Dr. Miles Herbert Friedlander

1935 - 2022

Dr. Miles Herbert Friedlander, 86, passed away quietly on January 27, 2022 at his home after a long illness. He was preceded in death by his father, Herbert Friedlander and his parents, Mildred Rosenthal, and A.M. Rosenthal. He is survived by his loving wife, Nicole Friedlander, their children Marc (Carol) and Paul (Jessica) Friedlander, and their grandchildren Michael (Olivia), Brian, and Alex Friedlander. Miles was born on April 29, 1935 in Washington, Pennsylvania. At age six, after the death of his father he moved to Baton Rouge, Louisiana where he attended Baton Rouge High School and LSU. He then moved to New Orleans where happenstance allowed him to meet Nicole, the love of his life. They were married and what a marriage it was – 63 years!!! They were inseparable. With Nicole by his side, he graduated from LSU Medical School, completed Tulane's Ophthalmology Residency Program, and began the first of his twenty plus years of private practice serving the New Orleans community. Marc and Paul soon followed. Miles' path took an unexpected turn, when during the Vietnam War, he was called to serve in the United States Navy. After two years of service, he was honorably discharged at the rank of Lieutenant Commander. Miles then returned to New Orleans and continued his role as physician, devoted husband, and father. The "family years" were highlighted by camping and hiking trips, international travel, and wonderful dinners. Favorites included backpacking trips to Alaska and Norway and excursions to Machu Picchu, Guatemala, Africa, and the Galapagos Islands. After the children were raised, Miles had the opportunity to travel (with Nicole of course) to Bogota, Columbia where he spent a week with his soon to be life-long friend Dr. Jose Barraquer – the father of refractive surgery. Miles' passion for research led him to leave his private practice and join Tulane University's Department of Ophthalmology with the goal of restoration of sight. His Chairman and friend (Del Caldwell) assembled a wonderful team in which Miles exceled. He was considered a pioneer of the field and was later elected as the President of the International Society of Refractory Keratoplasty. One of his greatest gifts was his love for people and his love of teaching and innovation. He designed many surgical instruments and contributed numerous scientific articles. He and Nicole traveled the world teaching refractive surgery. Miles continued his love of medicine and education until his early 80's when he retired to spend time with Nicole. Life has the way of getting in the way of great plans and Miles was struck with illness. He was able to spend the rest of his years at home surrounded by his family and loving caretakers. The last year of his life was filled with unexpected excitement – Hurricane Ida. He and Nicole had a whirlwind post Ida journey until their power was restored at home. Although this was tough, Miles and Nicole had the opportunity to spend one more evening listening to the waves at Biloxi under the moonlight. Miles' story has now come to an end, but his family and friends are truly grateful for his intellect, sense of humor, and friendship. He is missed. In lieu of flowers, please donations to the Tulane Ophthalmology Resident Education Fund. Checks can be made payable to "Tulane Ophthalmology Resident Fund" and mailed to: Office of Advancement Tulane University School of Medicine Attn: Michael Johnson 1555 Poydras Street Suite 1000 New Orleans, LA 70112. Anyone wishing to make a donation via credit card, stocks, DAF, etc can contact Michael Johnson either by email or telephone: Michael Johnson (fjohnso4@tulane.edu), or 504-314-7282. To share memories and condolences please visit www.tharpsontheimerfh.com.