About Dr. MacKay

Every Day, I Cherish

I dedicate my life to the victims of LASIK Surgery, a procedure that makes healthy eyes sick. It would not be possible to do all this without the love, and support of my husband and my children. I welcome you to my world, read my story, and never let anyone tell you what you can or cannot achieve.

Wife, Mother, Daughter, Surgeon, Professor and Lifelong Activist against LASIK Surgery

CURRICULUM VITAE

ACADEMIC TRAINING

Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts, BA cum laude, 1964.
State University of New York Downstate College of Medicine, Brooklyn NY, MD 1977
NY State License 135040

TRAINEESHIP

A. Internship

Lenox Hill Hospital, New York, NY 1977 – 1978

B. Residency

Edward S Harkness Eye Institute, Presbyterian Hospital, New York, NY 1978 – 1981

C. Fellowship

Heed Fellow in Retina and Ocular Genetics
Edward S Harkness Institute, NY Presbyterian Hospital, New York NY and
Bellevue Hospital, New York NY 1981 – 1982

BOARD QUALIFICATIONS

National Board of Medical Examiners, 1978
American Board of Ophthalmology, 1982

ACADEMIC APPOINTMENTS

2003 Clinical Professor of Ophthalmology, Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons

HONORS

  • American Academy of Ophthalmology Honor Award, 1997
  • Richard C. Troutman, MD, Master Teacher Award in Ophthalmology, April 27, 2002
  • Alumni Achievement Award, for an alumnus who made significant medical contributions to the welfare of the profession and mankind, SUNY Downstate College of Medicine, October 27, 2024
  • Westchester County Senior Citizens Hall of Fame, December 6th, 2024    

BOOKS

  • “Making the Cut: The Extraordinary True Story of a Woman in a Man’s World”, May 2024
  • “The Unsightly Truth of Laser Vision Correction: LASIK Surgery Makes Healthy Eyes Sick” with Morris Waxler PhD, Paula Cofer, and Edward Boshnick OD, May 2024

MOVIES

“Broken Eyes”, April 2024 (Executive Producer; filmmaker Dana Conroy). Made the rounds of the International Film Festival circuit in 2024, including Minneapolis, Hot Springs Ark., Seattle, Dubai, Toronto, Soho, and Chagrin Falls, Ohio. Won Award for Best Documentary in Dubai. Won Award for Best Documentary and Best Director in SoHo. Nominated for awards in Hot Springs and Seattle.

