ASCRS News
Spring 2024
Peter Choyce, BSc, MBBS, MS, FRCS, FRCOphth (1919–2001), was an early pioneer, innovator, and advocate for intraocular lenses.
“Dr. Choyce embodies the maverick spirit that was within the founding DNA of ASCRS. He was principled and fought strongly for the use and development of IOLs,” Steve Speares, ASCRS Executive Director, said. “He was considered by many as Sir Harold Ridley’s lieutenant. While Ridley carried the battle for IOLs in a diplomatic fashion, Choyce was described as a pugilist, never backing down from the fight for IOLs no matter how horribly he was treated. Without this steadfast belief, there would be no AIOIS, no ASCRS.”
In 1999 Dr. Choyce wrote that Dr. Ridley’s original IOL procedure would not be fully realized until there were improvements to technologies and techniques.1 “I thought that he would be proved right in the long run, but it took longer than I imagined, primarily because of the negative attitude adopted by most of the profession.”
“Peter’s battles to get the idea of Ridley’s invention accepted took courage and a thick skin,” said Richard Packard, MD, FRCS, FRCOphth. “His desire to create a lens that would defy his critics led him, ultimately as we have seen, to the Mark IX lens. This was the first IOL to receive FDA approval in 1982. Peter was very proud of this.”
Dr. Choyce received his medical degree from the University College Hospital Medical School, University of London, and trained at Moorfields Eye Hospital. In addition to IOLs, Dr. Choyce researched intracorneal inlays and had an expertise in tropical ophthalmology. He co-founded the International Intra-Ocular Implant Club with Dr. Ridley and was a founding member and president of the United Kingdom Intra-Ocular Implant Society (now called UKISCRS).
Reference
- Choyce PD. Harold Ridley’s first patient. J Cataract Refract Surg. 1999 June;25(6):731.
