Corneal Collagen Cross Linking

Farhad Hafezi, MD, PhD, completed his medical studies and earned his MD in Switzerland in 1992. From 1993 to 1994, he attended a 2-year course (now known as MSc Biology) in experimental medicine and biology at the ETH Zurich, followed by 3 years as a scientific postdoc in the Laboratory for Retinal Cell Biology in Zurich, Switzerland. Here, his research focused on molecular mechanisms of retinal degeneration using light-induced photoreceptor damage in transgenic mice as an experimental model. He identified the first gene that would completely protect from induced photoreceptor damage. In 1999, Dr. Hafezi met the inventor of CXL, Dr. Theo Seiler, who became chairman at the University of Zurich. Dr. Seiler introduced Dr. Hafezi to corneal research; Dr. Seiler's introduction to the field was so influential that Dr. Hafezi completely changed his research focus. This change resulted in Dr. Hafezi becoming a refractive laser surgeon and one of the pioneers in the CXL method. Together with Dr. Seiler, he was instrumental in building a private institute in Zurich, Switzerland called IROC where the CXL technology was further clinically developed and the UV-X device was constructed and CE certified. His PhD from the Erasmus University of Rotterdam focused on the management of complications in refractive laser surgery. In 2010, Dr. Hafezi was appointed Chair and Professor of Ophthalmology of the University Eye Clinic of Geneva in Switzerland. In 2012, the Faculty of the Keck School of Medicine at the University of Southern California (USC) Los Angeles (Doheny Eye Institute) appointed him as Clinical Professor of Ophthalmology. Dr. Hafezi has published more than 100 peer-reviewed articles, book chapters, reviews, and letters, including articles in Nature Medicine and Nature Genetics. His work has been cited more than 3000 times. His total impact factor is 314 (ISI 2011) and his h factor is 31. He has received 14 national and international awards, including the highest national awards in Switzerland and Belgium and the 2014 ARVO Foundation/Pfizer Ophthalmics Carl Camras Translational Research Award. He is an Associate Editor of the Journal of Refractive Surgery and an Editorial Board Member of the Iranian Journal of Ophthalmology and The International Journal of Keratoconus and Ectatic Corneal Disease. Dr. Hafezi is fluent in German, English, French, Persian, and Polish. He is married to Nikki Hafezi and has 2 children, Leilah Alina and Lilian Malaya. J. Bradley Randleman, MD, is Professor of Ophthalmology at the Emory Eye Center and the Department of Ophthalmology at the Emory University School of Medicine. A widely respected cornea specialist, his areas of expertise include corneal and intraocular refractive surgical procedures, the management of corneal and external eye diseases, corneal transplantation, and cataract surgery. His primary research interests include preoperative refractive surgical screening; the avoidance, diagnosis, and management of refractive surgical complications; and diagnosis and management of corneal ectatic disorders. Dr. Randleman received his BA from Columbia College at Columbia University in New York City with a joint major in Biology and Psychology. He earned his MD from Texas Tech University School of Medicine in Lubbock, Texas, where he was elected to the Alpha Omega Alpha Medical Honor Society in his junior year. He then completed his ophthalmology residency training at Emory University, where he received the Outstanding Teaching Resident award while he served as Chief Resident in his final year. Dr. Randleman joined the Emory faculty and served as Assistant Residency Director for 2 years while also completing a fellowship in Cornea, External Disease and Refractive Surgery at Emory University. In 2004, he was awarded the prestigious Claes Dohlman Society Award, which is given annually to only one individual in the United States for academic and surgical excellence in cornea and refractive surgery training. He now serves as Director of the Emory Corneal Fellowship program. Since practicing and teaching at Emory, he has trained more than 80 physicians in cataract surgery, refractive surgery, and corneal transplantation. In 2007, Dr. Randleman was awarded the Secretariat Award from the American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO) for special contributions to the field of ophthalmology. In 2010, he was presented the inaugural Binkhorst Young Ophthalmologist Award from the American Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgery (ASCRS). In 2011, Dr. Randleman was awarded the Kritzinger Memorial Award from the International Society of Refractive Surgery (ISRS). He was elected to the "135 Leading Ophthalmologists in America" listing by Becker's Ambulatory Surgery Centers (ASC) Review. Dr. Randleman was also named as a "Top Ophthalmologist in America" by Castle Connolly Medical Ltd since 2010 and he is named as one of the "Best Doctors in America" by US News & World Reports. Dr. Randleman has served as Editor-in-Chief for the Journal of Refractive Surgery since 2010. He has authored more than 80 peer-reviewed publications in leading ophthalmology journals in addition to 15 book chapters on refractive surgery evaluation and management of complications.