Carl Zeiss Meditec Appoints Chief Medical Officer

Carl Zeiss Meditec has appointed Steven C. Schallhorn, M.D., as chief medical officer for Global Ophthalmic Devices consisting of Refractive Lasers, Surgical Ophthalmology and Ophthalmic Diagnostics.

As the leading medical advisor for the organization, Schallhorn will serve on the executive leadership team, providing strategic direction for the business and medical guidance on the clinical use of ZEISS’ portfolio of ophthalmic diagnostic and surgical technologies. Schallhorn will collaborate with key opinion leaders and academic institutions on research initiatives and the development of best practices for improving clinical outcomes, practice efficiency and cost effectiveness.
 
“Dr. Schallhorn’s medical expertise is pivotal to our clinical and medical affairs strategy and our partnership with doctors, clinical advisors, academia, and ophthalmic associations,” said Jim Mazzo, global president of Ophthalmic Devices. “Dr. Schallhorn’s advisory will be essential for the advancement of our innovations in the most relevant clinical way for excellent performance and practice efficiency.”
 
Schallhorn has led many clinical studies focused on the safety and effectiveness of eye surgery as well as the quality of vision. He has presented to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration numerous times and was instrumental in the approval of many ophthalmic devices and the NASA approval of LASIK.
 
“I am honored to be joining ZEISS, a company at the forefront of technology that has been setting standards in medicine for over 100 years,” said Schallhorn. “ZEISS’ innovations for the diagnosis and treatment for ocular disease and vision disorders have defined eye care as we know it today and have helped improve the quality of life for millions around the world. I look forward to collaborating with my peers and ZEISS to open new windows of opportunities for advancing patient care.”
 
“ZEISS is privileged Dr. Schallhorn, such an esteemed surgeon, educator and clinical investigator has chosen to join ZEISS to be the medical voice for our organization,” said Dr. Ludwin Monz, president and CEO of Carl Zeiss Meditec. “Dr. Schallhorn’s expertise and commitment to the highest standards are vital in guiding our organization to more fully understand the clinical needs of doctors to deliver superior solutions for daily practice.”
 
Schallhorn is a board certified, licensed ophthalmologist in private practice in San Diego, Calif., a clinical professor of ophthalmology at the University of California, San Francisco, and the chief medical director for Optical Express.

After graduating from Colorado State University, Capt. Schallhorn served in U.S. Navy as an F-14 aviator and a Navy fighter weapons school instructor (TOPGUN). He completed his medical degree at the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, ophthalmology residency at the Naval Medical Center San Diego, and cornea fellowship at the Doheny Eye Institute, University of Southern California (USC). He founded the Department of Defense refractive surgery program and directed the Naval Medical Center San Diego.
 
Schallhorn has served on the executive committee for the American Academy of Ophthalmology International Society of Refractive Surgeons, as chairman of the AAO ISRS Program Committee, chairman of the AAO Refractive Ophthalmic Technology Assessment Committee, and editor for the AAO ONE Program. Schallhorn has been a visiting professor of medicine at Harvard, USC, UC-SF and Baylor. Schallhorn has received the ASCRS Binkhorst award, the AAO Lans award and will be awarded the ISRS 2016 Casebeer Award for outstanding contributions to refractive surgery.

Carl Zeiss Meditec AG develops techology to diagnose and treat eye diseases, including implants and consumable materials. The company also creates visualization solutions in the field of microsurgery. The Group’s head office is located in Jena, Germany, and it has subsidiaries in Germany and abroad; more than 50 percent of its employees are based in the United States, Japan, Spain, and France.