Garth A. Wilbanks, M.D., C.M.

Garth A. Wilbanks, M.D., C.M. is a Board Certified Ophthalmologist with Fellowship subspecialty training in Diseases and Surgery of the Cornea. He grew up in Athens, Georgia and received his medical training at McGill University in Montreal, the University of Miami/Bascom Palmer Eye Institute, the Medical College of Georgia, and the University of Toronto. Special areas of interest include cataract, cornea and glaucoma surgery; the management of corneal diseases; diabetic eye care and laser surgery. Dr. Wilbanks enjoys spending time with his family, playing the piano, cycling, and hiking.

CURRICULUM VITAE

HIGHER EDUCATION

8/83-6/87 Doctor of Medicine and Master of Surgery (M.D., C.M.), McGill
University. Faculty of Medicine, Montreal, Quebec
9/79-6/83 Bachelor of Science (Chemistry), University of Georgia, Athens,
Georgia, Summa cum Laude and with Highest Honors
9/75-6/79 Cedar Shoals High School, Athens, Georgia, Class Valedictorian

POST DOCTORAL TRAINING

7/94-7/95 Fellowship in Cornea and External Disease, David S. Rootman,
M.D., Department of Ophthalmology,
University of Toronto
7/91-6/94 Residency training, Department of Ophthalmology, The Medical
College of Georgia, Augusta, GA 30912
7/88-6/91 Postdoctoral Research Fellowship in ocular immunology in the
laboratory of J. Wayne Streilein, M.D. Departments of Microbiology and Immunology, and Ophthalmology, University of Miami School of Medicine, Miami, FL
7/87-6/88 Straight Internship, Department of Internal Medicine, Royal Victoria
Hospital, McGill University Faculty of Medicine, Montreal, Quebec

EMPLOYMENT

9/95-present Eastern Maine Eye Associates. Corneal and refractive surgery. General Ophthalmology. President.

BOARD CERTIFICATION AND LICENSURE

2013-26 Recertified. Diplomat of the American Board of Ophthalmology
5/2005 Recertified. Diplomat of the American Board of Ophthalmology
5/96 Diplomat of the American Board of Ophthalmology
8/95 License to practice Medicine, State of Maine
10/89 License to practice Medicine, State of Florida
9/88 Diplomat, National Board of Medical Examiners
6/87 Qualifying Exam, Medical Council of Canada (LMCC)

CURRENT RESEARCH INTERESTS

- Investigator, Cornea Donor Study

TEACHING EXPERIENCE/COMMITTEES

2008-2016 Head Ophthalmology Section, Eastern Maine Medical Center
2001-2016 Eye Center Organizational Group, Eastern Maine Medical Center
1997-1999 Ambulatory Surgical Planning Committee, Eastern Maine
Medical Center
1996-1997 Surgical Patient Care Committee, Saint Josephs Hospital,
Bangor, ME
1994-1995 Chief Fellow, Department of Ophthalmology, University of Toronto
1994-1995 Postgraduate Medical Education Committee, University of Toronto
1993-1994 Chief Resident, Department of Ophthalmology, Medical College of Georgia
1993-1994 Clinic Committee, Department of Ophthalmology,
Medical College of Georgia
1993 Internal Residency Review Committee, Medical College of Georgia
1992-1993 Residents’ Council, Medical College of Georgia
1988-1991 Immunology course for medical students. Department of
Microbiology and Immunology, University of Miami School of
Medicine, Miami, FL

HONORARY SOCIETIES AND AWARDS

5/92 Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology/National Eye Institute Travel Fellowship
3/92 Best resident paper presentation at the annual meeting of the Medical College of Georgia Ophthalmology Alumni Association
7/88-6/91 National Eye Institute Fellowship for training in ocular immunology
3/90 Symposium Scholarship, 5th International Symposium on the
Immunology and Immunopathology of the Eye, Tokyo, Japan
1982-present Phi Beta Kappa
6/83 Summa cum Laude, University of Georgia
5/82 Phi Beta Kappa William B. Tate Scholar, University of Georgia

HOSPITAL STAFF PRIVILEDGES

1995-present Eastern Maine Medical Center, Bangor, ME
1995-present Saint Joseph Hospital, Bangor, ME


