AAO mourns Redmond's death

San Francisco-American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO) past president Michael Redmond, MD, a pediatric ophthalmologist and pioneering advocate for the profession, died recently at his home in Florida, after a battle with cancer.

Dr. Redmond served on the AAO’s Board of Trustees from 1993 to 1999, first as chairman and vice chairman of the council and then as trustee-at-large. He was elected president in 2003.

“Mike Redmond’s passing is a loss for our entire profession,” said David W. Parke II, MD, academy chief executive officer and executive vice president. “He was a national leader for decades in the areas of professionalism, ethics, quality of care, advocacy, and practice management. One moment Mike was a busy practicing pediatric ophthalmologist; the next he was the physician-in-chief of a large multispecialty group; and the next he was an articulate and passionate member of the academy’s Ethics Committee. But above all, he was a compassionate, principled and thoroughly decent man. The profession of ophthalmology and all his family and friends will miss him deeply.”

For his extensive and tireless advocacy efforts on behalf of ophthalmology, Dr. Redmond received the AAO’s Outstanding Advocate Award in May. His close friend, Allan Jensen, MD, also a past president of the academy, presented the award at Dr. Redmond’s home.