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Ophthalmic community mourns loss of George O. Waring III
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George O. Waring III, MD, FACS, FRCOphth, a surgeon, innovator and mentor, died Jan. 27. He was 73 years old.
George O.
Waring III
Waring, who most recently served as professor emeritus of ophthalmology at Emory University, Atlanta, specialized in cataract surgery, radial keratotomy and LASIK. He was board certified by the American Board of Ophthalmology.
He was born in Buffalo, N.Y., in 1941 and earned his medical degree at Baylor Medical College, Houston. His ophthalmology training included a residency at the Wills Eye Hospital in Philadelphia.
He started his academic career at the University of California, Davis, in 1974.
In 1992, Waring received a National Institutes of Health Fogarty International Scholars Award to do research in laser corneal surgery in Paris. From 1993 to 1995, he served as chairman of the Department of Ophthalmology and director of research at Al-Magrabi Eye Hospital in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, where he helped develop LASIK.
Waring was a member of the American Ophthalmological Society, International Society of Refractive Surgery and International Intra-Ocular Implant Club. He also served on several national and international boards of directors.
Waring received National Institutes of Health grants to study radial keratotomy and excimer laser corneal surgery. His data led the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to approve excimer laser vision correction surgery in the U.S. As principal investigator of LASIK at Emory, he received the first physician-sponsored investigational device exemption from the FDA.
He was editor-in-chief of the Journal of Refractive Surgery from 1989 to 2010 and published more than 500 articles and two textbooks.
Waring received three American Academy of Ophthalmology Honor Awards and the Lifetime Achievement Award from the International Society of Refractive Surgery.
He spoke at ophthalmic conferences in more than 60 countries and made appearances on several network and cable television programs.
Waring was a founder and managing director of the privately owned Vision Correction Group (Emory Vision/InView Vision Center) from 1994 to 2004.
Waring is survived by four children, George O. IV, John Timothy, Joy Ailene and Matthew George.
Tributes to George O. Waring III:
George was a very, very special friend. A mentor, a teacher, as we all know a fabulous writer, and he was always there when I needed him. My favorite memory was climbing over the fence with him at 5:30 in the morning to sneak into the ancient city of Petra in Jordan before it opened to the public. We climbed up to the temple on the top and watched the sun rise with just the two of us. Typical George adventure. We will miss him so much.
Daniel S. Durrie, MD, OSN Refractive Surgery Section Editor
When we launched the Journal of Refractive Surgery with Jim Salz as editor, George was an ardent supporter. He contributed important PERK study manuscripts to each of the first two issues to help establish the journal and later succeeded Jim as editor, serving passionately in that position for more than 21 years. George always pushed us, and himself, to do more and to make the journal better. We are deeply saddened to lose George but proud and happy to have had him as a friend of JRS and SLACK Incorporated all those years.
John C. Carter, Chief Operating Officer, The Wyanoke Group
George was one-of-a-kind in so many ways. We are proud to have created the Waring Medal together with him in 2007. It was a direct result of George’s staunch belief that great work should be acknowledged regardless of specialty affiliation. This is one of the many convictions that made George stand out among the greats.
Peter N. Slack, President/Chief Executive Officer, The Wyanoke Group
A brilliant figure in our field who has contributed so much to our understanding of the cornea and refractive surgery. I will miss his boundless optimism and energy, as well as his entertaining stories.
Terry Kim, MD, OSN Cornea/External Disease Board Member
While George had a major impact in ophthalmology, as a non-ophthalmologist, two other aspects stood out for me — one was his joie de vivre. He was great fun at a party, and many a time we danced and danced until the band went home. He was also a true friend. A few years ago when I was going through personal difficulties, he would call to counsel me and lend a sympathetic ear. I will always remember George warmly.
Jane Aguirre, Vice President, Global Alliances, American Academy of Ophthalmology
George made refractive surgery into an academic subspecialty. His 1,200 page tome Refractive Keratotomy will remain on my desk throughout my career. We will miss the clarity and incisiveness of his thought and his guidance in our mission.