PUBLICATIONS

Original Peer Reviewed Articles

  1. Fink, A., MacKay, CJ, and Cutler, SS. Sicca Complex and Cholestatic Jaundice in Two Members of a Family Caused by Thiabendazole. Tr. Am. Ophth. Soc., Vol. LXXVI, 1978.
  2. MacKay, CJ, Abramson, DH, Ellsworth, RM, Kitchin, FD, and Pesche, M. Lactate Dehydrogenase in Tears. Am. J. Ophth., 90: pp. 385–387, 1980.
  3. Abramson, DH, MacKay, CJ, and Coleman, DJ. Pilocarpine-Induced Retinal Tear. Glaucoma, Jan.–Feb. 1981.
  4. MacKay, CJ, Koester, CJ, and Campbell, CJ. The Corneal Endothelium Following Retinal Photocoagulation. Annals of Ophthalmology, Vol. 15, No. 4, pp. 346–351, 1983.
  5. Gouras, P, MacKay, CJ, and Eggers, H. Progressive Cone Dystrophy, Nyctalopia, and Supranormal Rod Responses: A New Retinal Degeneration. Archives of Ophthalmology, Vol. 101, No. 5, pp. 718–724, 1983.
  6. Anyane-Yeboa, K, MacKay, CJ, Taterka, P, Merkrebs, A, and Allendorf, D. Cleft Lip and Palate, Corneal Opacities, and Profound Psychomotor Retardation – A New Genetic Syndrome? Cleft Palate Journal, Vol. 20, No. 3, pp. 246–250, July 1983.
  7. MacKay, CJ, Abramson, DH, and Ellsworth, RM. Metastatic Patterns of Retinoblastoma. Archives of Ophthalmology, Vol. 102, No. 3, pp. 391–396, 1984.
  8. Gouras, P, MacKay, CJ, Ivert, L, Mittle, R, Neuwirth, J, and Eggers, H. Computer Assisted Spectral Electroretinography in Vitrectomy Patients. Ophthalmology, Vol. 92, No. 1, pp. 83–90, 1985.
  9. Gouras, P, MacKay, CJ. Computer Assisted Spectral Electroretinography (CASE): A Tool for Examining Hereditary Retinal Degenerations. In: Retinal Degeneration: Experimental and Clinical Studies, Anderson, RE, Hollyfield, J, and LaVail, MM, Eds. Allan R. Liss, Inc., New York, 1985.
  10. MacKay, CJ, Siderides, E, L’Esperance, FA, James, WA, DeWitt, J, and Friedman, EA. Management of, and Prognosis for, the Blind Diabetic Eye. In: Diabetic Renal-Retinal Syndrome III: Therapy, Friedman, EA and L’Esperance, FA, Eds. Grune and Stratton, New York, 1986.
  11. MacKay, CJ, Shek, MS, Carr, RE, Yannuzzi, LA, and Gouras, P. Retinal Degeneration with Nanophthalmos, Cystic Macular Degeneration, and Angle Closure Glaucoma: A New Recessive Syndrome. Archives of Ophthalmology, Vol. 105, pp. 366–371, March 1987.
  12. Brin, MF, Pedley, TA, Lovelace, RE, Emerson, RG, Gouras, P, MacKay, CJ, Kaydan, HJ, Levy, J, and Baker, H. Electrophysiologic Features of Abetalipoproteinemia. Neurology, Vol. 36, No. 5, pp. 669–673, May 1986.
  13. Gouras, P, MacKay, CJ. Detecting Early Postchiasmatic Visually Evoked Responses. Clinical Vision Sciences, Vol. 3, No. 2, pp. 119–124, 1988.
  14. Gouras, P, MacKay, CJ. Light Adaptation of the Electroretinogram: Diminished in Retinitis Pigmentosa. Investigative Ophthalmology, Vol. 30, No. 4, pp. 29–34, 1989.
  15. Gouras, P, MacKay, CJ. Growth in Amplitude of the Human Cone ERG With Light Adaptation. Investigative Ophthalmology and Visual Science, Vol. 30, No. 4, pp. 62–63, 1989.
  16. Gouras, P, MacKay, CJ, and Lewis, AL. The Blue Cone Electroretinogram Isolated in a Sex-Linked Achromat. In: Colour Vision Deficiencies IX: Proceedings of the Ninth Symposium of the International Research Group on Colour Vision Deficiencies, pp. 89–93. Drum, B, and Verriest, G, Eds., Kluwer Academic Publishers, Dordrecht/Boston/London, 1989.
  17. Gouras, P, MacKay, CJ. Electroretinogram Responses of the Short-Wavelength-Sensitive Cones. Invest. Ophth. and Vis. Sci., Vol. 31, pp. 1203–1209, July 1990.
  18. Gouras, P, MacKay, CJ. Supernormal Cone Electroretinogram in Central Retinal Vein Occlusion. Invest. Ophth. and Vis. Sci., Vol. 33, No. 3, pp. 508–512, 1992.
  19. Gouras, P, MacKay, CJ, Yamamoto, S. The Human S-Cone Electroretinogram and Its Variation Among Subjects With and Without L and M-Cone Function. Invest. Ophth. and Vis. Sci., Vol. 34, No. 8, pp. 2437–2442, 1993.
  20. Gouras, P, MacKay, CJ. S-Cone Function in Patients With Retinitis Pigmentosa. Invest. Ophth. and Vis. Sci., Vol. 35, No. 3, pp. 781–783, 1994.
  21. Roy, MS, MacKay, CJ, and Gouras, P. Cone ERG Subnormality to Red Flash in Central Retinal Vein Occlusion: A Predictor of Ocular Neovascularization? Eye, Vol. 11, pp. 335–341, 1997.
  22. Adamus, G, MacKay, CJ, and Gouras, P. Long-term Persistence of Antirecoverin Antibodies in Endometrial Cancer-Associated Retinopathy. Archives of Ophthalmology, Vol. 116, pp. 251–253, 1998.
  23. Gouras, P, MacKay, CJ. A New Component in the A-Wave of the Human Cone Electroretinogram. Documenta Ophthalmologica, Vol. 101, pp. 19–24, 2000.

