Stephen Christiansen Installed as Tarlow Chair of Ophthalmology

Stephen P. Christiansen, MD, has been named the second Helen L. and Sherwood J. Tarlow Chair of Ophthalmology, effective March 1.

Dr. Christiansen came to BU/BMC in March 2009 when he was named Chief and Chair of Ophthalmology and Professor of Ophthalmology and Pediatrics. He received his medical degree from the Medical College of Wisconsin in Milwaukee and completed a residency in ophthalmology at the University of Kentucky, Lexington, and a fellowship in pediatric ophthalmology at the Bascom Palmer Eye Institute in Miami.

The endowed Tarlow Chair of Ophthalmology was established through the generous support of The Honorable Sherwood “Woody” Tarlow and his wife Helen. Born and raised in Gloucester, Mass., Judge Tarlow graduated from Colby College in 1945, before entering Tufts Dental School. Failing eye sight forced him to change directions and he attended Boston University School of Law, receiving his JD degree in 1947. He was appointed Judge of Probate for Dukes County, Mass., in 1964. Giving back to the community was important to Judge Tarlow and he and Helen were involved with numerous charitable organizations and foundations over the years, foremost of which was the ForSight Foundation, establishing an endowed Chair for Low Vision research at Boston University School of Medicine’s Department of Ophthalmology, at that time under the leadership of Dr. Howard Liebowitz, Chair of Ophthalmology from 1970-2001. The Tarlows also were also major supporters of the Massachusetts Society for the Prevention of Blindness.

Dr. Christiansen is the author of more than 120 peer-reviewed scholarly articles in addition to book chapters, abstracts and other educational media.  He is the recipient of numerous awards for academic and scientific achievement, and is a Diplomate of the American Board of Ophthalmology. Dr. Christiansen is actively involved in clinical and basic scientific research in pediatric ophthalmology and has held national leadership roles in NIH-funded clinical studies of strabismus (misaligned eyes), infantile cataract, retinopathy of prematurity (ROP), and new drug treatments for strabismus.  His principal clinical interests lie in the management of childhood and adult strabismus, pediatric cataract, and ROP.

Congratulations, Dr. Christiansen.