After 44 years in the field of ophthalmic imaging, I recently retired from fulltime practice as a clinical photographer. It was truly humbling when the Penn State Department of Ophthalmology honored my career by publishing a collection of images curated by David Quillen, MD Chair of the Department of Ophthalmology. Here are Dr. Quillen’s words and a link to the collection:
April 1, 2022 marked a significant milestone in the history of Penn State Eye Center: Timothy J. Bennett, longtime ophthalmic photographer, retired following a remarkable career. Mr. Bennett arrived in Hershey in 1994. During his 28-year association with Penn State, he made significant contributions to our patient care, education, and research missions. Ophthalmic imaging is critical in the day-to-day life of an eye practice. Ophthalmic testing—including fundus photography, intravenous fluorescein angiography, optical coherence tomography, fundus autofluorescence imaging—play a significant role in our ability to diagnose and treat patients. In addition to patient care, ancillary studies are essential for our academic teaching and research programs. Mr. Bennett is an exceptionally gifted photographer and his images have been used for countless presentations, journal articles, textbooks, and educational resources. It is no exaggeration to suggest that Penn State Eye Center has one of the highest quality digital image collections in academic ophthalmology.
In addition to his many contributions to Penn State Eye Center, Mr. Bennett is a nationally recognized author, lecturer, and educator in the field of ophthalmic photography. He was named a Fellow of the Ophthalmic Photographers Society (OPS). He has served on the OPS Board of Certification, the OPS Board of Directors, and is Past-President of the OPS. In 2013, Mr. Bennett was awarded the prestigious Outstanding Contributions to Ophthalmic Photography Award, the highest honor bestowed by the OPS. This recognition is awarded to select individuals who have promoted or advanced ophthalmic photography and imaging through their craft, writing, or innovations.
As Mr. Bennett concludes his extraordinary career, I want to highlight a small number of his award-winning contributions to ophthalmic photography. I hope you enjoy the attached digital copy of The Bennett Collection. And please join me in congratulating Mr. Bennett on a remarkable career and thanking him for his many contributions to Penn State Eye Center and the profession of ophthalmic photography. We wish him great peace and fulfillment in his retirement.
Warm regards,
David A. Quillen, MD
George and Barbara Blankenship Professor
Chair, Department of Ophthalmology
Director, Penn State Eye Center