall Center for Glaucoma Innovation will do exactly that. The center brings together unique talent and singular resources found nowhere else in the world.

Together we will solve the global challenge of glaucoma.

Sincerely,

Ike Ahmed, MD, FRCSC

Crandall Center Director Ike Ahmed, MD, FRCSC, speaks with Moran colleague Liliana Werner, MD, PhD, co-director of the Intermountain Ocular Research Center.