Peter S. Hersh, MD, FACS, OSN Refractive Surgery Board Member
George was a true gentle giant — a surgeon scientist whose celebrated accomplishments could never be guessed by the humble way he carried himself. Besides his humor, I think I will miss most his voice, with its resonant rises and falls that made his presentation the highlight of every meeting and his personality so incredibly magnetic. God rest his gentle soul.
John A. Hovanesian, MD, FACS, OSN Cataract Surgery Section Editor
George was one of the brightest, cleverest, most vibrant and fun-loving leaders in all of medicine. When you spent time with George, you would be bent over in laughter, delighted and shocked and surprised, all at the same time. He was a spectacular teacher, researcher, surgeon, author, editor and opinion leader, with an opinion about almost everything, always complimentary. All of ophthalmology will miss this delightful man.
I. Howard Fine, MD, OSN Cataract Surgery Board Member
I first met George at Wills Eye when he was working with Jerry Shields on a presentation. I will never forget George drilling down on how a presentation was to be done, that there was never to be more than 11 words on a slide, and God forbid if you hadn’t memorized your talk, and never but never look at that screen while you were talking. Somehow, with all the people George knew, he always remembered my name and some detail about my life. Years later, I got to spend a few hours with George at the Nantucket Cornea Meeting, run at the time by Michael Raizman. We reminisced about the PERK study and how we had real science behind RK and an academic who would use numbers and results in place of fear and ignorance. George has deep roots in our country’s heritage and was on a mission to study his family’s origins and the Nantucket scion. As usual, he knew every relative, their occupation and position in Nantucket Society a century before! He was a truly engaging, caring person with a wonderful edge to his conversations, a wee glint in his eye as he brought up some obscure fact to spice up the exchange. He will be missed by us all, but I know he will be looking down on every one of my presentations, silently coaching me through a presentation he would be proud to be a part of!
Steven B. Siepser, MD, FACS, OSN Cataract Surgery Board Member
George was a true academician with a brilliant mind and a sharp wit. He made fundamental contributions to the field of refractive surgery. To best understand Dr. Waring, one should be in a conference room, discussing a complex cornea or refractive topic and turn him loose at the white board. George’s “chalk-talk” makes many of the most impressive PowerPoint presentations seem … well … unnecessary. Dr. Waring exuded positive energy in a way that I’ve witnessed in very few other individuals. People really loved George. He was intellectually honest and cared very much about his patients, friends and family. He will be greatly missed as a Professor Emeritus at Emory.
Timothy W. Olsen, MD, OSN Retina/Vitreous Board Member
George O. Waring III, MD, was a special man and an extraordinary colleague and friend. I first met George in 1978, 37 years ago while doing a Heed Fellowship in glaucoma at the University of Utah. He was a young visiting professor from the University of California, Davis, having completed a residency and cornea fellowship with Peter Laibson, MD, at Wills Eye Hospital a few years earlier. As I had previously completed a cornea fellowship at Minnesota, I was assigned to be his escort. After Friday lectures and grand rounds, which were superb, I spent 2 days introducing him to deep powder skiing at Snowbird and Alta, and learning from his already deep knowledge in cornea and external disease. This experience led to a lifelong friendship that carried us around the world, sharing one wonderful experience after another as we did our best to advance the art and science of cornea and refractive surgery and help educate our colleagues.
George was an excellent clinician, solid surgeon and disciplined scientist. He was at home amongst the most distinguished academicians worldwide, but easy to approach and readily accessible to the everyday clinician. He made unique contributions to the field, including founding an eye bank in Sacramento, serving as principal investigator in the landmark NEI-funded Prospective Evaluation of Radial Keratotomy (PERK) study, publishing the classical textbook on radial and astigmatic keratotomy, serving as a principal investigator in several excimer laser clinical trials, and for 21 years serving as the editor of the Journal of Refractive Surgery. A Waring Medal is given in his honor each year for the best publication by a young ophthalmologist in this journal, the official journal of the International Society of Refractive Surgery.
