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Robert and Joell Brightfelt Professorship in Cornea

Robert and Joell BrightfeltThe Robert and Joell Brightfelt Professorship in Cornea is made possible due to the generosity of Robert and Joell Brightfelt, of Lake Forest, Illinois, in recognition of the vision-saving care Robert received from University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics.

For much of his life, Robert dealt with some form of vision loss. After being diagnosed with Fuchs’ dystrophy, an eye disease in which cells lining the inner surface of the cornea slowly start to die off, Robert learned he needed two corneal transplants. Mark Greiner, MD, and his team in the UI Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences performed both transplants and were able to completely restore Robert’s vision. The Brightfelts credit Dr. Greiner and his team for this life-changing experience.

Robert and Joell believe in investing in quality people—individuals who are good at getting things done. As they saw Dr. Greiner’s work first-hand, and learned more about the things his lab plans to accomplish in the future, they were inspired to support this important work.

Mark A. Greiner, MD, was named as the inaugural recipient of the Robert and Joell Brightfelt Professorship in Cornea in March of 2019.