April 10, 2009 |

April 10, 2009 | Credited by his mentor as being among the best ophthalmologists of his generation, Ammar Safar, M.D., proudly accepted the first Martha Wood Bentley Chair in Ophthalmology at his recent investiture.

The ceremony honored Safar’s groundbreaking work in treating and teaching about vitreo-retinal diseases and surgery at the UAMS Harvey & Bernice Jones Eye Institute, and his dedication to researching and treating diabetes-related issues of the eye.

“It is with great honor and privilege that I accept this today,” Safar said April 8 to a large gathering of family, friends and colleagues at the Sam Walton Auditorium atop the Winthrop P. Rockefeller Cancer Institute. “Martha Wood Bentley was a great supporter and friend of the Jones Eye Institute and I am convinced that through generous contributions like this that science will be advanced and cures will be found.”

Safar joined the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) as assistant professor in August 2001 and is director of the vitreo-retinal service.

Georgia Chrousos, M.D., Ph.D., chair of the Department of Ophthalmology at Mitera Hospital in Athens, Greece, made the trip to help honor Safar, who was chief ophthalmology resident during their time together at Georgetown University Medical Center.

“His performance at Georgetown was outstanding,” Chrousos said. “Ammar typifies the best of his generation and I’m very honored and moved to be here today with him and his family and colleagues.”

John Shock, M.D., executive vice chancellor and director of the Jones Eye Institute credited Safar for advancing the Institute he largely shaped.

“Ammar is energetic, innovative and highly respected by everyone he’s come into contact with,” Shock said. “He has impacted countless people in Arkansas and has brought great credit to the Jones Eye Institute.”

Safar’s research interests focus largely on diabetes in the retina, which is one of the leading causes of blindness and silently affects working-age people.

“By the time they realize they are being affected, a lot of the time the damage has already been done,” Safar said. “Our treatments are far from perfect, but with collaborative efforts and continued diligence, I hope this chair helps contribute to this cause.”

The Martha Wood Bentley Chair in Ophthalmology was established with a donation from Bentley to support research, education and patient care. Bentley was a longtime supporter of the Jones Eye Institute and served for more than a decade on the Institute’s advisory board.

Safar graduated from the Aleppo University School of Medicine (Syria) with honors and completed an ophthalmology residency at Georgetown University Medical Center where he also served as a chief resident. He completed a fellowship in vitreo-retinal diseases and surgery at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas.

Safar maintains a large clinical and surgical practice at the Jones Eye Institute and the Central Arkansas Veterans Healthcare System. He also trains ophthalmology residents in retina and vitreous sciences. He is involved in a variety of research projects with special interests in age-related macular degeneration and diabetic retinopathy.