Dr. John Barber

John C. Barber, MD, dedicated his career to academic ophthalmology with a focus on corneal diseases and the development of keratoprostheses. He completed a fellowship in corneal diseases at the Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary in Boston, where he began pioneering work on corneal prostheses. His research has contributed to understanding collagenase inhibition and serum anti-proteases in the cornea, leading to advancements in corneal prosthesis design.

During his tenure, he served as Chairman of the Department of Ophthalmology at the University of Texas Medical Branch and later as chairman at St. Francis Medical Center. In these roles, he treated patients with complex conditions such as Ocular Cicatricial Pemphigoid, Stevens Johnson Syndrome, alkali burns, severe dry eyes, and amoebic keratitis. He also directed residency programs, training over ninety ophthalmologists throughout his career.

Now retired from active practice, Dr. Barber resides in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and Venice, Florida. He continues to share his expertise through authoring books on eye care and the experiences of medical practice. As a charter member of the Keratoprosthesis Study Group, he has published extensively, with over seventy articles and abstracts to his name.