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  • Michael T. Trese, MD

    Michael T. Trese, MD, pioneer in ROP treatment and Laureate Award recipient, has died at 76 

    Michael T. Trese, MD, chief of pediatric and adult vitreoretinal surgery at William Beaumont Hospital and widely considered the father of modern pediatric vitreoretinal surgery, died on October 21. He was also clinical professor of biomedical sciences at the Eye Research Institute of Oakland University and in active practice at the time of his death.

    Dr. Trese was past president of the Retina Society and the Club Jules Gonin, and he received the J. Donald Gass Award from the Retina Society in 2013. In 2021, Dr. Trese was awarded the Academy’s Laureate Award for revolutionizing pediatric vitreoretinal techniques with the concept of lens-sparing vitrectomy in the late 1980s.

    Dr. Trese also changed the face of telemedicine. Recognizing the difficulties in providing timely screening of babies for retinopathy of prematurity (ROP), he spearheaded the development of photographic screening protocols used worldwide. Last but not least, he investigated numerous pathways in the pathogenesis of retinal disease. Most recently, he and his colleagues explored the application of regenerative medicine to cellular signaling pathways in the retina—a possible game-changer for preventing visual loss and restoring sight.

    In remembering Dr. Trese, Stephen McLeod, MD, CEO of the Academy, said that he was “a true giant in our profession. We are grateful that we had the privilege of recognizing him as our [AAO] 2021 Laureate in New Orleans.” David W. Parke II, MD, past CEO of the Academy, added, “Mike’s legacy is as a superb and dedicated clinician, as a talented investigator, and as a compelling teacher who revolutionized pediatric retinal surgery. Thousands of children can see today because of his work. His was an incredibly full and impactful life.” Dr. Trese’s colleague and past president of the Academy and current member of the Academy Board of Trustees, George A. Willams, MD, noted that “Few ophthalmologists have had as profound an impact on any disease as Mike Trese had on pediatric retinal detachment. His legacy will endure in the untold thousands of children who now see because of the surgical techniques he developed and taught to a generation of ophthalmologists worldwide. He embodied the Academy mission of protecting sight and empowering lives.”