
John S. Pollack, MD
Illinois Retina Associates, S.C.
300 Barney Drive
Suite D
8S212 Murray Dr.
Joliet, IL 60435
United States map
(815) 744-7515 6304283267 office
Professional Affiliations
Academic Appointments- Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, IL
Education and Training
- Retinal fellowship
- Medical College of Wisconsin, Department of Ophthalmology, Milwaukee, WI
- Ophthalmology residency
- Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO
- Internship
- Jewish Hospital, St. Louis, MO
Biography
Dr. Pollack is an internationally recognized retinal clinician, surgeon and educator. He is a partner with Illinois Retina Associates and assistant professor of ophthalmology at Rush University Medical Center, in Chicago. He is also Chief Medical Officer at jCyte, Inc. Dr. Pollack has served as Director or Invited Faculty at over 120 scientific meetings and has delivered over 200 scientific presentations at national and international scientific meetings. He has published over 60 scientific papers and book chapters and is a scientific reviewer for 6 ophthalmology journals. 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. His interests cover a variety of topics including suture-less retina surgery techniques, new treatments for macular degeneration, new surgical options for macular holes, injection therapy for macular edema, repair of complex retinal detachment and new advances in the development of artificial vision as well as sustained release drug devices.
Dr. Pollack has held a number of national leadership positions and received many honors. He is past president of the American Society of Retina Specialists (ASRS), and its Foundation, and served on the Board of Directors of the ASRS for 18 years. 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, has served on the Board of Directors of Notal Vision, Inc. and the Illinois Society for the Prevention of Blindness.
Dr. Pollack is the recipient of the Senior Honor Award from the ASRS 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.
A native of Baltimore, Dr. Pollack developed an interest and passion for ophthalmology early on, inspired by his father, who was also an ophthalmologist. He received his undergraduate degree in biology at Washington University in St. Louis and completed his medical training at Georgetown University in Washington, D.C. Dr. Pollack returned to St. Louis for his Ophthalmology residency at Washington University’s Barnes Hospital, followed by a retina-vitreous fellowship at the Medical College of Wisconsin in Milwaukee.