Dr. med. Thomas Kohnen, MD, PhD, FEBO
Professor and Chair, Department of Ophthalmology Goethe University, Frankfurt
Professional Experience
- Since 2/2012 Professor and Chair, Department of Ophthalmology, Goethe-University Frankfurt, Germany
- 2011 Offer of the Val and Edith Green Presidential Professorship, University of Utah, Salt, Lake City, USA
- 2011 Offer of the Professorship and Chairman position for Ophthalmology, Department of
- Ophthalmology, University of Magdeburg, Germany
- 2011 Offer of the Professorship and Chairman position for Ophthalmology, Department of Ophthalmology Goethe-University Frankfurt
- 2008 Fellow of European Board of Ophthalmologists (FEBO)
- 2007 Military Exercise (Chief Staff Surgeon), Military Hospital in Ulm, Germany
- 2003 – 2012 Deputy Chairman, Department of Ophthalmology, Goethe-University Frankfurt
- 2003 Professor of Ophthalmology, Department of Ophthalmology, Goethe-University Frankfurt
- 2001 Associate Professor, Department of Ophthalmology, Goethe-University Frankfurt
- Since 2000 Visiting Professor of Ophthalmology, Cullen Eye Institute, Baylor College of
- Medicine, Houston, TX/USA
- 1997 1997 Assistant Professor, Department of Ophthalmology, Goethe-University, Frankfurt
Prof. Dr. Thomas Kohnen, MD, PhD, FEBO
- Professor and Chair, Department of Ophthalmology
- Goethe University, Frankfurt
- 1996 Appointment as Head Surgeon
- 1995 – 1997 DFG (German Research Foundation) Scholarship at Cullen Eye Institute, Baylor
- College of Medicine, Houston, TX/USA, “Physiology and pathophysiology of
- refractive corneal interventions with laser thermal keratoplasty (LTK). An experimental and clinical survey“
- 1995 Traveler Scholarship, International Society for Refractive Surgery, Minneapolis,
- MN/USA
- 1994 – 1995 Assistant Medical Director, Military Hospital, Ulm, Military Service (Medical Officer)
- and Military Exercise (Chief Staff Surgeon)
- 1994 German Board of Ophthalmology, Tübingen, Germany
- 1992 – 1993 Scientific Assistant, University Eye Clinic, Gießen, Germany (resident in
- ophthalmology)
- 1991 MD, License to practice medicine
- 1989 – 1992 Scientific Assistant, Clinic Dardenne Bonn, Germany (resident in ophthalmology)
- 1989 Physician’s Examination
- 1986 / 1987 Scholarship of the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) in Milan, Italy and
- Bombay, India
- Academic Studies / Qualifications
Studies
- 1982-1989 Medicine (Aachen, Bonn, USA)
- Medical Examination: 11.05.1989
- Approbation as Doctor: 01.02.1991
- 2006-2007 Health Care Management (ebs)
- European Business School, International University, Schloß
- Reichartshausen, Germany
- Degree: Health Care Management (ebs)
- Doctorate
- 1989 Friedrich-Wilhelms University Bonn
- Dissertation: “Capsular and zonular ruptures as complications of cataract surgery
- with phacoemulsification“
- 06.06.1989, overall rating: summa cum laude
- Habilitation treatise
- 2000 Johann Wolfgang Goethe-University Frankfurt
- Habilitation treatise: “Holmium:YAG laser thermal keratoplasty to correct
- hyperopia: Histological, ultrastructural, immunhistochemical,
- and clinical studies“
- Medical Specialist Training and Accreditation
- 1994 Specialist in Ophthalmology
- 2008 European Board of Ophthalmology (FEBO)
Examiner
- Member of the Control Commission of the Institute for Medical and Pharmaceutical Examination
- Questions (IMPP, Mainz) since 2015
- Chairman and Member of the Examination Board for the Oral and Practical Examination of the
- 2nd and 3rd Section of the Medical Examination in Higher Education at the University of
- Frankfurt
- Medical Specialist Examiner for Hesse and Rhineland-Palatinate
Organisational Memberships
- Deutsche Ophthalmologische Gesellschaft (DOG) ?German Ophthalmologist Society? Since 2015
- – Board Member 2008 – 2014
- – Treasurer Since 2014
- – First Vice President 2015/2016
- – President 2016/2017
- Kommission für Refraktive Chirurgie (KRC) ?Commission for Refractive Surgery?Since 1999
- – Vice Chairman 2006 – 2010
- – Chairman Since 2010
- Vereinigung Ophthalmologischer Lehrstuhlinhaber e.V. (VOL) ?Association of
- Ophthalmologic Chairholders?Since 2011
- – Treasurer Since 2012
- Berufsverband der Augenärzte (BVA) ?Professional Association of Ophthalmologists? Since 1989
- Deutschsprachige Gesellschaft für Intraokularlinsen-Implantation, Interventionelle &
- Refraktive Chirurgie (DGII) ?German-speaking Society for Intraocular Implantation,
- Intervention and Refractive Surgery?
