Andrew Michael Peter Hamilton

Andrew Michael Peter Hamilton, known to friends and family as Peter, was born in London, son of William Hamilton, professor of anatomy and embryology at Charing Cross Hospital, whose books were used by a generation of medical students. As consultant at Moorfields Eye Hospital and associate lecturer at the Institute of Ophthalmology, London, Peter pioneered the treatment for diabetic retinopathy and maculopathy and became a world leader in laser therapy for retinal diseases.

Peter was a giant in the area of retinal vascular disease at a time when two major advances occurred. He was a leading light in the fields of both fluorescein angiography and lasers. His major contributions happened at a time when there was much more flexibility in the introduction of new devices and techniques. His was the approach of the true pioneer: “In the absence of a database, let’s try this, and if that doesn’t work, let’s do it in a different way.” Peter would have found the framework of today’s rigid clinical trials an almost impossible barrier to …