Dr Izak Wessels was born in
Johannesburg, South Africa, as fifth generation descendant of German/Dutch immigrants. His two brothers and still feisty mother live in South Africa. He and Elaine have been married for 33+ years; with three adult children: two live in
California, the youngest in
Chattanooga.
After completing his undergraduate (BSc in physiology and biochemistry) and medical degree at the University of the Witwatersrand (MB,BCh) he received additional training and certification in pediatrics (DCH) and obstetrics (Dip Mid COG) to practice family medicine. However, during a stint as a missionary doctor in the
Kingdom of
Lesotho, the only ophthalmologist (for the wholecountry!) had to leave. Someone had to continue serving the many blind patients, and this experience made Izak “also see the light.” He entered formal residency training (having already performed more than 2,000 surgeries) in Ophthalmology in South Africa (The St John`s Eye Hospital: MMed) with additional residency training at Loma Linda University, California to be fully certified in the USAby the American Board of Ophthalmology. This resulted in completion of two ophthalmology residencies, as well as a fellowship in Cornea, and External Disease, and is fully certified.
He is a fellow of the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh (FRCSE), the Royal College of Ophthalmologists (FRCOphth), and the
American
College of Surgeons (FACS).
After four years in a very busy solo practice, Izak was invited back as teacher/researcher to
Loma
Linda
University, and after ten years of practice, teaching and research they came to
Chattanooga.
Izak is still Associate Professor at the Department of Ophthalmology of
Loma
Linda
University, as well as with the
College of
Medicine of the
University of
Tennessee. He is also visiting faculty at three Colleges of optometry, and with Project ORBIS, a fully equipped eye operating room on a DC-10. With project ORBIS he has visited and demonstrated the latest innovations in eye surgery to ophthalmologists in KunMing China, Ahmedabad and Manipal, India; Khartoum in the Sudan; Santiago, Cuba; and Santo Domingo. He still teaches residents and students, as well as providing monthly continuing education courses for the local doctors.
Izak has authored more than 30 peer reviewed scientific research articles published in the professional literature and has developed new instruments for eye care, including a new optical system for improved retina surgery that bears his name.
Izak`s home language is a dialect of Dutch (Afrikaans) but he also speaks German and Spanish. When there is free time, his hobbies are simple: astronomy, classical music, gardening, woodwork, and a passion for the Scriptures and teaches a weekly Bible study class.