- Since 1990
- – Board Member (DGII) 2005 – 2016
- – President (DGII) 2008 – 2012
- – Vice President (DGII) 2012 – 2016
- American Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgery (ASCRS) Since 1992
- Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology (ARVO) Since 1993
- International Society of Refractive Surgery (ISRS) Since 1994
- American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO) Since 1995
- – Refractive Surgery Interest Group Since 1996
- European Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgeons (ESCRS), (former EIIC) Since 1989
- – Co-opted Member of the Board 1997 – 2013
- – Board Member Since 2013
- – Treasure Since 2017
- – Member of the Publications Committee of the ESCRS 1997- 2013
- – Chair of the Publications Committee Since 2013
- – Member of the Research Committee Since 2012
- International Intraocular Implant Club (IIIC) Since 1995
- – Secretary 2014 – 2016
- – Treasurer 2016 – 2018
- Vereinigung Rhein-Mainischer Augenärzte ?Association of German Rhine-Main
- Ophthalmologists?Since 1995
- – President Since 2013
- Baylor College of Medicine Alumni Since 1996
- Kontrollkommissionen for the Institut für medizinische und pharmazeutische
- Prüfungsfragen ?Monitoring Commission for the Institute for Medicine and
- Pharmaceutical Examinations?Since 2015
- Frankfurter Medizinische Gesellschaft (FMG) Since 2007
- – Member of the Advisory BoardSince 2017
- Publications (IF = 424.6)
- Original Articles 222 Case Reports 25
- Reviews 35 Books 14
- Editorials 99 Chapters 138
- Editorships
- Since 2014 Journal of Cataract & Refractive Surgery – Editor
- 1997-2013 Journal of Cataract & Refractive Surgery – Associate Editor
- Since 2006 Der Ophthalmologe – Associate Editor
- Since 2009 Klinische Monatsblätter für Augenheilkunde – Focal Topic Editor
- Since 2016 American Journal of Ophthalmology – ad hoc Associate Editor Editorial Board
- American Journal of Ophthalmology Since 2016
- Graefe’s Archive of Clinical and Experimental Ophthalmology Since 2000
- Ophthalmologica 2007-2014
- Scientific Reviewer Activities – Journals (past & present, selection)
- zcta Ophthalmologica Scandinavica
- American Journal of Ophthalmology
- Archives of Ophthalmology
- Asia-Pacific Journal of Ophthalmology
- British Journal of Ophthalmology
- BMC Ophthalmology
- Comprehensive Ophthalmology Update
- Clinical and Experimental Ophthalmology
- Cornea
- Current Eye Research
- Der Anaesthesist
- Der Ophthalmologe
- Dove: Clinical Ophthalmology
- European Journal of Implant & Refractive
- Surgery
- European Journal of Ophthalmology
- European Journal of Trauma and
- mergency Surgery
- Expert Review of Ophthalmology
- EYE
- Graefe’s Archive of Clinical and Experimental
- Ophthalmology
- Investigative Ophthalmology & Visual Science
- Journal of Biophotonics
- Journal of Cataract and Refractive Surgery
- Journal of Ocular Pharmacology and
- Therapeutics
- Journal of Ophthalmology
- Journal of Optometry
- Journal of Refractive Surgery
- Klinische Monatsblätter für Augenheilkunde
- Middle East African Journal of Ophthalmology
- Ophthalmic and Physiological Optics
- Ophthalmo-Chirurgie
- Ophthalmologica
- Ophthalmology
- Saudi Medical Journal
- Survey of Ophthalmology
- Scientific Reviewer Activities – Funding Bodies
- Assessment for the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft, DFG (German Research Foundation)
- Research Grant Applications & Major Research Instrumentation (since 2007)
- Assessment for the “Research Strategy Decision of the Fund 2000 – 2003, Helmholtz
- Association”
