Bascom Palmer Eye Institute’s Dr. Steven Gedde Appointed CEO of the American Board of Ophthalmology
Less than a year after being named president of the American Glaucoma Society, Dr. Gedde will provide strategic leadership and operational oversight for the ABO.
Steven Gedde, M.D., Bascom Palmer Eye Institute’s vice chair of education and the John G. Clarkson Chair in Ophthalmology, has been named chief executive officer of the American Board of Ophthalmology.
Dr. Gedde will assume the role on January 1, 2027. He will be the 13th ophthalmologist to lead the board, an independent, nonprofit organization responsible for certifying eye physicians and surgeons in the United States. Founded in 1916, the American Board of Ophthalmology was the first American organization established to certify medical specialists and is one of 24 specialty boards recognized by the American Board of Medical Specialties and the American Medical Association.
“The chief executive officer provides strategic leadership and operational oversight for the American Board of Ophthalmology, serving as the primary ambassador to represent the organization’s values and vision to both the profession and the public,” Dr. Gedde said. “By promoting innovation in the board certification process, the CEO ensures that the ABO credential remains relevant and meaningful in a rapidly evolving health care landscape.”
The honor comes less than a year after Dr. Gedde was named president of the American Glaucoma Society.
Optimizing the Health of Patients
A renowned glaucoma expert, Dr. Gedde is a prolific clinician and researcher dedicated to improving patient care.
“As an ophthalmologist, I am driven to deliver high-quality care that preserves and restores vision. Excellence in care extends beyond accurate diagnosis and effective treatment,” Dr. Gedde said. “Physicians must also communicate clearly with patients and their families, coordinate care within an increasingly complex health care system to optimize outcomes while controlling costs, uphold the highest standards of ethical and patient-centered practice and continuously improve through self-assessment and lifelong learning.”
Dr. Gedde has published more than 400 articles, book chapters and abstracts. He chaired the “Tube Versus Trabeculectomy Study” that showed tube shunts, which customarily were for high-risk refractory glaucoma, should be expanded. Dr. Gedde also helmed the “Primary Tube Versus Trabeculectomy Study” that compared the safety and efficacy of tube shunt surgery and trabeculectomy for patients without previous ocular surgery.
An Advocate for Medical Education
In addition to his laudable research profile, Dr. Gedde is an unwavering supporter of medical education. During his 21 years as Bascom Palmer’s residency program director, the program was consistently recognized as one of the best ophthalmology training programs in the United States.
“I was allowed to support our residents at a formative stage in their careers and build a program fostering a culture of excellence and lifelong learning,” Dr. Gedde said. “Helping residents to develop their clinical and surgical skills challenges my depth of understanding, and I’m constantly learning alongside my students by refining my perspective through their insights and curiosity.”
As vice chair of education, he leads Bascom Palmer’s innovative educational portfolio, including the Global Center for Ophthalmic Education, an acclaimed institution that promotes excellence in learning and teaching while disseminating ophthalmic knowledge to the worldwide ophthalmic community.
I have long believed that our greatest responsibility is to uphold and advance the standards of our profession. I look forward to helping shape the future landscape of board certification.
Dr. Steven Gedde
Among his many accolades, Dr. Gedde has received the Excellence in Health Care Educator of the Year award, the American Academy of Ophthalmology’s Straatsma Award for Excellence in Resident Education and the Senior Faculty Educator of the Year Award from the Miller School.
Nationally, Dr. Gedde has served as the president of the Program Director Council, member of the Match Oversight Committee for the Association of University Professors of Ophthalmology, chair of the Glaucoma Preferred Practice Patterns Committee for the American Academy of Ophthalmology and chair of American Glaucoma Society’s Education and Communication Committee.
Dr. Gedde has been honored with Secretariat Awards and a Life Achievement Award from the American Academy of Ophthalmology, the American Glaucoma Society Lecture and the President’s Award and the Boberg-Ans Prize from the Danish Ophthalmological Society. He was named to the Ophthalmologist Power List in 2022 and 2024.
“I am deeply committed to the ABO’s mission of serving the public by certifying ophthalmologists through the verification of competencies,” Dr. Gedde said. “I have long believed that our greatest responsibility is to uphold and advance the standards of our profession. I look forward to helping shape the future landscape of board certification.”
Tags: Bascom Palmer Eye Institute, Dr. Steven Gedde, glaucoma, ophthalmology