Congratulations to Dr. Coney, who celebrated 20 years with us on Wednesday, April 1.
A native Chicagoan, Dr. Coney first came to Cleveland for his ophthalmology residency at Case Western Reserve University. He then completed a diabetic retinopathy fellowship at the Joslin Clinic (an affiliate of Harvard Medical School), and a vitreoretinal fellowship in Memphis, TN.
Dr. Coney learned strong values from his parents, including altruism, treating people with respect, loving your neighbor, forgiveness, compassion, integrity, faith, and the importance of community. These core values keep him humbled as he continues to strive for excellence.
As a third year medical student, Dr. Coney was inspired to pursue ophthalmology after experiencing an emotional sight recovery procedure on a patient who was blind for more than 10 years. At that moment, he put down his scalpel and pursuit of cardiothoracic surgery so he could save vision.
“When I witnessed this sobbing patient after the patch was removed, and she was able to see again, that’s when the light bulb went off. This is what I want to do,” said Dr. Coney.
Fast forward to how he came to RACI. Dr. Coney’s first exposure to the practice was working with Nick Zakov, MD while he was a first-year resident at Case Western Reserve University. He also worked with Hernando Zegarra, MD. He did research projects and shadowed both doctors.
“This was the most valuable experience I gained during my training,” said Dr. Coney.
“When I interviewed at RACI, all the myths were true,” he continued. “There were six outstanding physicians that created one of the most respected practices in the country. They were compassionate about their profession, patients, and life. They established the standard of care in Northeast Ohio, and they were a collegial group.”
Dr. Coney went on to explain how medicine has changed a lot since he joined the practice 20 years ago. He stated the biggest improvements have been surgical techniques and the management of retinal vascular diseases.
“The biggest impact to humanity was the development of intravitreal Anti-VEGF injections that are now used to treat and manage some of the most common causes of blindness,” said Dr. Coney.
As many of you know, Dr. Coney is an international speaker who serves on several boards. He promotes inclusivity in clinical trials as well as new drugs.
“Joe has been instrumental in the excellent care of our patients and advancing the reputation of RACI on a national and international scale,” said Dr. Miller. “He is a tireless contributor to our practice whether mentoring students or flying across the world to present groundbreaking research. We are very fortunate to have him in the RACI family!”
Mentorship is something Dr. Coney holds near and dear to his heart. He mentioned that all of us have gotten here because we have had great mentors. He pays it forward by mentoring students interested in the medical field.
When Dr. Coney is not seeing patients, performing surgery, or touring the world, he enjoys spending time with his family. He enjoys traveling with his wife Tammy and two children, Jacobi and Madison. They also enjoy trying new cuisines and learning about different cultures.
Both Dr. Coney and his wife have a strong commitment to the community and support many non-profits, as well as volunteer. Their Christian faith has allowed them to be a blessing to others and provide opportunities to underserved communities.
His biggest accomplishment has been assisting in the training of the first Haitian retina specialist in Port-au-Prince. Multiple mission trips to Haiti for a skill transfer to teach retina surgery reminded him of a famous quote: “Give a man a fish and you can feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish and feed him for a lifetime.”
Dr. Coney also enjoys showing off his cutlery skills and is an avid golfer. He actually travels with his clubs everywhere, ready to play at a moment’s notice. He is enthusiastic about sports, and a Cavs season ticket holder.
Dr. Coney, thank you for your strong commitment to our patients, staff, students, and community. You have impacted so many during your 20 years, and it’s a true honor to have you on our team.