Dr. Atilla Bayer (born in Kayseri in 1964) graduated from the Gülhane Military Medical Academy (GATA) Military Medical School in 1988 and completed his residency in the GATA Department of Ophthalmology in 1994. Bayer furthered his expertise with a Glaucoma Research Fellowship at Wills Eye Hospital in Philadelphia in 2001. Throughout his career, he has held various academic positions at GATA, becoming a professor of ophthalmology in 2009. He is the current Director of the Glaucoma Department at Dünyagöz Eye Hospital in Ankara. Dr. Bayer has significantly contributed to ophthalmology through over a hundred peer-reviewed publications, 7 book chapters, and 2 editorial roles. He is the author of a Gonioscopy atlas in Turkish language in 2014. Prof. Bayer’s research activities have centered on optic disk imaging, the anterior chamber angle, and new surgical treatments for glaucoma. Additionally, Dr. Bayer is a member of several prestigious ophthalmological societies, including the AGS and the EGS American Glaucoma Society and the European Glaucoma Society. He has received numerous awards and recognitions for his work, including the American Academy of Ophthalmology Achievement Award, reflecting his deep commitment to advancing the field of ophthalmology. A blend of clinical practice, research, and teaching marks his career.
Dr. George L. Spaeth (born March 1932, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania) is a world-renowned ophthalmologist and Director Emeritus of the Glaucoma Service at Wills Eye Hospital. He received his medical degree from Harvard Medical School. He completed his residency in ophthalmology at Wills Eye, followed by fellowship training in glaucoma at the National Institute of Neurological Disease & Blindness. Dr. George Spaeth is the Louis J. Esposito Research Professor, recognized worldwide as a foremost authority on glaucoma. A Fellow of the American College of Surgeons, Prof. Spaeth has received countless awards and honors, including the Lifetime Achievement Award from the American Academy of Ophthalmology and the Mildred Weisenfeld Award for Excellence in Ophthalmology from the Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology. He has authored over 400 articles in peer-reviewed journals, hundreds of commentaries, more than 100 book chapters, 200 132 editorials, and 2127 books. Prof. Spaeth’s research activities have centered on the characterization and natural history of the cardinal manifestations of glaucoma: the history, the anterior chamber angle, the visual field, and the optic nerve. Prof. Spaeth was a founding member and the first President of the American Glaucoma Society. He was the founder and is current President of the Glaucoma Service Foundation to Prevent Blindness and served as the chair of the Ethics Committee of the American Academy of Ophthalmology.