PROFESSIONAL SOCIETY MEMBERSHIP

1996-2023 New England Ophthalmological Society
1995-present Maine Medical Society
1995-present Penobscott Medical Society
1995-1996 and 1999-present Canadian Ophthalmological Society
1994-2007 American Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgery
1992-1996 Contact Lens Association of Ophthalmologists
1992-present American Academy of Ophthalmology
1989-1992 American Medical Association
1988-1994 Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology

HOBBIES AND INTERESTS

Music (piano), Cycling, Hiking

BIBLIOGRAPHY

I. SCIENTIFIC ARTICLES IN REFEREED JOURNALS

1. Wilbanks, G. A. and J. W. Streilein. 1989. The differing patterns of antigen release and local retention following anterior chamber and intravenous inoculation of soluble antigen. The eye is an antigen depot. Reg. Immunol. 2(6):390.

2. Wilbanks, G. A. and J. W. Streilein. 1990. Characterization of suppressor cells in anterior chamber-associated immune deviation (ACAID) induced by soluble antigen. Evidence of two functionally and phenotypically distinct T-suppressor cell populations. Immunology. 71:383.

3. Wilbanks, G. A. and J. W. Streilein. 1990. Distinctive humoral immune responses following anterior chamber and intravenous administration of soluble antigen. Evidence for active suppression of IgG2-secreting B lymphocytes. Immunology. 71:566.

4. Wilbanks, G. A. and J. W. Streilein. 1991. Studies on the induction of anterior chamber-associated immune deviation (ACAID). I. Evidence that an antigen-specific, ACAID-inducing, cell-associated signal exists in the peripheral blood. J. Immunol. 146:2610.

5. Wilbanks, G. A., M. M. Mammolenti, and J. W. Streilein. 1991. Studies on the induction of anterior chamber-associated immune deviation (ACAID) II. Eye-
derived cells participate in generating blood borne signals that induce ACAID. J.
Immunol. 146:3018.

6. Wilbanks, G. A., M. M. Mammolenti, and J. W. Streilein. 1992. Studies on the induction of Anterior Chamber-Associated Immune Deviation (ACAID). III. Induction of ACAID Depends Upon
Intraocular Transforming Growth Factor-ß. Eur. J. Immunol. 22:165.

7. Wilbanks, G. A. and J. W. Streilein. 1992.Fluids from immune privileged sites endow macrophages with the capacity to induce antigen-specific immune deviation via a mechanism involving
transforming growth factor-beta. Eur. J. Immunol. 22:1031.

8. Hara, Y., R. R. Caspi, B. Wiggert, C. Chan, G. A. Wilbanks, and J. W. Streilein. 1992. Suppression of experimental autoimmune uveitis in mice by induction of anterior chamber-associated
immune deviation with interphotoreceptor retinoid- binding protein. J. Immunol. 148:1685.

9. Wilbanks, G. A. and J. W. Streilein. 1992. Macrophages capable of inducing anterior chamber associated immune deviation demonstrate spleen-seeking
migratory properties. Reg. Immunol.4(3):130.

10. Streilein, J. W., G. A. Wilbanks, A. Taylor, and S. Cousins. 1992. Eye-derived cytokines and the immunosuppressive intraocular microenvironment; a review. Cur. Eye Res. 11:41.

11. Streilein, J. W., G. A. Wilbanks, and SW. Cousins. 1992. Immunoregulatory mechanisms of the eye. J. Neuroimmunol. 39:185.

12. Wilbanks, G. A., A. J. G. Apel, S. S. Jolly, D. S. Rootman, and R. G. Devenyi. 1996. Perfluorodecalin corneal toxiciy. Five case reports. Cornea. 15(3):329.

13. Wilbanks GA, S Cohen, M Chipman, DS Rootman. 1996. Clinical outcomes following penetrating keratoplasty using the Barron-Hessburg and Hanna corneal trephination systems. Cornea. 15(6):
589-598.

14. Wilbanks GA, S. Boerner, D.S. Rootman. 1997. Giant pseudocyst formation associated with chronic corneal edema. Cornea. 16(2):224-226.

15. Wilbanks GA, Rootman DS, Jay V, Wiggert B, Chamberlain J, Inman RD. 1997. Experimental autoimmune uveitis in HLA-B27 transgenic mice. Human Immunology 53:188-194.

16. Cornea Donor Study Group. Baseline Donor Characteristics in the Cornea Donor Study (CDS). Cornea 2005; 24(4):389-396.

