Eyeworld

WINTER 2024 | EYEWORLD | 27 and master surgeon. He will be remembered by his colleagues for his friendly, welcoming nature, commitment to teaching, and extraor- dinary contributions to ASCRS. I will remember him for his love of life and the great friendship we shared. 'Howie was my hero' Stephen Obstbaum, MD Howie was my hero. We met at a cataract advi- sory board meeting and struck up a friendship that lasted more than 40 years. I was immedi- ately impressed by his incisive questioning, his perceptive insights, and the transparency in his willingness to share his knowledge. These qualities—and his ability to simplify complex concepts—solidified his reputation as a leader in the field of cataract surgery. Howie was an exceptionally talented com- municator and teacher. He felt it was important to educate future generations of ophthalmol- ogists and was a generous resource for young cataract surgeons. Often at the end of a sympo- sium, as the speakers were leaving the podium, a crowd would congregate around Howie, asking him questions and seeking his opinions. Among the numerous honors and awards he received during his illustrious career, I think the ASCRS Innovator's Award best captures Howie's spirit. He was a true innovator. He had bright insights to complex issues and the generosity to share them for the benefit of our profession. Concepts that might have escaped our observation or understanding were made clear when Howie explained them. He was an exceptionally gifted surgeon. In fact, I was the beneficiary of Howie's surgical talent; he performed my cataract surgery 25 years ago. In typical Howie form, the day after surgery, bedecked in motorcycle jacket, boots, and helmet, he said we were taking a motorcy- cle ride. Above all, Howie was a mensch—a man of great warmth and wonderful interpersonal qualities. best steak he'd had all day. He might have even ordered dessert. Howie was a stand-in grandfather for my children and a father figure to me. He taught me how to practice with care and the highest ethical standards. He would say that all you needed to be truly successful was to eat your Wheaties in the morning, go to work, and do the right thing. 'Caring physician and a master surgeon' Richard Lindstrom, MD I. Howard Fine, MD, was a mentor and special friend. I met Howard early in my career at an ASCRS Annual Meeting, and he befriended me immediately, as he had hundreds of other anterior segment surgeons seeking to learn from this grand master cataract/IOL surgeon. As my career evolved, we traveled the world together for decades teaching cataract and refractive cataract surgical skills. One of our shared passions was ASCRS. Howard dedicated himself to leadership at ASCRS and served as its 16th president. His practice and only two others, including Min- nesota Eye Consultants, which I founded, have generated two presidents of ASCRS. Howard was everywhere at the ASCRS meetings, lectur- ing and leading. He was an active reviewer and author for the Journal of Cataract & Refractive Surgery. Howard led the creation of the ASCRS Foundation, and he nurtured it through its formative years as a major donor and the first ASCRS Foundation Board Chairman. In 2018, he was inducted into the ASCRS Ophthalmology Hall of Fame. Howard, along with his wife, Vicky, were full of life and great fun. Howard and I spoke a lot about ophthalmology, but we also rode motorcycles together, shared great meals, good wines, a few cigars, and prioritized our families. Our wives became close friends, and we shared our ophthalmology travels with them. I. Howard Fine will be remembered by his patients as a compassionate, caring physician continued on page 28 Dr. Fine and Dr. Hoffman Source: Richard Hoffman, MD Dr. Fine and Vicky Source: Vicky Fine Dr. Fine and Dr. Lindstrom in Hawaii Source: Vicky Fine

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