Thomas Kin Man Lee, MD, MSc, FRCSC, FASRS
Retina Centre of Ottawa
Partner
2211 Carling Ave
Ottawa, Ontario K2B7E9
Canada map
(613) 226-7061 office
(613) 226-7065 fax
Professional Affiliations
Academic Appointments- Assistant Professor, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, 2012 - present
- The Ottawa Hospitals, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, 2012 - present
Education and Training
- Retinal fellowship
- Wilmer Eye Institute, Johns Hopkins, Baltimore, MD, USA
- Ophthalmology residency
- University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
- Medical School
- University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
Biography
Dr. Thomas Lee is a clinical Assistant Professor in the Department of Ophthalmology at The University of Ottawa and The Ottawa Hospital. He specializes in both medical and surgical diseases involving the vitreous and retina and manages both adult and pediatric patients. Dr. Lee’s clinical expertise includes medical and surgical management of age-related macular degeneration, diabetic retinopathy, retinal vein occlusions, inherited retinal diseases, epiretinal membranes, macular holes, and complex retinal detachments. Dr. Lee received his B.Sc. in Biochemistry from the University of Calgary followed by his M.D. and ophthalmology residency at the University of Alberta. During his residency, he also obtained a Master’s degree in Ophthalmology specializing in clinical trials and electrophysiology. Dr. Lee then went on to successfully complete the prestigious Medical and Surgical Retina Advanced Specialty Training fellowship program at the Wilmer Eye Institute, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine in Baltimore, Maryland, USA. This included receiving extensive training in the management of age-related macular degeneration and diabetic retinopathy from Drs. Neil and Susan Bressler, world-renowned pioneers in these fields. Dr. Lee is only one of a handful of Canadians to ever graduate from this program at the Wilmer Eye Institute since its establishment in 1925.
Dr. Lee has received numerous awards for teaching and research during his career including The Annenberg Scholarship for Retina Fellows, the University of Alberta’s Department of Ophthalmology Resident Teaching Award, the Heed Ophthalmic Foundation Award for Ophthalmology Residents, and the Canadian Institute of Health Research (CIHR) Fellowship Award. He was also nominated by the Wilmer ophthalmology residents for the Wilmer Eye Institute Fellow of the Year award. At The Ottawa Hospital, Dr. Lee participates in teaching of medical students, residents, and retina fellows. He was awarded Resident Teacher of the Year in 2017.
Dr. Lee was one of the first researchers in Canada to grow and regenerate retinal cells on a silicon wafer. This work has laid the foundation for a possible retinal prosthesis and was presented at the World Congress of Ophthalmology in 2008. His current research interest now focuses on clinical trials, specifically looking at age-related macular degeneration, diabetic retinopathy, and retinal vein occlusions. He is working to establish links with multi-centered clinical trials in the U.S. to bring the latest treatments to help patients here in Ottawa and throughout Canada.