Dr. Mona Harissi-Dagher is Head of the Department of Ophthalmology at the Centre hospitalier de l’Université de Montréal (CHUM), Full Professor of Ophthalmology at the Université de Montréal, and Adjunct Professor in the Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences at McGill University.
She currently serves as President of the Canadian Ophthalmological Society (COS), where she has been a member of the Board of Directors since 2012. Her contributions have included serving as Chair of the Annual Meeting Planning Committee, Board Liaison to Residents and Young Ophthalmologists, co-host of the EyeCan podcast for two seasons, developer of the EyeNovation webinar series, and current lead for the COS cornea learning modules on the Practice Resource Centre.
A dedicated educator and mentor, Dr. Harissi-Dagher teaches medical students, ophthalmology residents, and both clinical and research fellows in cornea. She also supervises and mentors MSc and PhD students in vision science research.
She completed her undergraduate studies at McGill University, earning the Hilda Diana Oakley Scholarship as the top-ranking female student. She obtained her medical degree and specialization in ophthalmology at the Université de Montréal, graduating on the Dean’s Honour List. She then pursued a postdoctoral fellowship in cornea, external eye diseases, and refractive surgery at the Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary, Harvard Medical School.
A pioneer in keratoprosthesis surgery in Canada, Dr. Harissi-Dagher was named Personality of the Week by La Presse and Radio-Canada for her visionary work restoring sight through the Boston Keratoprosthesis.
Her research focuses on the Boston Keratoprosthesis, corneal transplantation, and refractive surgery. She has published over 140 scientific papers, authored numerous book chapters on corneal and external eye diseases, and serves as a reviewer for several leading ophthalmology journals. A sought-after international speaker, she has presented at many of the world’s most prestigious ophthalmology conferences and has received numerous awards recognizing her contributions to the field.
Financial disclosure: Dr. Harissi-Dagher has/had an affiliation (financial or otherwise) with a commercial organization:
1. Sun Pharma
Sessions in which Dr. Mona Harissi-Dagher participates
Friday 10 June, 2022
Learning ObjectivesAt the end of this session, participants will be able to:Determine the ocular conditions associated with obstructive sleep apneaDescribe how racism operates within health care in parallel ways to how racism operates in other settingsProvide a framework for how we can move from supportive statements to anti-racist actionCanMEDS Roles: Medical Expert, Scholar
Learning Objectives:To review factors associated with corneal transplant success and failures.To outline techniques to manage complex anterior segment surgery.To understand the advances that may replace corneal transplantation in the future. CanMEDS Roles: Medical expert; Scholar
Learning ObjectivesAt the end of this symposium, participants will be able to:Describe the impact of racism in medicine and healthcare, and identify approaches towards active anti-racismDescribe emerging research on gender equity in ophthalmologyApply best practices to become effective allies and advocates in the healthcare setting, with a special emphasis on the needs of vulnerable populationsIntegrate Indigenous health concep...
Saturday 11 June, 2022
Learning ObjectivesAt the end of this session, participants will be able to:Review latest techniques in corneal transplantation and when certain techniques would be most appropriateReview management strategies to treat non-healing corneal woundsDefine the signs and symptoms of Limbal Stem Cell DeficiencyDescribe the treatment modalities currently in use to treat&n...
This course will introduce participants to common cornea and external disease procedures, many of which could be deployed in a minor procedure room by comprehensive ophthalmologists and cornea and external disease subspecialists. The course will describe the indications for each respective procedure as well as the necessary instrumentation, materials and equipment. Participants will be introduced to a surgical video detailing each technique, as well as pearls from an expert practitioner fo...
Sunday 12 June, 2022
Learning ObjectivesAt the end of this session, participants will be able to:Recognize features of optic neuritis requiring prompt investigation and more aggressive managementDescribe the challenges of and barriers to delivering eye care to indigent populationsRecognize features of optic neuritis requiring prompt investigation and more aggressive management
Sessions in which Dr. Mona Harissi-Dagher attends
Thursday 9 June, 2022
Friday 10 June, 2022
Inspiring women will share their vision with us. You will discover where their contagious enthusiasm might lead you. Let them transform you by their presence and powerful energy. Learning ObjectivesAt the end of this session, participants will be able to:Learn through multifaceted career examplesDiscuss professional pearls and personal accomplishments of high achieversExplore mentorship with women ophthalmologists ...
Learning Objectives:1. To understand the role of genetics and environmental factors in keratoconus.2. To review modalities for refractive surgery and keratoconus management. CanMEDS Roles: Medical expert; Scholar
Learning Objectives:To review diagnostic modalities to identify corneal disease.To understand the role of viral disease in the cornea.To evaluate methods for ocular surface reconstruction.CanMEDS Roles: Medical expert; Scholar
Authors: Yelin Yang, Kenan Bachour, Maya Tong, Diana Khair, Judy Gaffar, Marie-Claude Robert, Paul Thompson, Louis Racine, Laura Segal, Mona Harissi-Dagher. University of Montreal.Author Disclosure Block: Y. Yang: None. K. Bachour: None. M. Tong: None. D. Khair: None. J. Gaffar: None. M. Robert:
Saturday 11 June, 2022
Innovation in Retina Research Award Learning ObjectivesAt the end of this symposium, participants will be able to:Identify innovative Canadian retina research proposals and their intended benefitDescribe how using digital innovations in ophthalmology can optimize patie...
Learning Objectives:To review treatment strategies for managing intraocular lens complicationsTo review pearls for performing cataract surgery in patients with corneal conditions.To understand healthcare economics associated with ocular surface disease and cataract surgeryCanMEDS Roles: Medical expert; Scholar
This by invitation only event has become a tradition during our conference to recognize our guest speakers, corporate supporters and important colleagues in the Canadian ophthalmological community.
This course will introduce participants to common cornea and external disease procedures, many of which could be deployed in a minor procedure room by comprehensive ophthalmologists and cornea and external disease subspecialists. The course will describe the indications for each respective procedure as well as the necessary instrumentation, materials and equipment. Participants will be introduced to a surgical video detailing each technique, as well as pearls from an expert practitioner fo...
Learning ObjectivesAt the end of this session, participants will be able to:Identify pearls to simplify cataract surgeryDescribe tips on management of complex cataractsCanMEDS Roles: Medical expert, Scholar&n...
Learning ObjectivesAt the end of this session, participants will be able to:Define the signs and symptoms of Limbal Stem Cell DeficiencyDescribe the treatment modalities currently in use to treat Limbal Stem Cell DeficiencyDescribe how gene-based therapy is used to treat retinal diseaseDescribe how cell-based therapy is used to treat retinal diseaseCanMEDS Roles: Medical Expert, Professional
Learning ObjectivesAt the end of this session, participants will be able to:Identify ways to optimize cataract surgery outcomesReview common comorbid conditions present in cataract patientsDescribe what is new in IOL technologyCanM...
Sunday 12 June, 2022
LEARNING OBJECTIVESAt the end of this symposium, participants will be able to:Identify the critical unmet needs in neovascular AMD and DME managementDemonstrate a comprehensive understanding of new therapeutic agents and their mechanism of action in nAMD and DME managementExamine how to incorporate new therapeutic options into current management strategies for patients with nAMD and DMEApply new insights from multi-modal imagin...
Learning ObjectivesAt the end of this session, participants will be able to:Provide an update on available technologyeDescribe recent research in cataract surgeryCanMEDS Roles: Medical expert, Scholar &n...