Michael Colvard

Dr. Michael Colvard, a beloved ophthalmologist, humanitarian and educator, passed away on September 18, surrounded by loved ones. He was 77 years old.

He was born of very humble beginnings to Virginia and Stewart Colvard, the middle of three sons in Decatur, Georgia. He grew up instilled with the virtues of hard work, respect, dignity, perseverance and kindness, principles that would guide him throughout his life.

Despite his many accomplishments, Mike rarely spoke about his achievements. He was a quarterback for his high school football team in Georgia and in his senior year won the state championship. As an all-state quarterback and excellent student, he received several scholarships, both academic and athletic.

He chose to remain close to home and went to Emory University, graduating Phi Beta Kappa. Continuing on to Emory Medical School, he graduated with AOA honors and then went to Boston’s New England Medical Center for his medical internship.

It was there that he met Sue, a cardiac nurse. After a year they were married and proceeded to the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, where he pursued his ophthalmology residency.

After four years their journey took them to Phoenix, Arizona, and finally to Los Angeles where Mike worked with a renowned ophthalmologist, Dr. Richard Kratz, who was a pioneer in new techniques in cataract surgery. After five years Mike opened his own practice, the Colvard Eye Center, where he remained until he died.

In 1990, Sue and Mike moved to Pacific Palisades where they raised their three children, creating a loving home filled with the same values of hard work, compassion and perseverance that defined his life.

Dr. Colvard’s career was marked by extraordinary achievements. He was nationally and internationally recognized as one of the leading cataract surgeons in the world, and was known for developing key surgical techniques and instruments, including the Colvard Pupillometer, which is widely used for evaluating patients before laser vision correction.

As a clinical instructor at Jules Stein Institute, he dedicated himself to teaching and mentoring ophthalmology residents at both USC Doheny and UCLA. His textbook, “Achieving Excellence in Cataract Surgery,” is widely used by ophthalmology residents across the U.S. and Canada.

Mike’s passion for education also encompassed his deep concern for literacy among children. He was alarmed at the rates of illiteracy among school-aged children, believing that all children, regardless of race, ethnicity or socioeconomic class, deserve the chance to rise to their highest level.

He founded a reading program called “Pups Quest” to address this trend. Over the course of a decade, he worked tirelessly to inspire a love of reading, believing in the transformative power of literacy.

On Saturday afternoons, you could often find him cozied up on the couch with his granddaughters, sharing the joy of classic literature. He cherished the moments listening to them read and then reading to them when they grew weary. Through these small acts, he continued to foster a love of learning, leaving a lasting impact on the lives of his family.

In addition to his clinical and educational roles, Dr. Colvard founded the Friends of Vision Foundation, a nonprofit organization dedicated to eliminating reversible blindness in underserved countries. His humanitarian efforts led to the restoration of vision for over 10,000 patients on over 35 annual mission trips. While there, he established the Mwadinohmo School for disabled and impoverished children and developed a small farm next to it so the children would have nutritious food, reflecting his profound commitment to improving lives.

Dr. Colvard’s contributions to ophthalmology and his community earned him numerous accolades among which are: Humanitarian of the Year, S.E.E. International, USC Faculty Teaching Award, Dept. of Ophthalmology, and Distinguished Alumnus Award, USC Doheny Eye Institute, Honor Award, American Academy of Ophthalmology, and the Strampelli Award, Italian Ophthalmological Society.

Mike will be remembered for his commitment to his profession, his kindness, his passion for helping others and for his gentle humility.

He is survived by his wife of 48 years, Sue, his three children, Matthew, Caitlin Colvard Mehran, Megan Colvard, his son-in-law, Nima Mehran, his four cherished grandchildren, Olivia, Scarlett, Andrew, and Noelle, and many extended family and close friends.

A celebration of his extraordinary life will be held in the coming months. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Dr. Colvard’s nonprofit foundation, Friends of Vision, honoring his legacy of compassion, selflessness and service.