Exceptional patient care begins with exceptional education. Every day, Casey Eye Institute’s residents stand on the front lines of vision care, honing their skills to become the next generation of ophthalmologists. Their training is more than just education—it is a commitment to our shared mission to ending preventable blindness in Oregon and beyond. Today, we celebrate a profound investment in that mission: The Laura J. Spear Endowed Professorship for the Director of the OHSU Casey Eye Institute Residency Program.

Daniel Tu, M.D., Ph.D., the inaugural holder of the professorship, highlights its impact: "Supporting ophthalmic education at Casey Eye Institute is an investment in the future of eye care, as our residents go on to serve communities locally and globally. I was deeply moved to learn of Laura J. Spear’s generous gift. Her vision to enhance the training of our future eye care leaders will ultimately help us advance ophthalmic care, education, and research for years to come."

Casey’s residency program attracts top-tier candidates who value its clinical diversity, expert mentorship, emphasis on service, and robust research opportunities. This endowment ensures stable, long-term support for the residency program and will usher in an era of lasting improvements. Tu explains, “Philanthropy allows us to pursue ambitious initiatives that would not have been feasible otherwise. For example, we are exploring adding advanced equipment to enhance emergency eye care triage and computing resources to support AI-driven research.”

As Oregon’s only academic health center, OHSU is committed to meeting the region’s eye health needs. The Laura J. Spear Endowed Professorship for the Director of the OHSU Casey Eye Institute Residency Program doesn’t just support education—it nurtures the development of future ophthalmologists who will lead with knowledge, skill, and compassion.

“We extend our deepest gratitude to Laura J. Spear,” says Andreas Lauer, Director of the OHSU Casey Eye Institute. “Her generosity ensures that our residents— today and for generations to come—will have every opportunity to learn, serve, and innovate. Together, we are shaping the future of ophthalmology and transforming lives through the gift of sight.”