John R. Guy, MD

John R. Guy, MD, leading expert in the field of neuro-ophthalmology, died on May 26, 2020 at the age of 68 following a sudden and very brief battle with cancer.

Awarded the Rodgers Research Chair in Ophthalmology at Bascom Palmer Eye Institute, Dr. Guy was a brilliant physician-scientist who was known for his pioneering gene therapy research for the treatment of Leber’s hereditary optic neuropathy (LHON) as well as his research on optic neuritis, multiple sclerosis and other diseases caused by mutations in mitochondrial DNA. A prolific researcher, he published more than 100 articles in leading medical and scientific journals.

"Dr. Guy was a world-class scholar,” said Eduardo C. Alfonso, MD, director of the Bascom Palmer Eye Institute. “His personality was endearing. His patients valued his expertise and his colleagues respected his unparalleled excellence in clinical and scientific research. He will be greatly missed by all of us who had the honor of working with him.”