Dr. Robert Weinreb is a distinguished leader in ophthalmology and vision science with a career spanning over four decades of impactful contributions to the field. He currently serves as the Distinguished Professor and Chair of the Viterbi Family Department of Ophthalmology at the University of California, San Diego, where he also directs the Shiley Eye Institute and the Hamilton Glaucoma Center. Holding the prestigious Morris Gleich, MD Chair of Glaucoma and appointed as Distinguished Professor of Bioengineering, Dr. Weinreb brings a unique interdisciplinary perspective to his work. His educational foundation includes a medical degree from Harvard Medical School and an undergraduate degree in Electrical Engineering from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, which has informed his innovative approach to solving complex problems in eye care.
Dr. Weinreb's pioneering research has fundamentally transformed the understanding and management of glaucoma, with his work spanning from the front to the back of the eye. His diverse research interests include ocular imaging techniques for the optic disc and retinal nerve fiber layer, mechanisms of optic nerve damage, neuroprotection strategies, and novel drug delivery systems for eye disease. Cited over 99,800 times with an h-index of 145, he has been consistently ranked as the world's leading expert in glaucoma by Expertscape for multiple consecutive years. His development of advanced imaging methodologies and surgical techniques has directly impacted clinical practice worldwide, establishing new standards for diagnosis and treatment of glaucoma.
Beyond his research contributions, Dr. Weinreb has profoundly shaped the global ophthalmology community through his leadership roles as past President of the American Glaucoma Society, Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology, World Glaucoma Association, and Latin American Glaucoma Society. He has trained more than 170 post-doctoral fellows in glaucoma, including 24 department chairs and numerous distinguished academics and industry leaders worldwide. As Chief Editor of the International Glaucoma Review and serving on multiple editorial boards, he continues to guide the dissemination of knowledge in his field. Currently overseeing two National Eye Institute R01 grants and a K12 Institutional Mentored Physician Scientist Award, Dr. Weinreb remains at the forefront of integrating artificial intelligence with healthcare from the eye, ensuring his ongoing influence on the future of vision science and patient care.
