Keynote Presentation
Ending Preventable Blindness:
Reinventing cataract surgery to make it accessible to the world's most needy.
Jeffrey H. Levenson, M.D.
Fellow, American Board of Ophthalmology
Jeffrey H. Levenson, M. D., received his undergraduate degree in Biology with honors from Princeton University. He received his medical degree from the University of Florida College of Medicine, where he was the President of A.O.A., the Medical Honor Society. Dr. Levenson served his residency training in Ophthalmology at Emory University where he also served as Chief Resident. The founding partner of Levenson Eye Associates, he has practiced comprehensive ophthalmology in Jacksonville since finishing his residency.
Dr Levenson is widely recognized as a leading eye surgeon, clinical researcher and humanitarian. He is active with several charitable medical organizations including Volunteers in Medicine, the Sulzbacher Center for the Homeless, and We Care Jacksonville. He is the former President and a Board member of Jacksonville's leading vision charity, Vision is Priceless, and 35 years ago founded the Gift of Sight program in Jacksonville, a program that has provided free cataract surgery to thousands of blind and medically indigent First Coast patients. The Chief Medical Officer of SEE International, he travels regularly to places in need around the world, bringing cataract surgery to the poor and blind and teaching low cost surgical techniques that improve access to care.
Dr Levenson is a leading global spokesman for the visually impaired. His YouTube collaboration promoting the end of needless blindness has been viewed over 200 million times (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TJ2ifmkGGus) and his humanitarian outreach efforts here in Jacksonville and around the world have been featured in People Magazine, on the ABC Evening News, and on CNN, among other sites. His work has been recognized and honored by the Duval County Medical Society, the Florida Society of Ophthalmology, the American Academy of Cataract and Refractive Surgeons and OneJax. He was recently inducted into the University of Florida College of Medicine Hall of Fame. A forceful global advocate for the right to sight, his is a respected voice in the global effort to end needless blindness among the world's poor and underserved.
Dr. Levenson is Board Certified in Ophthalmology and is a Fellow of the American Board of Ophthalmology. He has been selected by his peers as one of "Florida's Top Doctors" and Jacksonville Magazine has recognized him as one of the top ophthalmologists in the region. Married to Dr. Ilene Levenson and the father of three children, Dr. Levenson is an avid bicyclist, runner, and kayaker.
Past Keynote Speakers & Topics
Presentations have been recorded since 2011 and are available to members through the online video portal.
2025 - Dr. Brian Hare Title: The Puppy Kindergarten: The New Science of Raising a Great Dog
2024 - Dr. Nancy J. Newman Title:” Update on Optic Neuropathies."
2023 - Dr. Simon Dean Title:” Illuminating the path towards empiric safe and rapid treatment for all corneal infections."
2022 - Dr. Gustavo Aguirre Title:” From Dogs to DNA; from the Cage to the Bedside"
2021 - Dr. Michael R. Lappin Topic: Infectious Diseases
2020 - Dr. Molly Shoichet Title:"Regenerative Medicine Strategies in the Animal Models of Blindness"
2019 - Dr. Chris Murphy, Dr. Nandini Gandhi & Dr. Mark Mannis Title: "MAKING MISTAKES: THE IMPORTANCE OF FORGIVENESS”
2018 - Dr. Douglas Rhee Title: Conquering Intraocular Pressure: New and Traditional Pharmacologic, Laser, Surgical Approaches in Humans
2017 - Dr. Carol L. Shields Title: The Colorful Spectrum of Ocular Tumors in Humans
2016 - Dr. Randy Kardon Title: Pupil Light Reflex and Its Application to Both Veterinary, Laboratory and Human Translation
2015 - Dr. John R. Heckenlively Title: Is SARDS Really Cases of Autoimmune Retinopathy? Evaluation from the Human Perspective
2014 - Dr. Robert Noecker Title: Advances in Glaucoma, Cataract and Anterior Segment Surgery
2013 - Dr. Chris McGahan Title: New Roles for Iron in Ocular Physiology
2012 - Dr. Morton Smith Title: Second most effective tool for Honing your Diagnostic skills is the CPC
2011 - Dr. Ivan Schwab Title: Evolution's Witness
2010 - Dr. Mike Robinson Title:Advances in Ocular Drug Delivery
2009 - Dr. Martin Uram Title: Endoscopic Glaucoma and Retinal Surgery
2008 - Dr. Paul Koch Title: Cataract Surgery in two-legged patients
2007 - Dr Steve Arshinoff Title: Ophthalmic Viscosurgical Devices and Techniques to use them to their full Potential
2006 - Dr. Kirk Packo Title: Intravitreal Pharmacotherapy - Using Intraocular Inections to Treat Retinal Disease
2005 - Dr. Robert Anderson Title: Where are Omega-3 Fatty Acids and why are they so Important to the Retina?
2004 - Dr. Gustavo Aguirre Title: Gene Therapy for Retinal Disease in Dogs
