Chair's Message

Welcome to the Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences’ at the University of Alberta. We are a fully integrated Department in the Edmonton Zone of Alberta Health Services with a mission to educate, research and treat eye disease. Our hub is the Royal Alexandra Hospital site with the Eye Institute of Alberta and has spokes at the University campus for additional research, Stollery Children’s Hospital Pediatric Ophthalmology and numerous linked private offices and secondary surgical facilities. I have the privilege of leading the University Department as Interim-Chair and the AHS Zone as Interim-Chief while we search for a permanent head.

The Department has a strong tradition of excellence spanning more than 80 years.. Our educational activities remain strongly focused on undergraduate (medical student) and postgraduate medical education (residents and fellows), with surgical training taking place in both AHS and chartered surgical facilities. Department members are linked to Alberta Vision Net, the Women’s and Children’s Health Research Institute and the Faculty’s Neuroscience and Mental Health Institute, enabling a supportive environment for vision research. 

We are pleased to announce three new Clinical Academic appointments to our Faculty: Dr. Victor Penner (Glaucoma), Dr. Mat Palakkamanil (Glaucoma) and Dr. Matt Benson (Ocular Genetics/Strabismus). Dr. Brittany Carr (Vision Scientist) has been appointed as an Assistant Professor. She joins Dr. Benson in establishing vision research programs at the Katz Building on the University campus.

Please contact us directly at ovsadmin@ualberta.ca should you have questions about content on this website or information on current events and changes.

Chris Rudnisky, MD MPH FRCSC
Interim Chair, Department of Ophthalmology & Visual Sciences, University of Alberta
Interim-Chief, Edmonton Zone Section, Ophthalmology