Dr. Regillo is the newly elected Chief of the Wills Eye Institute Retina Service and former Director of Clinical Retina Research. He is a Professor of Ophthalmology at Thomas Jefferson University in Philadelphia and is a member of the Retina Today editorial board.

1. Describe your experience serving in the military as a vitreoretinal surgeon.

I spent 4 years as a vitreoretinal surgeon at the Naval Medical Center in San Diego. For the most part, the experience was similar to a hospitalbased academic practice. I worked in a large, busy department of ophthalmology with a well-established residency and a full complement of ophthalmic subspecialists. Those years were very enjoyable and productive, both clinically and academically; in fact, I wrote my first 2 books during that time. Above and beyond having a wonderful vitreoretinal surgery experience surrounded by great colleagues, I also developed a tremendous appreciation for all those who served in the military. We all hear about the sacrifice made by our military personnel, but it is difficult to truly appreciate it until you experience it firsthand. It is very impressive.

2. As a Professor of Ophthalmology, what qualities do you try to instill in your students?

I emphasize the importance of staying informed about the latest developments and integrating them into practice in a thoughtful and careful manner. I encourage a healthy dose of skepticism and critical thinking when interpreting the medical literature and before incorporating any new treatment into practice. Lastly, I also like to see students challenge the status quo and foster that approach throughout their careers.

3. What novel therapeutic approaches or surgical techniques do you anticipate will improve the treatment of vitreoretinal diseases over the next few years?

We have lived in a very dynamic time in the past decade for both medical and surgical retina. Advances in our field have occurred at a very rapid pace, and I am convinced we will make additional great strides in the next decade. We will likely be seeing sophisticated drug-delivery systems in practice in the near future, and both gene therapy and stem cell therapy are looking closer to becoming reality.

4. What do you enjoy most about being a retina physician?

Practicing retina is the best of both worlds with great challenges in the office and in the OR. There is nothing mundane or routine about what we do. On top of that, with all great advances that have occurred in the past few decades, we are now able to restore or improve vision for most of the common, sight-threatening retinal conditions, and that is extremely gratifying.

5. If you could live anywhere in the world, where would it be and why?

I have lived on the east and west coasts and really enjoyed my times on both sides of the United States. In truth, I could be happy anywhere. That being said, however, I have grown less tolerant of cold winters, especially after living in southern California. Fortunately, Philadelphia winters are typically not too harsh, so I am really quite happy where I am.