17. Cornea Donor Study Group. An Evaluation of Image Quality and Accuracy of Eye Bank Measurement of Donor Cornea Endothelial Cell Density in the Specular Microscopy Ancillary Study. Ophthalmology 2005; 112:431-440.

18. Cornea Donor Study Group. Clinical Profile and Early Surgical Complications in the Cornea Donor Study (CDS). Cornea 2006; 25(2):164-170.

19. Benetz, BA, Gal, RL, Ruedy KJ, Rice C, Beck RW, Lass, JL for the Cornea Donor Study Group. Specular Microscopy Reading Center Methods in the Specular Microscopy Ancillary Study (SMAS). Current Eye Research 2006; 31:319-327.

20. Cornea Donor Study Investigator Group. The effect of donor age on corneal transplantation outcome: results of the cornea donor study. Ophthalmology 2008; 115:620-626.

21. Cornea Donor Study Investigator Group. Donor age and corneal endothelial cell loss five years after successful cornea transplantation: specular microscopy ancillary study results. Ophthalmology 2008;115:627-632

22. Cornea Donor Study Investigator Group. Donor risk factors for graft failure in the Cornea Donor Study. Cornea 2009; 28(9):981-985.

23. Cornea Donor Study Investigator Group.  Recipient risk factors for fraft failure in the Cornea Donor Study. Ophthalmology 2009; 116: 1023-1028.

24. Cornea Donor Study Investigator Group.  The effect of ABO blood incompatibility on corneal transplant failure in conditions with low risk of graft rejection. American Journal of Ophthalmology 2009; 147: 432-438.

25. The Cornea Donor Study. Vision Pan-America 2009; 8: 134-137.

26. Cornea Donor Study Investigator Group.  Endothelial cell density to predict endothelial graft failure after penetrating keratoplasty. Archives of Ophthalmology 2010; 128: 63-6.

27. Cornea Donor Study Investigator Group.  Baseline factors related to endothelial cell loss following penetrating keratoplasty. Archives of Ophthalmology 2011; 129: 1149-1154.

28. Cornea Donor Study Investigator Group.  Effect of donor and recipient factors on corneal graft rejection. Cornea 2012; 31: 1141-1147.

29. Cornea Donor Study Investigator Group.  Impact of the Cornea Donor Study (CDS) on Accoptance of Corneas from Older Donors. Cornea 2012; 12: 1441-1445.

30. Liliana Werner, MD, PhD, Garth Wilbanks, MD, Andrew Ollerton, MD, Jennifer Michelson, BS. Localized calcification of hydrophilic acrylic intraocular lenses in association with intracameral injection of gas. J CATARACT REFRACT SURG - VOL 38, APRIL 2012: 720-721.

31. Cornea Donor Study Investigator Group. Corneal thickness as a predictor of corneal transplant outcome. Corna 2013; 32: 729-736.

32. Cornea Donor Study Investigator Group . Endothelial Morphometric Measures to Predict Endothelial Graft Failure After Penetrating Keratoplasty. JAMA Ophthalmol. 2013;131(5):601-608. Published online March 14, 2013. doi:10.1001/jamaophthalmol.2013.1693.

33. Cornea Donor Study Investigator Group. Corneal Thickness as a Predictor of Corneal Transplant Outcome. Cornea 2013;32:729–736.

34. Cornea Donor Study Investigator Group.  The Effect of Donor Age on Penetrating Keratoplasty for Endothelial Disease:  Graft Survival after 10 Years in the Cornea Donor Study.  Ophthalmology 2013; 120: 2419-2427.

35. Lass JH, Benetz BA, Gal RL, Kollman C, Raghinaru D, Dontchev M, Mannis MJ, Holland EJ, Chow C, McCoy K, Price FW, Sugar A, Verdier DD, Beck RW for the Cornea Donor Study Investigator Group.  Donor age and factors related to endothelial cell loss ten years after penetrating keratoplasty: Specular Microscopy Ancillary Study.  Ophthalmology 2013; 120: 2428-2435.

36. Liliana Werner, MD, PhD, Garth Wilbanks, MD, Carla Nieuwendaal, MD, Anish Dhital, MD, Aaron Waite, MD, Gerald Schmidinger, MD, William Lee, MD, Nick Mamalis, MD. Localized Opacification of Hydrophilic Acrylic Intraocular Lenses after Procedures using Intracameral Injection of Air or Gas. In Press, J Cataract Refract Surg. 2014.

