John Pollack, MD

Dr. Pollack serves as Chief Medical Officer at Neurotech. He is a partner with Illinois Retina Associates and assistant professor of ophthalmology at Rush University Medical Center, in Chicago. He is past president of the American Society of Retina Specialists (ASRS), and its Foundation, and serves on the Board of Directors of the ASRS and of the Illinois Society for the Prevention of Blindness. Dr. Pollack has authored more than 60 scientific papers and book chapters, served as director or invited faculty at over 120 scientific meetings, and delivered over 200 scientific presentations across the globe. Dr. Pollack’s research interests have led to his involvement in numerous major national clinical trials for which has served in roles of Study Chairman, Principle Investigator, and Co-Investigator. Dr. Pollack was co-founding Editor of the annual ASRS Preferences and Trends (PAT) Survey. Founded in 1999, it remains the largest international survey of medical and surgical trends in retina and is referenced widely in scientific presentations and publications. Dr. Pollack is co-founder and co-Director of The Winning Pitch Challenge, an ophthalmology version of Shark Tank that assists ophthalmologists with the advancement of novel ideas through the early stages of the innovative process. He has co-founded three physician-focused companies, including Vestrum Health, Covalent Medical (Focus Vision Supplements), and Clarus Acuity Group. He is an advisor to numerous biotechnology and pharmaceutical companies and serves on the Board of Directors of Notal Vision, Inc. Dr. Pollack has received many honors and awards including the ASRS Senior Honor Award and the Achievement Award from the American Academy of Ophthalmology. He has been identified by Ocular Surgery News as one of the “OSN Retina 150 Innovators in Medical and Surgical Retina” and was a charter inductee into the Retina Hall of Fame in 2017. Dr. Pollack received his BA from Washington University in St. Louis and his MD from Georgetown University. He returned to Washington University for his residency in ophthalmology, after which he completed his retina fellowship at the Medical College of Wisconsin, in Milwaukee.