Harvey Alan Lincoff

Harvey A. Lincoff, MD, Pioneer of Eye Surgery, Dies at 97

Dr. Harvey A. Lincoff, a founder of modern retinal detachment surgery, died on November 25, 2017, at his home in Manhattan. He was 97.

A longtime faculty member at the New York Presbyterian Hospital-Weill Cornell Medical Center, Dr. Lincoff shifted the paradigm of retinal detachment repair with the development of revolutionary techniques and instruments. Decades after their introduction, many of his advances-such as the use of cryopexy and a method for locating retinal holes remain gold standards. He authored more than 200 papers and book chapters, and received numerous international awards and honors, including the American Academy of Opthalmology's inaugural Schepens Lecture and medal in 2008. "Dr. Lincoff's career spans over a half-century of landmark contributions that even today impact the field of vitreoretinal surgery," noted Academy CEO, Dr. David Parke. "He was a true innovator, an engaging teacher and an urbane colleague."

Dr. Lincoff 's dedication to patient care, education, and research made him a role model and inspiration in the field of ophthalmology. He pioneered an understanding of the patterns of retinal detachment which allowed him to develop minimal techniques reducing surgical damage that have been adopted by ophthalmologists throughout the world. Most noteworthy, he pioneered the use of cryosurgery using liquid nitrogen for retinal detachment repair. He developed a soft silicone buckle that bears his name to close retinal breaks and reattach the retina. He designed curved, spatula-shaped needles which reduce the incidence of accidental perforation during surgery. In 1971, his classic paper on "Finding the Retinal Hole" was published and is universally taught to ophthalmologist in training and continues to retain its relevance.

The son of Isaac Lincoff, a jeweler, and the former Dora Ecker, Harvey Alan Lincoff was born in Homestead, PA in 1920. His undergraduate education at Harvard University was interrupted by WWII and the attack on Pearl Harbor. He enlisted in the US Navy and was at the battle of Battle of Leyte Gulf, during the liberation of the Philippines. Following the war, he graduated from Harvard, and then attended the University of Pittsburgh Medical School, receiving his MD in 1948. In 1954, he moved to New York as an instructor at Bellevue, and in 1956 became a professor at Cornell University Medical College, where he remained for 50 years, until his retirement.

Dr. Lincoff was married to the late Daphne Doran, of Wallasey, England, who was a coder in Britain's Special Operations Executive during WWII. He is survived by their three children, son, Andrew, and daughters, Anne Montesano and Norah Lincoff-Cohen, and five grandchildren, Nina, James, Jacob, Julia and Emily. Dr. Lincoff was interred, with military honors, at Beth Shalom Cemetery in Pittsburgh. Among his many recognitions, Dr. Lincoff received the Helen Keller Award for his work combating blindness. Donations in his memory may be made to Helen Keller International.