- Assessment for the “Environmental Research Leipzig-Halle GmbH” Ministry of Culture of
- Saxony-Anhalt (2003)
- Assessment for the “DOG Research Support for Young Scientists” (2004)
- DIOmed publisher, Patient Education (since 2005)
- Assessment for the “Jubilee Fund of the Austrian National Bank” (since 2010)
- Assessment for the Julius Springer Prize for Ophthalmology (2008, 2012)
- Scientific Organiser Activities – Scientific Meetings
- DGII Annual Meeting (Programme Committee) since 1997
- DOG Annual Meeting (Programme Committee) since 1999
- ESCRS Annual Congress (Programme Committee) since 2000
- Honors and Awards
- Best Paper of Session from ASCRS 1994
- First Prize of the Festival (co-author) from ESCRS 1994
- Best Paper of Session (co-author) from ASCRS 1995
- Goar Award (co-author) from Baylor Alumni Meeting, Houston, TX / USA 1996
- DOG Research Award – total: 25,000 DM 1996
- Kiewiet de Jonge Medal (ESCRS) 2000
- DOG Research Award (jointly with Dr. J. Bühren)- Total: $ 50,000 2001
- DOG Leonhard Klein Award – Total: € 7,500 2002
- Achievement Award from the AAO 2002
- Cataract & Refractive Surgery Today – Selection as one of the Top 50 opinion leaders 2005-6
- Kiewiet de Jonge Medal (Coauthor) from ESCRS 2005
- 3rd Prize for Educational Value – ESCRS / Alcon Annual Video Festival 2005
- R.M.O. Meeting, Zermatt – Video Winner 2006
- DOG Sicca Research Award – total: € 2,500 2007
- Senior Achievement Award – For many years of distinguished service in programs of the
- Society from the Board of Trustees, American Academy of Ophthalmology
- 2009
- FOCUS doctors list 2010 – Expert in refractive surgery and cataract choice- Top doctors 2010
- DOC Gold Medal 2010
- Prize for Extraordinary Commitment in Teaching 2013
- DOC Silver Medal 2014
- Funded Research
- Principle Investigator: A multicentre clinical investigation of the Akreos Advanced
- Optic Micro Incision lens, MI60, posterior chamber IOL after microincision cataract
- surgery
- 2007 – 2009
- Principle Investigator: A randomized, single-masked monocular study to evaluate the
- safety and effectiveness of the Akreos toric IOL when used to correct primary aphakia
- with the reduction of astigmatism
- 2008 – 2013
- Principle Investigator: Prospective, randomized, double-masked clinical evaluation of
- objective and subjective accommodation after cataract surgery and implantation of an
- accommodating intraocular lens
- Since 2009
- Principle Investigator: Prospective evaluation of a toric sulcus fixed additive for
- correction of residual astigmatism after cataract surgery [Prospektive Evaluation
- torischer sulcusfixierter additiver Intraokularlinsen zur Korrektur von residualen
- Astigmatismen nach Kataraktoperation]
- Since 2009
- Principle Investigator: Prospective clinical study to evaluate efficacy of ICOLENSTM,
- a bifocal corneal implant to treat presbyopia
- Since 2010
- Principle Investigator: A prospective pilot clinical study of the AcrySof IQ ReSTOR
- multifocal toric IOL
- 2011 – 2012
- Principle Investigator: Visual Characteristics of Patients with AMD and Cataract
- 2012
- Principle Investigator: Clinical trial for the assessment of the TECHNIS® 1-piece
- multifocal intraocular model series ZMT [Klinische Studie zur Beurteilung der
- TECNIS® 1-Piece Multifokal Torischen Intraokularlinse, Modell Serie ZMT]
- 2012 – 2013
- Principle Investigator: Clinical outcomes after implantation of the AcrySof Restor +2,5
- multifocal intraocular lens (MIOL) in the dominant eye and randomization of the
- AcrySof Restor +2,5D or +3 D in the fellow eye.
