The Weisenfeld Award is presented at each ARVO annual meeting in recognition of distinguished scholarly contributions to the clinical practice of ophthalmology. This year’s recipient is Herbert E. Kaufman.
I agree with the selection committee that Dr. Kaufman is a perfect recipient for this award, but exactly how do you measure distinguished scholarly contributions to the clinical practice of ophthalmology? We could probably start with the number and quality of publications. Dr. Kaufman, to date, has only 755 publications, but their quality is legendary. One cannot even think about herpes simplex keratitis without associating the topic with Dr. Kaufman, both for advancing our knowledge in this area and for coming up with the first antiviral treatments. Dr. Kaufman is also associated, through his publications, with better methods of analyzing surface disturbances of the eye. His contribution to corneal transplantation by developing methods for storing tissue is well known. His work in refractive surgery, viscoelastics, and cataract surgery are heralded through his publications. Not as well known are his contributions to research in glaucoma. I personally credit him for pivotal moves that made timolol a reality. This drug reigned as the gold standard of glaucoma care for more than 20 years until recently overtaken and replaced by latanoprost.
Dr. Kaufman’s curriculum vitae lists 28 honors, one being the 1978 Proctor Award. There are 32 named lectureships that I am aware of. He has also served on a number of committees that certainly have helped clinical ophthalmology. He has served on 12 government committees with two different tenures on the National Advisory Eye Council of the National Eye Institute. He has served on 21 national committees, including such positions as Trustee and President of ARVO and as Trustee and President of the Association of University Professors of Ophthalmology. To date, Dr. Kaufman has been on 17 editorial boards with a 5-year tenure as Associate Editor and a 4-year tenure as Editor-in-Chief of Investigative Ophthalmology and Visual Science.
Another way to measure contributions to clinical ophthalmology would be through efforts in training. Dr. Kaufman, to date, has taught 123 corneal fellows. He has also been instrumental in the training of more than 200 residents. Many of these fellows and residents have taken leadership roles in ophthalmology. Their contributions have been significant and, furthermore, reflect Dr. Kaufman’s distinguished, scholarly contributions to the clinical practice of ophthalmology. I can think of no one more suitable for the prestigious Mildred Weisenfeld Award for Excellence in Ophthalmology than Herbert E. Kaufman, MD.