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GBMC Ophthalmology Chairman Takes Reins as
President of American Academy of Ophthalmology

Ruxton Resident To Head World's Largest Association of Eye Physicians and Surgeons

BALTIMORE, Md. – January 10, 2007 -Charles P. (“Pat”) Wilkinson, MD, an internationally known specialist in the treatment of retinal diseases and disorders and chairman of the Department of Ophthalmology at the Greater Baltimore Medical Center since 1992, has assumed the role as president of the American Academy of Ophthalmology, the world's largest association of eye physicians and surgeons.   Dr. Wilkinson is an “Eye M.D.” - ophthalmologists who are medical doctors providing comprehensive eye care, including medical and surgical care.  

“I look forward to continuing the Academy’s mission to advance the lifelong learning and professional interests of ophthalmologists and to ensure that the public can obtain the best possible eye care,” said Dr. Wilkinson,  whose research interests include retinal detachment, diabetic retinopathy and macular degeneration. “With the ever-increasing needs of the large baby boomer generation, there will be an even greater importance placed on the quality of eye care in the United States in the next 20 years.”

Dr. Wilkinson, a resident of Ruxton,   is an editor/author of numerous textbooks and journal articles as well as a frequent lecturer, and also serves as a Professor of Ophthalmology at The Wilmer Eye Institute at Johns Hopkins University.  He has served as a  member and subsequent chairman of the FDA Ophthalmic Devices Panel. 

Dr. Wilkinson served on the Academy’s Board of Trustees from 1998 to 2001. He is a member of EyeCare America’s steering committee and chairman of its diabetes program.   An Academy Fellow, he chaired the Academy’s Preferred Practice Patterns Retina Panel from 1992 to 2001 and received the Academy’s Achievement, Senior Achievement and Life Achievement Honor awards.

Dr. Wilkinson received his medical degree from Johns Hopkins Medical School in 1966, completed his residency in ophthalmology at The Wilmer Eye Institute at Johns Hopkins University (1967-1970), and a vitreoretinal fellowship at the Bascom Palmer Eye Institute at the University of Miami (1970-1971). 

He also chaired the American Board of Ophthalmology (ABO) and was a director for eight years.

About the American Academy of Ophthalmology

The American Academy of Ophthalmology (www.aao.org) is the world's largest association of eye physicians and surgeons—Eye M.D.s—with more than 27,000 members worldwide.  Eye health care is provided by the three “O’s” – opticians, optometrists and ophthalmologists. It is the ophthalmologist, or Eye M.D., who can treat it all: eye diseases and injuries, and perform eye surgery.   More than 90 percent of practicing Eye M.D.s in the United States are members of AAO.

About GBMC

GBMC includes Greater Baltimore Medical Center (GBMC), Central Maryland’s leading community hospital; Hospice of Baltimore, which provides comfort and care to patients with life-limiting illnesses; and the GBMC Foundation, which supports the GBMC mission by managing fundraising efforts.  The 292-bed Medical Center, located on a beautiful suburban campus, serves nearly 22,000 inpatients annually and provides approximately 60,000 emergency room visits. For more information, go to www.gbmc.org

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