With January being National Glaucoma Awareness Month, we sat down with John Lind, MD, chair of the IU School of Medicine’s Department of Ophthalmology, to discuss his background, work, and the school’s research into glaucoma.
Q. You spent both your undergraduate and medical school career with IU. What was your time as a student like?
Both undergraduate education and my medical school training were really a phenomenal experience. As an undergraduate, I majored in biology. I held multiple leadership positions, including being Vice President of the IU Dance Marathon, a member of the IU Student Foundation Steering Committee and co-founder and Vice President of the Center for Advancing Student Leadership. I lean a lot on the leadership lessons that were developed as a student in my role of Chair of Ophthalmology. Medical school was also a very influential time in my life. I feel like the Indiana University School of Medicine prepares our medical students tremendously well for residency (I was fortunate to serve as Chief Resident) as well as our careers. I still maintain relationships from both time periods and remain a huge supporter of Indiana University.
Q. What drew you to work in ophthalmology and around glaucoma?
Taking care of glaucoma patients tends to be a relationship for the lifetime. As you're aware, glaucoma is a chronic, progressive, potentially blinding disease. Being able to help patients navigate their journey with this disease is tremendously rewarding. I take great satisfaction in seeing patients do well and maintain an active lifestyle despite having glaucoma. I think Ophthalmology is a great career especially because there are things you can do in ophthalmology that can dramatically improve patients' quality of life, such as cataract surgery. You literally have patients hug you after surgery because of the positive impact that you have had on their lives.
Q. What does your day to day look like as the chair of the Department of Ophthalmology?
Every day is different as a chair. I spend approximately three days a week with some patient care activities. I spend time staffing inpatient consults at Methodist Hospital from time to time with the residents. I believe that training our ophthalmology residents and glaucoma fellows is of vital importance to preparing them to deliver exceptional eye care to the residents of our state and nation. There are also administrative functions to being chair, such as visiting the nine different IU School of Medicine campuses, which I did last night in Evansville. Working with other chairs, the Dean's office as well as the leaders of the IU School of Medicine and IU Health to provide better quality care is always at the forefront of what we do as a department. We also highly value supporting our faculty and staff to be able to have the resources to provide excellent care for their patients. Chairs are also responsible for overseeing the research and educational missions of the department. We have world class researchers and educators who truly make a difference. We will realize their tremendous efforts over the next many decades in Indiana.
Q. What are some of the department's research priorities in regard to glaucoma? What's been going on lately in that area?
So, we're really fortunate to have a tremendous glaucoma research team. Our glaucoma scientists look at both restoring vision that has been lost from glaucoma, as well as the pathophysiology of why glaucoma occurs, and what we can do to slow down or potentially reverse glaucoma pathology. Currently, we have three research faculty dedicated to the diagnosis and treatment of glaucoma, and we've been fortunate over the last year to receive two large National Eye Institute grants that help our scientists to pursue glaucoma breakthroughs, which can positively influence our patients.
Q. What is your favorite part of working at the IU School of Medicine?
I think the IU School of Medicine is a tremendously unique place to learn, to teach and to heal. Every day, there's research being done to alleviate disease burden, and that is tremendously inspiring. Every day there are learners working to become physicians, which will exponentially improve the care of Hoosiers across the state. Every day, patients are being cured of diseases that may not have been possible five or ten years ago. The IU School of Medicine provides a very unique collaborative environment where we can make a difference in people's lives and I'm grateful for the opportunity to be a part of this team. Go Hoosiers!
