Cindy S. Zhao, MD
Stanford Byers Eye Institute, Palo Alto, CA
The 2025 J. Donald M. Gass Award was awarded to Mark W. Johnson, MD, member of the RETINA journal’s editorial board. The award was inaugurated in 2006 to commemorate Dr. J. Donald M. Gass, MD, an intellectual giant widely considered the father of macular diseases and described by those who knew him as a man of great character. Hence, the award this year to Dr. Johnson was only fitting, given his incredible diagnostic abilities, scientific humility, and extensive accolades as a scholar, leader, family man, mentor, and friend to many.
Introduced by Dr. Sunir Garg, MD, Dr. Johnson comes from humble origins, growing up in Utah with three sisters. From an early age, he was an avid hiker, a talented musician and singer, and an athlete involved in cross country and soccer. After attending the Brigham Young University for college, he was fortunately turned to ophthalmology late in medical school at the University of Utah. His potential in the field was recognized by those at the University of Michigan, where he completed residency, served as chief resident, and was eventually recruited back for faculty. In the interim, he went to the Bascom Palmer Eye Institute as a Heed Fellow, where he would train under Dr. Gass as a Don Gass Fellow and perform the last scleral buckle that Dr. Gass would ever do.
Since completing training, Dr. Johnson has had a remarkable influence on the field, with over 250 publications, 215 lectures, and having trained over 200 residents and 50 fellows. Even though he had the opportunity to take on chair positions elsewhere, he chose to stay in Michigan and remain a devoted husband and father to four successful boys who have since given him nine grandchildren.
For his lecture on “Gass-Lighting: Illuminating Disease Pathogenesis One Patient at a Time,” Dr. Johnson builds upon Dr. Gass’ original work through five published cases. In each, he opens by noting Dr. Gass’ contributions to the subject before covering interesting cases which provide new insight into underlying disease pathogenesis. The cases presented by Dr. Johnson led to 1) the discovery of a potential entry and exit site for larvae in ophthalmomyiasis 2) the implication of multifocal arteriolar occlusions by leuko-emboli or immune complexes in Purtscher-like retinopathy with concomitant lateral geniculate nucleus infarcts 3) the suggestion that acute exudative polymorphous vitelliform maculopathy (AEPVM) is an autoimmune retinal pigment epitheliopathy 4) the realization that increased venous pressure from cervical traction therapy can cause both uveal effusion syndrome and acute macular neuroretinopathy and 5) the identification of immune checkpoint inhibitory therapy as a novel cause of acute posterior multifocal placoid pigment epitheliopathy (APMPPE). [Papers listed below] Each of these riveting cases found a way to honor Dr. Gass’ work while adding to our understanding of the disease. Clearly, the award to Dr. Johnson was well-deserved. Congratulations, Dr. Johnson!
References
1. Durrani AF, Johnson MW. Ophthalmomyiasis interna with invasion of the optic
nerve. Retin Cases Brief Rep. 2023;17:370-373.
2. Breker DA, Stacey AW, Srinivasan A, et al. Vision loss caused by retinal and lateral
geniculate nucleus infarction in H1N1 influenza. J Neuroophthalmol. 2015;35:265-
269.
3. Koreen L, He SX, Johnson MW, et al. Anti-retinal pigment epithelium antibodies in
acute exudative polymorphous vitelliform maculopathy: a new hypothesis about
disease pathogenesis: A new hypothesis about disease pathogenesis. Arch
Ophthalmol. 2011;129:23-29.
4. Dedania VS, Ghodasra DH, Kay CN, et al. Ciliochoroidal effusion and acute
macular neuroretinopathy associated with cervical traction therapy. Retin Cases
Brief Rep. 2018;12:24-28.
5. Haliyur R, Elner SG, Sassalos T, et al. Pathogenic mechanisms of immune
checkpoint inhibitor (ICI)-associated retinal and choroidal adverse reactions. Am J
Ophthalmol. 2025;272:8-18.