Ophthalmology, as a specialty, did not exist at McGill nor at the MGH until 1876. In this era, physicians were not expected to be specialized in a particular area of medicine, but rather, have a general medical knowledge and be able to look after all types of patients. As William Osler recalled, in 1914: I still shudder at the remembrance of the ‘good old days’ at the MGH, when cases of pneumonia, fractured legs, and cataracts were jumbled in the same ward, under the care of the same man; and it was not without qualms of conscience that the staff
consented to the appointment of an ophthalmic surgeon, my friend, the late Dr. Buller. From our beginnings in 1876 we have evolved into an integrated network of hospitals and research units. Our reach has extended and we now deliver specialized ophthalmic care to a quarter of Quebec’s population in accordance with our Faculty RUIS mandate.
We are committed to providing cutting-edge tertiary care clinical services, to creating and transferring knowledge within a framework that encompasses social accountability for the optimization of ophthalmic care and interdisciplinary and inter-institutional collaborations within our network.
As a department, we value innovation and eclecticism. We are constantly unraveling the complexity of the ocular system and its connections to the brain. We clearly believe in our goal to prevent and treat eye diseases by integrating knowledge from a various disciplines like immunology, psychology, neurosciences, and pathology. The diversity of our research programs and wide range of training opportunities reflect our core values.