Prof Akram Anbari
1925–2015
A pioneer of ophthalmology in Syria and the Arab world, whose work brought together teaching, institutional development and service to others.
Teaching and generations of doctors
Prof Akram Anbari devoted decades to teaching at Damascus University’s Faculty of Medicine, beginning in 1965 and continuing until retirement. His teaching combined scientific knowledge with responsibility, integrity and medical ethics, supporting specialists, residents, medical students and nursing students.
His contribution extended to writing and translation. He provided seven specialist books and references for Arabic-speaking learners, including a summary of eye diseases used as a teaching reference by doctors and students.
Institutional development and microsurgery
In the early 1980s, he initiated the development of the ophthalmology department’s lecture theatre at Al Mouassat University Hospital. He helped raise funds and contributed personally to its furnishing and educational equipment.
He worked to introduce modern diagnostic and treatment equipment and train clinicians in its use for patients in the public sector. His biography describes his contribution to ophthalmic microsurgery and the establishment of the Syrian ophthalmological society in 1965 to support continuing education and professional exchange.
Humanitarian service and international exchange
He was known for his care for patients in need and his support for younger doctors. He used academic and international connections to open opportunities for research and training abroad, linking patient care with the sharing of knowledge.
He held a fellowship of the Royal College of Ophthalmologists in London. In 1992, he organised an international ophthalmology conference in Damascus, bringing together leading clinicians from the United States and other countries, with more than 1,500 doctors attending, according to the supplied biography.
A lasting legacy
Prof Akram Anbari died in 2015, leaving a legacy of education, humanitarian service and professional commitment. Academic and medical institutions in Syria and internationally recognised his contributions.
The Foundation bears his name in tribute to that legacy and seeks to carry its values forward through academic learning, professional collaboration and humanitarian eye care.
Read the full biography
This page is based on the Arabic biography supplied to the Foundation. The full document is available below.
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