In an era of exploding knowledge in refractive corneal surgery, he served as a role model for a generation of young surgeons. He loved to travel and shared his knowledge in more than 50 countries. After his years at UC Davis, he was recruited to Emory University to join the faculty and advanced to a full professorship over a 15-year academic career before entering private practice in Atlanta, seeing patients until the last week of his life. Along the way he practiced for a few years in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, another chapter in a bucket full of adventures.
George was one of the most energetic and intellectually curious men I have ever met. He was an accomplished athlete, with advanced skills in skiing, kayaking and squash. He lived life fully, relishing the challenge of overcoming obstacles, and never, never, never quit on any project or person he cared about. He leaves behind four children, two who are physicians, including a dynamic young ophthalmologist carrying his name and legacy forward in ophthalmology for another generation. His friends number in the thousands, and every one of them can tell a special and personally meaningful story about an experience shared with George. He is a man whose friendship was cherished, and he will never be forgotten by any of us blessed enough to share in his life.
Richard L. Lindstrom, MD, OSN Chief Medical Editor
George was a mentor to a whole generation of surgeons, and he truly advanced refractive surgery in so many ways. He will be dearly missed, but his myriad contributions and teachings will live on.
Uday Devgan, MD, OSN Healio.com/Ophthalmology Section Editor
I first met George 20+ years ago when we lectured together at a B+L Research Symposium in Toronto. George and I were paired (pro refractive surgery) to debate Brien Holden and another colleague (pro contact lenses). After about 30 minutes of lively debate, George took the podium and spoke for 5 minutes. He was evangelical. By the time he finished, you could hear a pin drop in a room of more than 800. He came back to his chair, sat down next to me, and said, “Mike, I could have argued that either way,” to which I said, “George, pass me the Kool-Aid.” I had the good fortune of seeing George occasionally through the years, but — from my perspective — never frequently enough. He’ll be missed by many.
Michael DePaolis, OD, FAAO, Primary Care Optometry News Editor
George always came well prepared. He had a quick mind and infectious enthusiasm. He could really help improve the atmosphere of learning and made it fun. He contributed greatly to patient care and my condolences go out to his family. He will be missed by all who have known him and learned from him.
Bruce Wallace, OSN Cataract Surgery Board Member
George was extraordinary! He was engaging, creative, brilliant and a close friend. I treasure the time we spent together and the many memories we had over the years. George always had the pedal to the metal in everything he did. I will think about him every day and have emptiness in my heart that will never be filled until I see him again.
Jack T. Holladay, MD, MSEE, FACS, OSN Optics Section Editor
I will miss George. His mischievous nature, his independence, his desire to seek scientific truth in clinical care, his entitlement, his insightfulness, his ability to engage, his respect for colleagues regardless of training, his gift to speak clearly, his positive nature, and his willingness to challenge the spoon that fed him and his family. This last trait I admire most for it is challenging the assumptions on which we base clinical care that clinical science advances to benefit our patients.
Raymond A. Applegate, OD, PhD,OSN Optics Board Member
I would like to say a few words about my friend and colleague George Waring III. Our friendship started many, many years ago, as we shared a common passion: unveiling the secrets behind the evolution of refractive surgery and its outcomes. George has always been a hard-working, intelligent, caring and very thoughtful person; deeply committed to his beliefs, to his family and to the advancement of ophthalmology. His great enthusiasm for being able to pursue and publish research findings in due time allowed us to benefit from his legacy: the Journal of Refractive Surgery, a token that represents the true spirit of this fast-paced evolving field. We have learned so much from his experiences as he was a great teacher, lecturer and mentor to us all. His willingness to uptake my fellow and train her, in order to help us develop our research center, clearly demonstrates this. I also would like to highlight that one of George’s best traits was that he always lived his life to the fullest, including overcoming challenging sports like trying to summit the Aconcagua peak while visiting us in Mendoza, Argentina. It’s impossible to put into words the importance of friendship and professionalism. George positively influenced our lives in so many ways, and we will indeed miss him. Nevertheless, our friendship will continue over the years through our sons, Roger and George IV. George, thank you for your friendship and for your teachings; you will undoubtedly be remembered and honored as a true pioneer in refractive surgery.