Abstracts

  1. Koester, CJ; Roberts, CW; and MacKay, CJ. Specular Microscopy of the Peripheral Corneal Endothelium. Supplement to Invest. Ophth. and Vis. Sci., Vol. 20.
  2. MacKay, CJ; and Gouras, P. Light Adaptation Augments the Amplitude of the Human Cone ERG. Supplement to Investigative Ophthalmology and Visual Science, Vol. 26, No. 3, p. 323, 1985.
  3. MacKay, CJ; Gouras, P; and Brittis, M. Detecting Early Retrochiasmatic Visually Evoked Responses. Supplement to Investigative Ophthalmology and Visual Science, Vol. 28, No. 3, p. 408, 1987.
  4. MacKay, CJ; and Gouras, P. Strategies to Increase ERG Sensitivity and Reproducibility in Retinitis Pigmentosa. Supplement to Investigative Ophthalmology and Visual Science, Vol. 29, p. 316, 1988.
  5. MacKay, CJ; and Gouras, P. Different Defects in Light Adaptation in Different Forms of R.P. Supplement to Investigative Ophthalmology and Visual Science, Vol. 30, No. 3, p. 44, 1989.
  6. MacKay, CJ; and Gouras, P. Light Adaptation Exposes the Human S-Cone ERG. Supplement to Investigative Ophthalmology and Visual Science, Vol. 31, No. 4, p. 422, 1990.
  7. MacKay, CJ; and Gouras, P. Supernormal ERGs in Central Retinal Vein Occlusion (CRVO). Supplement to Investigative Ophthalmology and Visual Science, Vol. 32, No. 4, p. 1230, 1991.
  8. MacKay, CJ; and Gouras, P. S-Cone and Rod ERGs Reduced in Paraneoplastic Retinal Degeneration. Supplement to Investigative Ophthalmology and Visual Science, Vol. 33, No. 4, p. 1074, 1992.
  9. MacKay, CJ; Gouras, P; Yamamoto, S; and Roy, M. The Human S-Cone VER to Ganzfeld Flashes. Supplement to Investigative Ophthalmology and Visual Science, Vol. 34, No. 4, p. 1272, 1993.
  10. MacKay, CJ; Gouras, P; Roy, M; Saeki, M; Kupersmith, M; and Odel, J. Paraneoplastic Cone Dystrophy. Supplement to Investigative Ophthalmology and Visual Science, Vol. 35, No. 4, p. 2119, 1994.
  11. MacKay, CJ; Seiki, M; Gouras, P; and Roy, M. Congenital and Acquired Nyctalopias Eliminate the S-Cone ERG Without Disturbing Color Vision. Supplement to Investigative Ophthalmology and Visual Science, Vol. 36, No. 4, p. S925, 1995.
  12. MacKay, CJ; Gouras, P; and Li, W. The Double Flash Cone ERG. Supplement to Investigative Ophthalmology and Visual Science, Vol. 37, No. 3, p. S136, 1996.
  13. MacKay, CJ; and Gouras, P. Adaptation of the L-M Cones Does Not Alter the S-Cone ERG. Supplement to Investigative Ophthalmology and Visual Science, Vol. 38, No. 4, p. 958, 1997.
  14. MacKay, CJ; and Gouras, P. The Human S-Cone ERG Lacks a Corneal Positive Off-Response. Supplement to Investigative Ophthalmology and Visual Science, Vol. 39, No. 4, p. 188, 1998.
  15. MacKay, CJ; and Gouras, P. Off-Responses Reveal Non-Univariance in the Human L and M Cone ERG. Supplement to Investigative Ophthalmology and Visual Science, Vol. 40, No. 4, p. S239, 1999.
  16. MacKay, CJ; and Gouras, P. A New A-Wave Component of the Human L and M Cone ERG Evident at Strong Stimulus Intensities. Supplement to Investigative Ophthalmology and Visual Science, Vol. 41, No. 4, p. S498, 2000.
  17. MacKay, CJ; Zhang, X; Kong, J; Allikmets, R; Nagasaki, T; and Gouras, P. Macular Pigment and Visual Acuity in Stargardt’s Disease. Supplement to Investigative Ophthalmology and Visual Science, Vol. 42, No. 4, p. S78, 2001.
  18. MacKay, CJ; Gouras, P; Hayashi, M; Zernant, J; and Allikmets, R. Enhanced S-Cone Syndrome in a Pedigree Including Autosomal Dominant Retinitis Pigmentosa. Supplement to Investigative Ophthalmology and Visual Science, Vol. 45, No. 4, 2004.

Letters to the Editor

  • MacKay, CJ. Color Vision Defects in Retinal Disease. Letter to the Editor. Archives of Ophthalmology, Vol. 107, No. 6, p. 790, 1989.
  • MacKay, CJ. Retinitis Pigmentosa Misdiagnosed as Complicated Migraine. Letter to the Editor. Archives of Ophthalmology, Vol. 109, No. 2, p. 174, 1991.
  • MacKay, CJ. Pneumatic Cycloplexy. Letter to the Editor. Archives of Ophthalmology, Vol. 114, No. 4, pp. 500–501.
  • MacKay, CJ. A Randomized, Placebo-Controlled, Double-Blind Crossover Study of the Effect of Pentoxifylline on Ocular Fundus Pulsations. Letter to the Editor. Am. Journ. Of Ophth., 1996; 122: 283–284.

Chapters

  • Abramson, DH and MacKay, CJ. Eye Problems in Swimmers. In “Medical Aspects of Competitive
  • Swimming”. U.S. Olympic Team, 1980.
  • MacKay, CJ. Color Vision. In: Sports Ophthalmology. Pizzarello, LD and Haik, BG, Eds. Charles
  • Thomas, Springfield, Illinois, 1987.
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