Dr. Patrick Condon was born in Ireland in 1936. He earned his medical degree from the National University of Ireland in 1960. He completed his basic ophthalmic training at the Royal Eye Hospital, London, in 1964.

In the 1960s, Dr. Condon gained considerable experience at the Croyden Eye Unit of the Mayday Hospital in Surrey, England, where he became involved in the development of binocular microscopy for ophthalmic surgical use, and worked on the design and manufacture of microsurgical instruments. In doing so, he acquired a thorough training in microsurgical techniques for cataract and corneal transplantation. During that period, he became a member of the International Intraocular Implant Group.

As Senior Registrar for the Royal Eye Group of Hospitals, Dr. Condon gained considerable experience in anterior segment microsurgery, which included training for cataract, corneal disease, glaucoma and anterior chamber implants for managing aphakia. His work also involved him in the supervision of investigations and responsibility for the eye care of all patients admitted with medical neuro-ophthalmological problems.

In the 1970s, Dr. Condon developed a special interest in sickle cell retinopathy. Overtime, the interest led to an 11-year association with the Sickle Cell Unit of the St Thomas’s Hospital in Jamaica in conjunction with the Medical Research Council (UK) and the National Institutes of Health (US) that resulted in the publication of 36 major papers on the natural history and management of sickle cell retinopathy.

In 1973 Dr. Condon returned to Ireland to take up a consultant post that was based in the Eye Department of the Waterford Regional Hospital. From 1973 to 1999, his responsibilities consisted of establishing and operating a regional service in general ophthalmology that served a population of 520,000 people. Among Condon’s more noteworthy accomplishments was development of a new operating theater complex with full audio visual facilities for the running of cataract and phaco instruction.

With an increasing volume of surgery, including a sizable amount of trauma, the Regional Teaching/ Training Center for Ophthalmic Surgery, under Dr. Condon, became recognized as a major training center for eye surgery. As a result, the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland recognized it and included it in its rotational training programs for junior ophthalmic doctors.

In 1984, the high incidence of eye trauma from motor, industrial, and agricultural accidents prompted Dr. Condon to found Irish Fight for Sight with the assistance of local businessmen and the President of Ireland as major patrons

Dr. Condon has served as president of the Irish Ophthalmological Society and been very active in and played an important organizational role in the European Intraocular Eye Implant Council (EIIC). As treasurer of the EIIC, Dr. Condon was instrumental in the process of amalgamating the European and American scientific journals into the Journal of Cataract and refractive Surgery.

Among Dr. Condon’s lectures and honors are:

The Cargill Prize, 1970, Royal Hospital, London.

The Craig Lecture, 1984, Riyal Victoria Hospital Queen’s University, Belfast.

Guest Lecturer at the Dermot Memorial Night, 1995, Royal Society of Medicine, and the Annual Meeting of the International Intraocular Implant Group, 1998, Ireland.

Montgomery Lecture, 1998, University College, Dublin.

Choyce Medal Lecture, 2003, United Kingdom and Ireland Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgery.

Ridley Medal Lecture, 2005, European Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgery.