Professor Michael Christian Knorz serves as Senior Vice President of Medical Affairs (International) at EuroEyes, a role he has held since July 2015. In his position, he supervises and oversees medical operations across the globe for the EuroEyes Group. Since October 2017, Prof. Knorz has also been an active member of the International Medical Advisory Board, providing expert consultation for the group’s practices, including in the People’s Republic of China. He is a freelance consultant with EuroEyes under a contractual arrangement.
A Pioneer in LASIK and Cataract Surgery in Germany
Prof. Knorz is recognised as one of the founding figures of refractive and cataract surgery in Germany. In fact, he was the first to introduce LASIK in the country and performed Germany’s first LASIK procedure. His contributions to the field have been widely acknowledged; he was named among the Top 50 Opinion Leaders in ophthalmology in 2005 and has consistently been featured on the FOCUS list of top experts in the past five years.
Academic Background and Early Achievements
Born in Ludwigshafen, Germany, Prof. Knorz studied medicine at Saarland University and the University of Hamburg, completing his medical degree in 1983 with distinction. By 1989, only six years after graduation, he had already advanced to become Vice Chairman of the University Eye Hospital at the Universitätsklinikum Mannheim. During his tenure, he led a range of surgeries, including cataract, retinal, and corneal procedures.
Introducing LASIK to Germany and Beyond
In 1993, Prof. Knorz introduced LASIK technology to Germany, becoming the first German surgeon qualified to perform the procedure. The following year, he expanded his expertise internationally, performing India’s first LASIK surgery. His pioneering work has helped millions of patients achieve clearer vision. In 2001, Prof. Knorz established Germany’s first dedicated LASIK centre, the FreeVis LASIK Center Mannheim, which remains a TÜV-certified institution renowned for its high standards in laser eye surgery.
Driving Innovation in Refractive and Cataract Surgery
With a career spanning over three decades, Prof. Knorz has continually advanced the fields of cataract and refractive surgery. Since 1988, he has engaged in groundbreaking research sponsored by global leaders like Alcon and other top ophthalmic device manufacturers. As a past chairman and current secretary of the German Refractive Surgery Commission (Kommission Refraktive Chirurgie, KRC), Prof. Knorz has contributed to establishing professional standards for laser surgery and certifying surgeons in Germany.
Editorial and Research Contributions
Since 2007, Prof. Knorz has served as Senior Associate Editor of the Journal of Refractive Surgery. He also held the position of Chairman of the Editorial Board for Ocular Surgery News, Europe Edition from 2005 to 2007. His research focuses on cataract and refractive surgery, intraocular lenses, and femtosecond laser technology. Prof. Knorz has authored over 60 original articles in peer-reviewed journals, contributed 50 book chapters, and published a comprehensive textbook on phacoemulsification, now in its second edition.
Teaching and Developing Future Talents in Ophthalmology
Prof. Knorz’s commitment to education has seen him teaching at the Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, Texas, and at the University of Heidelberg in Mannheim. He has conducted more than 500 courses on phacoemulsification and refractive surgery across Europe and Asia, helping to train the next generation of eye surgeons.
A Global Authority at EuroEyes
Today, Prof. Knorz brings his world-renowned expertise to EuroEyes’ Global Center of Excellence. Attracted by EuroEyes’ cutting-edge technology in refractive and cataract surgery and inspired by the leadership of Dr. Jørgensen, Prof. Knorz now helps bring world-class eye care to patients in China and worldwide, allowing them to experience exceptional treatment and achieve perfect vision without leaving their country.