Pierre G. Mardelli, MD, FAAO General Ophthalmology, Cataract, Glaucoma, Cornea, and Refractive Surgery Dr. Mardelli has finished his medical school education at Saint Louis University in St.Louis, Missouri.  He was elected to the Alpha Omega Alpha, Honor Medical Society.  He stayed on at Saint Louis University Hospital as an intern in Internal Medicine for one year.  He then moved to the University of Missouri-Kansas City were he was a research fellow for one year under the supervision of Dr.Joseph Tauber.  His research focused then on the mushrooming field of external disease, dry eyes and refractive surgery.  UMKC boasted then of acquiring the second VISX excimer laser in the US.  Extensive research was performed on the effect of excimer laser on animal eyes and also on longitudinal patients studies.  During his residency training he continued with his research and publications in addition to his house staff duties.  During his last year, he was elected President of the Truman Medical Center House staff.  After finishing his residency with distinction at UMKC, he became a glaucoma fellow at the prestigious Washington University department of Ophthalmology under the supervision of Drs. Michael Kass, Allen Kolker and Martin Wax.  His research there focused on the effect of corneal thickness on applanation tonometry and he published a landmark paper on the topic. He was also part of the Ocular Hypertension Treatment Study, the biggest eye study sponsored by the NIH and headed by Michael Kass, MD. He returned to Beirut after his fellowship to establish a private practice.  After many years, his dream of starting an eye center came to reality with the Eye Care Center of Beirut.  His hope is for the center to become the first Ophthalmic Ambulatory Surgery Center in Beirut.  This will decrease the burden on patients and third party payers. Who said that dreams don't come true?