Dr. David Eifrig

Dr. David Eifrig was a pioneering ophthalmologist who established the UNC Department of Ophthalmology and served as its first chairman from 1977 to 2000. He was renowned for his compassionate patient care, particularly for underserved communities, and for his dedication to medical missions worldwide. Dr. Eifrig passed away on October 9, 2013.

He completed his undergraduate studies at Carleton College in 1956 and earned his medical degree from The Johns Hopkins University. His ophthalmology training included a residency at The Wilmer Eye Institute in Baltimore and a retina fellowship at The Jules Stein Eye Institute in Los Angeles.

Throughout his career, Dr. Eifrig practiced in Kentucky, Minnesota, and North Carolina, where he founded the academic ophthalmology department at UNC. His legacy continues through the David E. Eifrig Ophthalmology Fund, which supports research and education in eye care.