Your Impact

This can be your legacy.

Every gift to the IU School of Medicine Department of Ophthalmology helps shape a future where more people can experience the gift of sight. Whether you choose to support groundbreaking research, educate the next generation of ophthalmologists, or advance innovative patient care, your generosity creates a lasting impact for patients and families across Indiana and beyond. Together, we can preserve sight, improve lives and inspire the next generation of breakthroughs. Your gift today becomes someone's brighter tomorrow.​

Convenient Giving

Online giving is simple and secure. Thank you for making a difference in vision research and education!

Amira and family
Indiana Health

Pediatric ophthalmology division receives grant to provide added support to children with vision loss

For families of young children with blindness-causing conditions, navigating the health care journey in the face of a devastating diagnosis can be overwhelming. With grant funding from the Indiana Department of Health, the IU School of Medicine pediatric ophthalmology division has developed a program to provide clinical care coordination, education and resources to families caring for children with vision loss.

A side-by-side image shows Emmett Loyd with his sister, Vivian, and mother, Tara, at Vivian's graduation on the left and a rocky section of the Kalalau Trail overlooking the Pacific Ocean on Kauai's Nā Pali Coast on the right.
Research Updates

'Clinical trials provide hope': Indiana family shares journey with Stargardt disease

Stargardt disease results from a genetic mutation and leads to progressive vision loss. Participating in a clinical trial at IU School of Medicine changed the outlook for two siblings.

Patient Testimonials

We love that the entire team worked together to design a unique solution for my son's unique condition. Everyone we've spoken to is ready to fight for him in any way they can.


Each conversation and test helped build our confidence in the care that was being taken to ensure proper recovery. 


I’m very pleased with the care we received. The whole team was wonderful — very accommodating, and so sweet and gentle with my son. We truly appreciated how kind and patient everyone was.


Frequently Asked Questions

The Department of Ophthalmology welcomes gifts by cash, check or online credit card payment. Additional giving options include gifts of stock, distributions from individual retirement accounts (IRAs), donor-advised funds and planned gifts.

Checks should be made payable to Indiana University Foundation – School of Medicine and mailed to:

Indiana University Foundation
P.O. Box 7072
Indianapolis, IN 46207-7072

Please indicate the intended purpose of your gift in the memo line of your check.

For more information regarding giving options, please contact Ken Scheer at kescheer@iu.edu or 317-753-8521.

Gifts to the Department of Ophthalmology support a variety of initiatives, including the purchase of research and vision-testing equipment; travel support for residents and fellows presenting research at national conferences; departmental lectures and educational programs; and laboratory and clinical research.

Donors may also establish endowed funds to provide ongoing support for research, fellowships, lectureships and faculty positions. Endowment opportunities are available at various funding levels, depending on the type and purpose of the fund.

For more information about giving opportunities, please contact our development team.

Gifts previously donated to the department include:

  • An optical coherence tomography machine, state-of-the-art equipment used to analyze the retinal nerve fiber layer and used in the diagnosis and study of eye disease
  • Letzter Professor of Ophthalmology: The first endowed chair in the Department of Ophthalmology
  • Merrill Grayson Chair in Ophthalmology to support vision research within the department
  • Jay C. and Lucille L. Kahn Chair for Glaucoma Research and Education
  • Cantor Chair in Ophthalmology
  • Cantor Lectureship in Ophthalmology
  • Department of Ophthalmology Student Outreach Clinic Indianapolis
  • Helveston-Ellis Professorship in Pediatric Ophthalmology
  • Kempler Educational Equipment Fund
  • Khurana Macular Degeneration Research Fund
  • Leighton Glaucoma Research Fund
  • Strick Memorial Lectureship
  • Willis Chair in Ophthalmology

Gift can be contributed toward any of the subspecialty areas within the Department of Ophthalmology, including comprehensive (general) ophthalmology; corneal and external ocular disease; glaucoma; neuro-ophthalmology; oculoplastic surgery; pediatric ophthalmology and adult strabismus; and retina and vitreous disease.