Dr. Cynthia Qian

Cynthia X. Qian is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Ophthalmology and the head of the electrophysiology laboratory and the pediatric retina service at the University of Montreal. Dr. Qian completed medical school at McGill University and went on to finish residency at the University of Montreal, where she was voted chief resident and graduated as the school valedictorian. She completed dual fellowships in surgical retina at the Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary at Harvard Medical School in Boston and in inherited retinal diseases at the Kellogg Eye Center, University of Michigan.

Dr. Qian is the current vice president of the Canadian Retina Society and the provincial representative for Quebec in ophthalmology at the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada. She is a fellow of the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada and the American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO), and a member of the Canadian Ophthalmological Society (COS), AAO, the American Society of Retina Specialists, the Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology, and the Pan-American Association of Ophthalmology.

Her main research interest is in new therapies for inherited retinal diseases. She is an expert on pathologies of the pediatric retina and retinal dystrophy, particularly the surgical implantation of retinal chips and prostheses and the subretinal delivery of gene therapy.

Dr. Qian is a regular spokesperson for the COS and spearheaded their official statement on treatment of retinitis pigmentosa. She has been recognized for her groundbreaking work both as a leader in medicine and in clinical ophthalmology. She was chosen as the Young Physician delegate representing Canada at the Young Physician Leaders forum at the World Health Summit in 2017 and was voted “Young Professional of the Year” by the Young Chamber of Commerce of Montreal in 2018 and as one of Canada’s “Top 40 Under 40” in 2019.