Roger F. Steinert, MD

Dr. Roger Steinert, died peacefully at his home in Vail, Colorado on June 6, surrounded by family and friends, after battling glioblastoma for more than two years. He was 66 years old. During his fight with cancer, Roger remained professionally active as the Irving H. Leopold Professor and Chair of the Department of Ophthalmology, a professor of biomedical engineering in the UC Irvine School of Medicine and the founding Director of the Gavin Herbert Eye Institute.

Dr. Steinert was born in Lawrence, Massachusetts, and graduated at the top of his class at Phillips Academy in Andover. He graduated summa cum laude from Harvard University and was at the top of his class. Roger earned a medical degree from Harvard Medical School. After completing his ophthalmology residency in Massachusetts Eye and Ear and Infirmary in 1981, he joined the cornea practice of S. Arthur Boruchoff and Ann Bajart.

As a young ophthalmologist in the 1980s, Dr. Roger Steinert became convinced that lasers then being developed to cut and reshape eye tissue could revolutionize vision surgery. However, no one had systematically explored how to use them safely or advance their potential. Dr. Steinert made it his mission to unlock the power of lasers. Over nearly four decades, he paved the way for their use in ophthalmology and pioneered new laser surgery techniques to stave off blindness and strengthen eyesight. His early work while on the faculty at Harvard helped lay the foundation for LASIK refractive surgery. Later in his position as Chair of the UC Irvine Department of Ophthalmology he helped improve corneal transplantation by replacing the existing handheld surgical blade approach by using one with the Intralase femtosecond laser.

Dr. Steinert was truly a giant in the world of ophthalmology. Dr. Steinert’s clinical and research breakthroughs stretch back to the early days of laser refractive surgery. His lab group was the second in the world to study excimer laser applications and was one of the first groups to conduct U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) trials of phototherapeutic and photorefractive keratectomy in the 1980’s. Dr. Steinert was a presenter to the FDA ophthalmic devices panel, which led to the 1993 approval of phototherapeutic keratectomy and the 1995 approval of photorefractive keratectomy.

Roger Steinert was for decades recognized as one of the key opinion leaders in cataract and refractive surgery in the world. Throughout his career he received numerous awards from the American Academy of Ophthalmology and the American Society of Cataract & Refractive Surgery, including the Life Achievement Honor Award and the Entrepreneurship Lifetime Innovator Award. He was also honored for advancing eye care with the Presidential Recognition Award; the prestigious Jose Barraquer Award from the International Society of Refractive Surgeons; the Visionary Award from the Foundation Fighting Blindness, and the Distinguished Clinical Achievement Award from Harvard Medical School. The New England Ophthalmologic Society presented him with the Distinguished Achievement Award and the Hawaiian Eye Foundation recently honored him with the Phillip M. Corby, M.D. Memorial Award. In addition, the Cornea Society gave Dr. Steinert the Claes Dohlman Award for Teaching Excellence. “Roger was more than the sum of his accomplishments and awards, for a generation of Ophthalmologists, including me,” said Sumit Garg, “Roger was a leader, teacher, mentor, friend and colleague whose daily commitment to excellence provided inspiration and guidance.”

Dr. Steinert came to UCI in 2004, after 23 years on the faculty at Harvard. Under his leadership, the Department of Ophthalmology became home to some of the nation’s top clinicians and researchers. As Director of the Gavin Herbert Eye Institute, Roger lead the bricks and mortar development of a state-of-the-art home for Orange County’s only academic vision health center, a place where pioneering research continues to yield sight saving treatments. In July 2014, Dr. Steinert was named interim Dean of the School of Medicine. He continued in that role until his diagnosis in late 2015.

Dr. Steinert was known for his sharp sense of humor, love for his patients, a passion for teaching and zest for life. He enjoyed snowboarding, hiking, traveling, reading and spending time with friends and family. He maintained that love of life even after his brain cancer diagnosis, wanting to “squeeze the marrow out of every day.” To his family, Roger was known as “Superman,” and to those who had the privilege of knowing him, he truly was.

Baruch D. Kuppermann, M.D., Ph.D.
Professor and Chair, Ophthalmology

Sumit Garg, M.D.
Assistant Clinical Professor, Ophthalmology