Awards

School of Medicine Glenn W. Irwin, Jr. Distinguished Faculty Award - 2014

About Eugene M. Helveston

Dr. Eugene Helveston is an Emeritus Professor of Ophthalmology at the IU School of Medicine.

He was born and raised in Detroit, attended the University of Michigan where he received his BA in history in 1956 and MD degree in 1960, then went on to complete his residency in ophthalmology at the IU Medical Center in 1966. This training was interrupted by military service in the US Army Corps 1962-64. Dr. Helveston was also a Heed Fellow at the Johns Hopkins Hospital's Wilmer Eye Institute. He then returned to Indiana University as Assistant Professor in Ophthalmology, founded the Section of Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus and quickly established a fellowship-training program. He rapidly rose through the academic ranks, served as Department Chairman, and eventually became Emeritus Professor of Ophthalmology in 2000.

Dr. Helveston has served as Chair of the Council of the American Association of Ophthalmology, served on four AAO committees, and chaired the Home Study Course Section VI. He has held the position of President of the American Association for Pediatric Opthamology and Strabismus, the International Strabismological Association, the American Orthoptic Council, and as editor of the American Orthoptic Journal. Dr. Helveston's numerous honors include the Kellogg Scholar Award from the University of Michigan, the Humanitarian of the Year and Silver Recognition Award from the Indiana Academy of Ophthalmology, and the Outstanding Humanitarian and Life Time Achievement award from the AAO. He has presented more than 20 named lectureships, authored or co-authored three ophthalmology textbooks and over 300 scientific papers, book chapters, and reviews.

International Ophthalmology has been a keen interest of Dr. Helveston as evidenced by over 25 medical missions, primarily with ORBIS, where he held several administrative positions after retiring from full time practice. He founded ORBIS telemedicine �" Cyber-Sight leading the program for 14 years, with a team of volunteers completed more than 12,000 tele-ophthalmology consultations. Cyber-Sight won the President's award from the American Telehealth Association for excellence in 2010. He has contonued to mentor fellows and residents in the clinic, and dozens of junior colleagues from around the world via telemedicine, as both teacher and student.