II. BOOK CHAPTERS

1. Streilein, J. W. and G. A. Wilbanks. 1990. Evidence that anterior chamber and intravenous antigen injections have distinctly different systemic immune consequences. In Ocular Immunology Today. M. Usui, S. Ohno, and K. Aoki, editors. Elsevier Science Publishers B. V., Amsterdam, p. 255.

2. Wilbanks, G. A. and J. W. Streilein. 1990. Characterization of humoral immune responses following anterior chamber and intravenous administration of soluble antigen. B-cell secretion of complement-fixing antibody is selectively and actively suppressed. In Ocular Immunology Today. M. Usui, S. Ohno, and K. Aoki, editors. Elsevier Science Publishers B. V., Amsterdam, p. 259.

III. SCIENTIFIC PRESENTATIONS AT LOCAL, NATIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL MEETINGS

1989 Wilbanks, G. A. and J. W. Streilein. Intracameral and intravenous inoculations of soluble antigen induce distinctly different forms of immune deviation. Invest. Ophthalmol. Vis. Sci. (supplement). 30:468.

1989 Wilbanks, G. A. and J. W. Streilein. 1989. Intracameral antigen presentation induces an immunologically distinct form of tolerance. Presented at Bascom Palmer Resident's Day.

1990 Streilein, J. W and G. A. Wilbanks. ACAID excludes complement fixing antibodies from humoral immune responses to intracameral antigens. Invest. Ophthalmol. Vis. Sci. (supplement). 31(4):214.

1990 Wilbanks, G. A. and J. W. Streilein. Unique immune regulation following anterior chamber presentation of soluble antigens. Invest. Ophthalmol. Vis. Sci. (supplement). 31:64.

1991 Hara, Y., R. R. Caspi, B. Wiggert, J. Chader, G. A. Wilbanks and J. W. Streilein. Effect of ACAID induction on expression of IRBP-specific delayed hypersensitivity and EAU in mice. Invest. Ophthalmol. Vis. Sci. (supplement). 32:791.

1991 Wilbanks, G. A. and J. W. Streilein. An ACAID-inducing signal exists in the blood of mice that receive antigen into the anterior chamber. Invest. Ophthalmol. Vis. Sci. (supplement). 32:1119.

1991 Streilein, J. W., G. A. Wilbanks and S. W. Cousins. Unique ocular antigen presenting cells generate a suppression-inducing, antigen-specific signal in situ. Workshop on thymus, clonal deletion and suppressor systems in demyelinating disease, March 20-24, 1991, Sante Fe, New Mexico.

1992 Wilbanks, G. A. and J. W. Streilein. Suppression of delayed hypersensitivity in vivo by an ACAID-inducing signal created in vitro. Invest. Ophthalmol. Vis. Sci. (supplement). 33:1283.

1992 Streilein, J. W. and G. A. Wilbanks. Immune privileged fluids contain TGF-ß and endow macrophages with the capacity to induce antigen-specific immune deviation. Annual meeting of the AAI at FASEB.

1992 Wilbanks, G. A., R. A. Bell, and J. W. Streilein. The induction of systemic tolerance
following anterior chamber inoculation of antigen. Presented at The Sixteenth Annual
Medical College of Georgia's Resident-Alumni Meeting.

1993 Wilbanks, G. A., R. A. Bell, and J. W. Streilein. The identification of an intraocular factor which regulates ocular immunity. Presented at The Seventeenth Annual Medical College of Georgia's Resident-Alumni Meeting.

1994 Wilbanks, G. A., and D. S. Hull. Computerized Topographic Analysis of Corneal Allografts Following Penetrating Keratoplasty. Presented at The Eighteenth Annual Medical College of Georgia's Resident-Alumni Meeting.

1995 Wilbanks, G.A., S. Cohen, M. Chipman, and D.S. Rootman. Clinical outcome following penetrating keratoplasty using the Barron-Hessburg and Hanna corneal trephination systems. Invest. Ophthalmol. Vis. Sci. (supplement). 36 (4):979.

1995 Young, T.A., G.A. Wilbanks, and D.S. Rootman. Comparative study of intra-operative and early post-operative complication rates with phacoemulsification and phacoemulsification combined with trabeculectomy. Invest. Ophthalmol. Vis. Sci.
supplement). 36 (4):218.