- 2012 – 2013
- Principle Investigator: A Multicenter, Randomized, Controlled Study of Safety and
- Effectiveness of Acrysof IQ ReSTOR +8.0D Multifocal IOL in Comparison to
- ACRYSOF IQ Monofocal IOL in subjects with Age-Related Macular Degeneration and
- Cataract (C-11-039)
- 2012 – 2013
- Principle Investigator: Long Term Safety Follow-up for Subjects Previously Implanted
- with the AcrySof® CachetTM Phakic Lens in Clinical Studies C-02-23, C-02-40, C-03-
- 21 and C-05-57
- 2012 – 2016
- Principle Investigator: Improvement of visual acuity with presbyopia through
- aspherical multifocal excimer surgery by means of LASIK [Verbesserung der
- Lesesehschärfe bei Presbyopie durch asphärische multifokale Excimerchirurgie
- mittels LASIK]
- Since 2012
- Principle Investigator: Prospective study to evaluate the visual outcome, cylinder
- correction and patient satisfaction after implantation of Lisa Tri Toric 939MP
- Intraocular lenses (VICTORI)
- Since 2013
- Principle Investigator: Review and evaluation of the functional visual results after
- implantation of a multifocal intraocular Lentis Mplus® X [Überprüfung und
- Evaluierung der funktionellen Sehergebnisse nach Implantation der multifokalen
- Intraokularlinse LENTIS® Mplus X]
- Since 2013
- Principle Investigator: Clinical Evaluation of the HOYA Vivinex IOL – The purpose of
- this clinical trial is to evaluate the clinical acceptability of the HOYA Vivinix IOL
- compared to the Alcon AcrySof IOL
- Since 2014
- Principle Investigator: A Controlled Evaluation of the Safety and Efficacy of LASIK
- with Cross-linking Performed with the KXL System and VibeX Xtra (Riboflavin
- Ophthalmic Solution) Compared to LASIK Alone for High Myopia and Myopic
- Astigmatism [Kontrollierte Evaluation der Sicherheit und Effektivität von Laser in situ
- Keratomileusis (LASIK) zur Korrektur von myopie und myopem Astigmatismus]
- Since 2014
- Investigator: Visual Performance of patients bilaterally implanted with the TENIS
- Symfony IOL
- 2014-2015
- Principle Investigator: Prospective randomized clinical study comparing an
- intraocular lens with extended depth of focus vs a regular monofocal intraocular lens
- [Prospektiv randomisierte klinische Studie zum Vergleich einer Intraokularlinse mit
- erweitertem Tiefenschärfentiefebereich mit einer regulären monofokalen
- Intraokularlinse] (ASPHINOVA)
- 2015
- Principle Investigator: Investigation of ACRYSOF ® IQ PanOptix™ Presbyopia
- Correcting IOL Model TFNT00
- Since 2016
- Principle Investigator (Germany): PREMED: PREvention of Macula EDema after
- cataract surgery [PREMED: von Makulaödemen nach Katarakt OP]
- 2016
- Study Groups
- Clinical and experimental studies on cataracts, IOL, corneas, optical quality, refractive surgery,
- glaucoma and the retina.