loved to play basketball. He received his bachelor’s and medical degrees from the University of Utah and completed a surgery internship at Pennsylvania Medical Center and residency and a glaucoma fellowship at Scheie Eye Institute in Philadelphia. A superb surgeon who made it his mission to learn new skills, Crandall was also a remarkable innovator. Long before it became the modern standard of care, he adopted the method of phacoemulsification for removing cataracts and taught it to others.
Alan Crandall with his father.
He led the way in adopting small-incision glaucoma surgery, known as MIGS. Wielding microscopic-sized equipment to make tiny incisions, his skilled hands helped avoid countless complications in daunting situations. His success with complicated anterior segment (front of the eye) surgery is legendary. Crandall also invented several surgical techniques and participated in numerous research studies that improved his patients’ lives. Most recently, that had included translating surgical techniques developed for adults into pediatric cases to improve outcomes. “Alan made it a core principle that we would never be close-minded about new surgical techniques and tools, that we would always be open to what was out there,” said Olson. “And, from early on, he wanted every surgery recorded. His analysis became part of our ‘continuous quality program’ where he would take the time to sit down and review each one. He would do a root-cause analysis for each complicated case, trying to understand what may have gone wrong. He just never quit, and he shared his experience on the national and international stage.” Among the many honors bestowed throughout his career, Cataract and Refractive Surgery Today named Crandall as one of 50 international opinion leaders. The Ophthalmologist recognized him as one of the 100 most influential people in the ophthalmic industry. He was a past president of the American Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgery. Crandall also served as a diplomate of the National Board of Medical Examiners and the American Board of Ophthalmology.
“We are devastated. He did my surgeries 35 years ago. When I was little, I would see him down the hall and run to his outstretched arms. Thirty-five years later, and we still ended the visit with a hug. He also saved my son’s vision. He’s a miracle worker. I always called him my second dad. He will be greatly missed.” —Erin Merill Kirby, patient
7
