The Gimbel Story

The story of Gimbel Eye Centre begins in the fall of 1964, when Dr. Howard Gimbel first set up an ophthalmology practice in Calgary, where he took care of the needs of over 60,000 Calgarians over the next 17 years.

He soon became known as 'Gadget Gimbel' because of the array of diagnostic instruments that he acquired for examining eyes. By 1974 his interest in technology motivated him to become the first surgeon in Canada to use an ultrasonic probe to remove cataracts by phacoemulsification. This procedure was one of a growing number of small-incision surgeries that have revolutionized medicine in the past three decades. These surgeries are less invasive than conventional surgeries — promoting quicker healing and reducing associated health risks.

Frustrated with the growing waiting lists at the hospital in the early '80s, Dr. Gimbel began offering small-incision cataract surgery with intraocular lens implants in an out-of-hospital setting. Dr. Gimbel's wife, Judy, with a Masters in Public Health, joined the organization full time as its chief administrator in 1982. Because of Dr. Gimbel's commitment to competent, compassionate, convenient care, she immediately expanded on his already comprehensive high-tech diagnostics and developed Canada's first ophthalmic outpatient surgical centre to accommodate the long list of patients desiring cataract surgery. This led to the opening of his privately owned and operated facility, Gimbel Eye Surgical Centre, in 1984. A team of doctors joined Dr. Gimbel in caring for the many patients who chose to have surgery at the Centre. Since that time, patients have come not only from Alberta, but also from all parts of Canada, the United States and from over 50 countries around the world.

Dedication to patient care has been an ongoing commitment for Gimbel Eye Centre. Convenient scheduling, family involvement in all aspects of care, and extensive education programs keep patients well informed and at ease.

Since 1992, the Centre has also supported preventive health education and counselling. Dr. Gimbel and his associates are becoming increasingly aware of the links between general health habits and eye diseases. For example, high cholesterol can be a factor in some eye diseases that cause blindness. The Centre has conducted free cholesterol screenings to increase public awareness of this link and has offered a referral service to a registered dietician and doctor of public health to analyze patients' lifestyles for risk factors and counsel them on their overall health.

Research is also an important aspect of the Centre's operations. Dr. Gimbel and his associates are contributing to the body of knowledge in the world of ophthalmology through clinical research programs on cataract and refractive surgery, glaucoma, anterior segment surgery, and prevention of eye disease.

Surgeons come from all parts of the world to learn and observe the techniques Dr. Gimbel and his colleagues have developed. Dr. Gimbel has broadcast live surgeries via satellite to large groups of doctors attending well-known international meetings in North and South America, Europe and Japan. He and his colleagues have produced numerous videos and articles for peer-reviewed journals and professional magazines and have written chapters for several medical books. A fellowship program at Gimbel Eye Centre also trains one or two doctors a year in clinical, research and surgical aspects of cataract and refractive ophthalmology.

After more than four decades of teaching and the development of numerous new techniques, Dr. Gimbel is recognized and often honoured at the frequent meetings he attends. In 1992, he received the Alberta Order of Excellence for his ability to combine technical excellence with the art of caring in an atmosphere of open communication. He was commended for using innovation to raise the standards of medical care in Alberta, and for his global influence as an educator at the forefront of microsurgical developments. In 1996, his peers voted him one of the top ophthalmologists in the world.

Not withstanding all of the personal achievements and accolades he has received, the single most important motivation in Dr. Gimbel's life has always been his faith and the belief that his hands are merely "God's Instruments."