The passing of Luc Missotten

It is with great sadness that SOE share the passing of Professor Luc Missotten, who passed away on 27 June 2019.

Professor Missotten was arguably the most important figure in SOE and shaped the modern SOE as it looks today.  He was Secretary General from 1984 to 1996 and then became the President and elder statesman of SOE from 1996 to 1998, being well supported by Zdenek Gregor as Secretary General.  Zdenek Gregor, with the assistance of Professor Missotten,  transformed SOE from a ‘club’ to the representative organisation based on National Societies that it is today. The foundation of this transformation was due to Professor Missotten. He was an active Honorary Member and as such participated in the SOE Board Meetings and Congresses for many years.   He acted as a mentor to many SOE Presidents and was always helpful with advise and support to many SOE Board Members and was truly a great gentleman.

He was honoured by the Society with both the Helmholtz Medal (Founded in 1968 this gold medal is awarded every four years to the European ophthalmologist who has done most for the Society and for ophthalmology) and the Henkes Medal (awarded every four years to an ophthalmologist for the greatest achievements in the field of leadership in ophthalmology).

He will surely be missed as a great man of vision and an ophthalmologist with extraordinary insight and diplomatic skills.  He dedicated his professional life to the development of the ophthalmology and to many in the ophthalmology family was a true friend.