Doheny Eye Institute (Doheny Eye or DEI) established in 1947, is a nonprofit ophthalmic
research institute
A research institute, research centre, or research organization is an establishment founded for doing research. Research institutes may specialize in basic research or may be oriented to applied research. Although the term often implies natural ...
. The doctors and scientists of Doheny Eye Institute undertake basic and clinical research, a role known as a
physician-scientist
A physician-scientist (in North American English) or clinician-scientist (in British English and Australian English) is a physician who divides their professional time between direct clinical practice with patients and scientific research. Physicia ...
.
History

In 1944, Carrie Estelle Doheny, wife of the prominent Los Angeles oilman
Edward L. Doheny, became blind in her left eye and began to suffer a progressive loss of sight in her right eye. The loss of vision inspired her to create and fund the organization named for her, the Estelle Doheny Eye Foundation, in 1947. The foundation was formed with the purpose of supporting "the conservation, improvement and restoration" of human eyesight. The Doheny Pavilion, at
St. Vincent Medical Center in Los Angeles, opened to patients in 1956. Drs. A. Ray Irvine, Sr., and
S. Rodman Irvine served as co-Medical Directors. Dr. A. Ray Irvine, Sr., served as the personal ophthalmologist of Carrie Estelle Doheny, as well of American entrepreneur
Walt Disney
Walter Elias Disney ( ; December 5, 1901December 15, 1966) was an American animator, film producer, voice actor, and entrepreneur. A pioneer of the Golden age of American animation, American animation industry, he introduced several develop ...
.
In 1966, USC invited the Estelle Doheny Eye Foundation Trustees to inspect an available parcel on the USC Health Sciences Campus, and negotiations to acquire the property began. In 1971, the Estelle Doheny Eye Foundation finalized its formal affiliation agreement with USC, and named William H. Spencer, MD, as its new medical director, forming what was then called the "Doheny Eye Institute." In 1977, Stephen J. Ryan became medical director and proposed the creation of the Doheny Eye Hospital, to serve as a new headquarters and provide clinical facilities for the ophthalmology faculty. The hospital was officially dedicated in 1985.
In 1987, the Estelle Doheny Eye Foundation was renamed the Doheny Eye Institute, and a $32 million campaign was launched to build the Doheny Eye Institute building. Shortly thereafter, Stephen J. Ryan became President of the institute. In 1992, TV personality
Gene Autry
Orvon Grover "Gene" Autry (September 29, 1907 – October 2, 1998), nicknamed the Singing Cowboy, was an American actor, musician, singer, composer, rodeo performer, and baseball team owner, who largely gained fame by singing in a Crooner ...
was honored as the first recipient of the institute's Doheny Award.
The Doheny Retina Institute was established in 2001, followed by the Doheny Image Reading Center (DIRC) in 2003.
Doheny and USC ended their relationship in 2012, and USC created a new entity called the USC Eye Institute for its department of ophthalmology. In December 2013 the Doheny Eye Institute entered into an exclusive, long-term affiliation agreement with the
University of California Los Angeles
The University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) is a public land-grant research university in Los Angeles, California, United States. Its academic roots were established in 1881 as a normal school then known as the southern branch of the Cal ...
, forming the "Doheny Eye Center UCLA". Ronald E. Smith had served as Chairman of Ophthalmology at USC from 1995 to 2013, and left USC to follow Doheny, and became vice chair of the department at UCLA.
Awards and rankings
Grants
By 1986 the institute ranked 4th in
National Eye Institute
The National Eye Institute (NEI) is part of the National Institutes of Health, U.S. National Institutes of Health (NIH), an agency of the United States Department of Health and Human Services, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The mi ...
support, behind research organizations
Harvard
Harvard University is a private Ivy League research university in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States. Founded in 1636 and named for its first benefactor, the Puritan clergyman John Harvard, it is the oldest institution of higher lear ...
,
Johns Hopkins
Johns Hopkins (May 19, 1795 – December 24, 1873) was an American merchant, investor, and philanthropist. Born on a plantation, he left his home to start a career at the age of 17, and settled in Baltimore, Maryland, where he remained for mos ...
and
Columbia University
Columbia University in the City of New York, commonly referred to as Columbia University, is a Private university, private Ivy League research university in New York City. Established in 1754 as King's College on the grounds of Trinity Churc ...
. Cumulative Awards from the National Eye Institute exceeded $44 million in 2015.
Rankings
Doheny Eye Institute has been ranked in the Top Ten by ''
U.S. News & World Report'' and in the Top Ten by ''
American Academy of Ophthalmology
The American Academy of Ophthalmology is a professional association, professional medical association of ophthalmologists. It is headquartered in San Francisco, California. Its membership of 32,000 medical doctors includes more than 90 percent ...
'' since rankings began in 1993 and 1996, respectively.
In 2016, Stein and Doheny Eye Institutes were ranked among the top 5 ophthalmology institutes in the United States by ''
U.S. News & World Report''.
See also
*
American Academy of Ophthalmology
The American Academy of Ophthalmology is a professional association, professional medical association of ophthalmologists. It is headquartered in San Francisco, California. Its membership of 32,000 medical doctors includes more than 90 percent ...
*
David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA
The UCLA School of Medicine (also known as the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA) is the accredited medical school of the University of California, Los Angeles. Founded in 1951, it is the second medical school in the University of Califor ...
*
Jules Stein Eye Institute
The Jules Stein Eye Institute, founded by MCA founder Jules Stein, functions as the department of ophthalmology for the UCLA
The University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) is a public land-grant research university in Los Angeles, Cal ...
*
National Eye Institute
The National Eye Institute (NEI) is part of the National Institutes of Health, U.S. National Institutes of Health (NIH), an agency of the United States Department of Health and Human Services, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The mi ...
References
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Eye care in the United States
University of California, Los Angeles
Medical research institutes in California
Medical and health organizations based in California
Academic health science centres
Life sciences industry
1947 establishments in California
Organizations established in 1947
UCLA research institutes