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The Department of Ophthalmology at Columbia University Medical Center is proud to announce the opening of The Gloria and Louis Flanzer Vision Care Center.

Mission Statement

To be a leading international center for the treatment of sight threatening disorders through interaction between outstanding compassionate physicians and talented basic science researchers in vision. To train skilled, caring ophthalmologists some of whom will be the future leaders of the specialty group.

The main objectives are:

Maintain clinical excellence.

The goal has been to cultivate faculty who are known as "the final authority" in their subspecialty of ophthalmology, and to develop the Eye Institute as a regional and international center of excellence for treatment of vision problems. The faculty must be experts on the frontiers of clinical research and actively investigating new treatments. The diagnostic and treatment facilities must be first-rate and the entire staff must maintain the highest degree of professionalism, and humanism without regard to race or ability to pay.

Renew the Research Program.

The Department must have new capable and innovative young scientists with outstanding scientific potential. The emphasis has been to select individuals who have interest in working with the clinical faculty to find applications for their research that may help understand or treat vision disorders. The department’s research faculty are also encouraged to develop collaborations with scientists in other departments to initiate vision research projects both within and outside the Columbia community.

Enhance Educational Opportunities.

The next generation of ophthalmologists must be trained to excel in the science of ophthalmology and the values of being a physician. Patients are to be treated as people rather than as a disease process, with compassion and concern. Residents must develop good habits with self discipline to continue the learning process throughout their careers. Outstanding continuing medical education programs for ophthalmologists (both faculty, and community ophthalmologists) should be available to enhance skills and knowledge.