Recognized as a world authority in ophthalmic pathology

LAS VEGAS – The American Academy of Ophthalmology has presented one of its highest honors – the 2006 Laureate Recognition Award – to Lorenz E. Zimmerman, MD, for his distinguished career and contributions to ophthalmology.  Dr. Zimmerman received the award at the Academy’s 2006 Joint Meeting held in Las Vegas, Nov. 11 to 14.

Recognized as the founder of modern ophthalmic pathology, Dr. Zimmerman has dedicated his life to studying the pathologic basis of ocular disease. As a scientist, investigator, writer and teacher, Dr. Zimmerman has made an extraordinary impact on the field of ophthalmic pathology. He has trained more than 50 fellows worldwide in ophthalmic pathology.

A native of Washington, D.C., Dr. Zimmerman earned his undergraduate and medical degrees from George Washington University. He served an internship at D.C. General Hospital and then completed a general pathology residency at Walter Reed Army Medical Center. At the start of the Korean War, Dr. Zimmerman became the pathologist in charge of a field hospital pathology laboratory in Korea. For this service, he was awarded the Bronze Star and the Legion of Merit.

In 1952, Dr. Zimmerman returned to Washington, where he was stationed at Walter Reed at the Armed Forces Institute of Pathology (AFIP). This was the turning point in Dr. Zimmerman’s career. He became chairman of ophthalmic pathology in 1954 and spent 52 years at the AFIP, during which time he was a prolific author, lecturer and teacher.

Dr. Zimmerman was coauthor of the original Hogan and Zimmerman Ophthalmic Pathology text, first published in 1962. He contributed to subsequent editions, and the latest, Spencer’s Ophthalmic Pathology, now comprises four volumes. He has authored more than 300 articles in peer-reviewed journals, many of which are landmark contributions. He has delivered more than 80 named lectureships, including the 1960 Jackson Memorial Lecture. The Academy has previously honored Dr. Zimmerman with the creation of the Lorenz E. Zimmerman lecture, given at each year’s Annual Meeting. He was a founding member of the Verhoeff Society for Ophthalmic Pathology, and in 1998—to honor Dr. Zimmerman’s contributions—the society voted to change the name to the Verhoeff-Zimmerman Society.

Dr. Zimmerman has received the Ernst Jung Prize for Medicine, the Helen Keller Prize for Vision Research, the Pisart Award, the Donders Medal of the Netherlands and the Lucien Howe Medal of the American Ophthalmologic Society. He was voted by his peers to be one of the 20th century’s 10 most influential ophthalmologists. Dr. Zimmerman holds an honorary degree from the University of Illinois.

“Through his work, Dr. Zimmerman made seminal contributions to the practice of ophthalmology, including the recognition of various entities causing leukocoria and the management of ocular melanoma,” said Harry Zink, president of the Academy.  “We are proud to honor his stellar accomplishments.”

Dr. Zimmerman is retired and resides with his wife, Stasch, in Baltimore. They have six children, 14 grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.

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About the American Academy of Ophthalmology
AAO is the world's largest association of eye physicians and surgeons—Eye M.D.s—with more than 27,000 members worldwide.  Eye health care is provided by the three “O’s” – opticians, optometrists and ophthalmologists. It is the ophthalmologist, or Eye M.D., who can treat it all: eye diseases and injuries, and perform eye surgery. To find an Eye M.D. in your area, visit the Academy's Web site at www.aao.org.