Roberto Zaldivar, MD, OSN Refractive Surgery Board Member
We have suffered a big loss in the passing of George O. Waring III. George has shaped the field of refractive surgery ever since I started my career in cornea and refractive surgery. I have learned so much from him, and he has helped direct my thinking over the last 23 years since I met him during a fellowship interview in Atlanta. I remember at that time that he told me that there are endless things to learn and then to digest and utilize in our careers. He went on to help me understand that this process of learning, digesting the knowledge, and utilizing it for patient care and for the advancement of the field of ophthalmology, especially refractive surgery, was how we would improve the world. I will truly miss him. My thoughts and prayers go out to Fariba and the rest of his family.
David R. Hardten, MD, OSN Cornea/External Disease Section Editor
George always had a zest for life and twinkle in his eye. I marveled at his adventures as well as his ability to express ideas clearly and use scientific principles to improve or develop ideas for both his projects and manuscripts by others. He was a great mentor to me – and countless other ophthalmologists.
Francis W. Price Jr., MD, OSN Cornea/External Disease Board Member
George enriched us all with his encyclopedic knowledge of refractive surgery grounded in a devotion to all of the necessary scientific disciplines. He combined his intellectual strengths with an equal passion for his family, friends and colleagues. His enormous zest for life will be his legacy.
Roger F. Steinert, MD, OSN Cornea/External Disease Board Member
Whether he was kayaking down some unthinkable rapids, climbing a mountain, bungee jumping or writing a classic masterpiece on corneal dystrophies, George was totally engaged. He was the classic adventurer-discoverer who lived for new experiences and ideas with the unique ability to connect with people of all kinds, whether he was mentoring young residents or fellows, or Saudi princes. He always was looking to create for the fun and joy in life for himself and others. When I proposed that we get a Mardi Gras horn player to welcome editorial board members to the JRS board meeting in New Orleans, he loved the idea and wore a Mardi Gras sandwich sign and hat to greet everyone. Dinners with George were always filled with lots of laughs, stories and a flow of ideas that left one deeply nourished until the next cherished meeting. George taught me to live life to the fullest, and his inspiration will guide me and countless others long beyond his years.
Scott M. MacRae, MD, OSN Optics Board Member
The universe of ophthalmology has lost one of its brightest stars. George Waring III was larger than the entire galaxy! He was brilliant, energetic and inspirational. On this globe, there was no mountain too high, no river too dangerous and no topic too complex for George to master. He was a kind, loyal, man of integrity, and a true force of nature. When a star burns out, its light continues to be seen for some time. George’s light will illuminate surgeons on every corner of this planet for years to come.
Robert Osher, MD, OSN Cataract Surgery Board Member
There are leaders and followers — Dr. George O. Waring III was an exceptional leader in the field of ophthalmology and in his area of interest, namely cornea and refractive surgery. From Buffalo, N.Y., to Philadelphia, to the University of California, Davis, to clinical professor at Emory, he paved the way and pushed the frontiers of refractive surgery in a positive direction that has benefited numerous people in the U.S. and globally. His energetic enthusiasm, tireless energy and focused efforts resulted in academic excellence second to none. He will be missed, but his numerous contributions and teachings will continue to live on and shape the fields of cornea and refractive surgery.
Thomas "TJ" John, MD, OSN Cornea/External Disease Board Member
Few of us have a chance in our careers to influence a burgeoning specialty. Few will contribute as much to the development of refractive surgery as George Waring. With an insightful mind and a great curiosity, he deserves much of the credit for the early pioneering work that shaped this specialty. He will be sorely missed.
Richard A. Lewis, MD, OSN Glaucoma Board Member
Editor’s note: More tributes will be posted as we receive them.
For more information:
References:
http://www.woodhamseye.com/GeorgeO.WaringIII-117