Karim Damji MD’87

Clinical Care

My focus is providing care for adults and children with glaucoma

Education & Teaching

  • MD, University of British Columbia, 1987
  • FRCSC, Ophthalmology Residency, University of Ottawa, 1994
  • Research Fellowship, Ophthalmic Genetics, Duke University Eye Centre, 1995
  • Clinical Fellowship, Glaucoma, Duke University Eye Centre, 1996
  • Executive MBA, Queen’s University, 2005

I am motivated by sharing knowledge, skills and perspectives that enables learners to flourish while simultaneously enhancing my own learning. I also have a passion for developing Institutional capacity to enhance access and quality of glaucoma care for underserviced populations within Canada and Sub Saharan Africa. I have been fortunate to contribute to recent editions of Shields Textbook of Glaucoma.

Awards 

  • Manjari Sankurathri Memorial Foundation (MSMF) Humanitarian Award for contribution to the development of professional staff at Srikiran Institute of Ophthalmology India, 2015
  • University of Alberta Excellence in Humanism Award – August 30, 2012
  • McCalla Professorship for developing e-learning modules related to teleglaucoma, 2012
  • Best teacher award for 2011 – presented by the University of Alberta residents
  • Muslim Heritage Award (awarded by the Association of Progressive Muslims of Canada for humanitarian service as a Canadian Muslim), 2008

Research

My research involves many collaborators to leverage technology so that patients with glaucoma in under serviced areas have good access to glaucoma care. We have termed this new field teleglaucoma. Our research group has also demonstrated that Trabectome keyhole surgery is safe and effective in lowering eye pressure for patients with juvenile and exfoliation related glaucoma by opening up natural drainage pathways within the eye. Finally, we have shown that the commonest cause of glaucoma worldwide – exfoliation syndrome – is associated with an increased risk of heart disease and stroke.

In the past we have demonstrated that selective laser trabeculoplasty is as effective as argon laser trabeculoplasty in lowering eye pressure for patients with open angle glaucoma and exfoliation related glaucoma.

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