‘Chosen by ophthalmology’ Lindstrom wins OIS’ Ophthalmology Lifetime Innovator award

SAN DIEGO — Richard L. Lindstrom, MD, received the Ophthalmology Lifetime Innovator award here at the Ophthalmology Innovation Summit.

Many colleagues of Lindstrom spoke during a video tribute remarking on both his contributions to ophthalmology and his remarkable friendship.

Richard L. Lindstrom

“Dick is a great business man with incredible and impeccable integrity. He has been a great, great advantage to practitioners and the industry and the profession,” I. Howard Fine, MD, said. “My relationship with Dick and Jaci is both professional and personal and I see it as one of the great gifts I have received in my lifetime.”

He is “one of the most talented, innovative, kind and generous people I am ever going to meet,” Audry R. Talley Rostov, MD, said.

“You see the future. You see the innovation. You see the market is moving in ophthalmology,” Eric D. Donnenfeld, MD, said. “And because of that your insights are so valuable to all of us.”

Speaking to Lindstrom directly during the video, Stephen S. Lane, MD, said “It was once said that Wayne Gretzky was asked why he was such a great hockey player, and the answer was he was a great hockey player because he would skate to where the puck is going to be. So I don’t know if you are the Wayne Gretzky of ophthalmology or if he is the Dick Lindstrom of hockey, but the idea is certainly the same. You innovate. You skate to where it is going to be. And you have this uncanny knack of being able to determine what is going to work and what isn’t and how to help to make a better product not only for us as physicians but just as important for our patients.”

“As a clinical investigator, Dick has always been willing to tell me and to tell others the truth - not just what he thinks we wanted to hear and that is something I will always be grateful for,” Thomas G. Frinzi said.

“To be able to call him a close friend is one those things that I treasure the most,” Jack T. Holladay, MD, MSEE, said.

“A lot has been said about Dick’s many, many corporate affiliations and when I say many I mean that. Dick has taken a lot of kidding about that but to me personally it says a lot about the man,” David Karcher said.

“My dad told me you have a lot of friends in life but you can probably count your dearest friends on your left hand. There are 5 people who impact you. Five people that at the end of the day, no matter what you know you can trust; you can share; you can show your emotions. Dick Lindstorm is one of those 5 people and I am a better man because I know Dick Lindstrom,” Jim Mazzo said.

At the conclusion, the audience came quickly to their feet to honor Lindstrom with a long standing ovation.

Friend and colleague William J. Link, PhD, asked Lindstrom what he was most proud of in his career.

Lindstrom first mentioned being proud of products he created himself and those who he helped created with others.

“The older I get I would say that perhaps what I am most proud of is the younger ophthalmologists that I have influenced,” he said.

“I believe I was chosen for ophthalmology, to some extent, to the do the things that I have done with industry and innovation,” Lindstrom said. “It wasn’t like I ran out and had all these things planned but I did have the wisdom to be open to the opportunities.”- by Joan-Marie Stiglich, ELS