Dr. Alfred Sommer

Dr. Alfred Sommer is Dean Emeritus and University Distinguished Service Professor at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, with a joint appointment in Ophthalmology at the School of Medicine. His research focuses on the causes and prevention of blinding diseases, particularly vitamin A deficiency and its impact on childhood mortality and vision.

Dr. Sommer's groundbreaking work established that even mild vitamin A deficiency increases childhood mortality and that supplementation can effectively prevent blindness and reduce mortality. He has led large-scale community trials in Indonesia, Africa, and Nepal, demonstrating the life-saving benefits of vitamin A supplementation. His research interests include glaucoma, visual disorders, and the development of clinical guidelines for blindness prevention.