1995 Wilbanks GA, S Boerner, DS Rootman. Giant cyst formation associated with corneal edema
Presented at the Corneal and External Disease Academic Society. Fort Lauderdale, Florida.

1995 Wilbanks, G.A., S. Cohen, M. Chipman, and D.S. Rootman. Clinical comparison of corneal transplantation
using the Hanna and Barron-Hessburg trephination systems. Presented at The University of Toronto, Department
of Ophthalmology's Thirty-Seventh Annual Research Day.

1995 Young, T.A., G.A. Wilbanks, D.S. Rootman, and G.E. Trope. Complications with phacoemulsification, phacoemulsification-trabeculectomy, and trabeculectomy. Presented at The University of Toronto, Department of Ophthalmology's Thirty-Seventh Annual Research Day.

1995 Young, T., D. Rootman, G. Wilbanks. An unusual (new?) corneal dystrophy. Can J Ophthalmol. 30(2):89.

1995 Wilbanks, G.A., S. Cohen, M. Chipman, and D.S. Rootman. Clinical comparison of penetrating keratoplasty results using the Barron-Hessburg and Hanna corneal trephination systems. Can J Ophthalmol. 30(2):90.

1995 Young, T.A., G.A. Wilbanks, D.S. Rootman, G.E. Trope. Complications with phacoemulsification, phacoemulsification-trabeculectomy, and trabeculectomy. Can J Ophthalmol. 30(2):106.

1995 Wilbanks, G.A., D.S. Rootman, V. Jay, B. Wiggert, and R. Inman. The susceptibility of HLA-B27 transgenic mice to experimental autoimmune uveitis. Submitted to the American College of Rheumatology.

1998 Ramirez, T.C., Zaidman, G.W., Kaufman, A.H., Medow, N.B., Palay, D.A., Phillips, R.L., Schlichtemeier, W.R., and Wilbanks, G.A. Intraocular Lens Implantation in Children with Penetrating Keratoplasty. Presented at The Castroviejo Cornea Society Scientific Program. New Orleans, LA.

2013 Liliana Werner, MD, PhD, Garth Wilbanks, MD, Carla Nieuwendaal, MD, Anish Dhital, MD, Aaron Waite, MD, Gerald Schmidinger, MD, Nick Mamalis, MD. Localized Opacification of Hydrophilic Acrylic Intraocular Lenses after Procedures using Intracameral Injection of Air/Gas. Annual Meeting of the American Academy of Ophthalmology, New Orleans, LA, November 2013
(Best-Paper-of-Session Award)

IV. INVITED LECTURES

2000 Management of the Patient with the Array® Multifocal IOL. Presented at The Maine Optometric Association. Bangor, ME

2001 Evaluation of and Caring for the Corneal Transplant Patient. Presented at The Maine Optometric Association. Sugarloaf, ME

2001 Cataract Surgery with Fuchs' Dystrophy: Double vs. Triple Procedure. Presented at The New England Ophthalmologic Association. Boston, MA.

2005 Planned and Moderated the May 20, 2005 meeting of The New England Ophthalmologic Association. Boston, MA. Cataract Challenges with I. Howard Fine, MD and Howard V. Gimbel, MD, MPH, FRCSC

2007 SALK, DALK, and DSAEK. The “Holy Grail of Corneal Transplantation. Presented at the spring meeting of the Maine Society of Eye Physicians and Surgeons

2007 Electronic Medical Records for Dummies. Presented at the spring meeting of the Maine Society of Eye Physicians and Surgeons

2009 Planned and Moderated the September, 2009 meeting of The New England Ophthalmologic Association. Boston, MA. Cornea Surgery with Frances Price, MD

2009 Ocular Anesthesia, Surgery, and Trauma. Presented at the 3rd Annual EMMC Perioperative Services Seminar, Orland, ME

2010 Maine Optometric Associations’s Summer Conference. Ocular Potpouris of Anesthesia, Lamellar Corneal Surgery, Cool Lasers, and Trauma.

2012 Maine Optometric Associations’s Summer Conference. Electronic Medical Records.

2012 Maine Optometric Associations’s Summer Conference. Pediatric Emergencies.

3/24/2022. University of Toronto Division of Visual Sciences Cornea Rounds. Corneal Ulcer Challenges.