In Memoriam: Professor José Cunha-Vaz (1938–2026)

José Cunha-Vaz passed away at the age of 87, leaving behind a scientific legacy that has shaped modern retinal research and clinical care, and a human legacy that is deeply felt by those who had the privilege of knowing him personally. For me, he was not only a towering figure in ophthalmology, but also a mentor, a source of intellectual rigor, and a generous guide at decisive moments of my academic life. Succeeding him as Editor-in-Chief of Ophthalmic Research was an honor that I have always carried with humility, fully aware of the standard he set and the values he embodied.José Cunha-Vaz was a pioneer in the study of retinal vascular disease, particularly diabetic retinopathy and diabetic macular edema. His early work laid the anatomical and physiological foundations of the blood-retinal barrier, identifying tight junctions in retinal vessels and active transport mechanisms in the retina and retinal pigment epithelium. These discoveries fundamentally changed how generations of scientists and clinicians understood retinal homeostasis and vascular pathology. Throughout his career, he retained the rare ability to connect basic mechanisms with clinical reality, anticipating by decades the translational approach that has now become standard.His later scientific contributions were equally visionary. He introduced multimodal macular mapping, helped define phenotypes of nonproliferative diabetic retinopathy, and identified microaneurysm turnover as a biomarker of disease progression. Even in the later stages of his career, he remained intellectually restless, playing a pivotal role in the development of OCT-based leakage analysis as a novel method to localize and quantify retinal fluid dynamics. His more than 500 peer-reviewed publications reflect not only productivity, but an unwavering commitment to asking the right questions.Beyond his personal scientific output, José Cunha-Vaz was an institution builder in the truest sense. As Chair and Director of Ophthalmology at the University of Coimbra, and later as founding director of IBILI and AIBILI, he created environments where interdisciplinary vision research could flourish. Importantly, he was one of the founders of the European Vision Institute, together with Professors Eberhart Zrenner, José-Alain Sahel, and Adam Sillito – colleagues, who shared his conviction that European vision research required strong, coordinated structures. This vision culminated in the creation of EVICR.net, which he founded and nurtured into a robust clinical research network in Europe and beyond that has set standards for investigator-driven, academically rigorous multicenter trials in ophthalmology.José Cunha-Vaz was also a natural leader within the scientific community. He served as president of major European societies, was an elected member of the Academia Ophthalmologica Internationalis, and received many of the field’s highest honors. Yet titles and awards never defined him. What distinguished him was his ability to recognize talent, to challenge young investigators constructively, and to open doors – often quietly, without expectation of recognition.As Editor-in-Chief of Ophthalmic Research, José Cunha-Vaz shaped the journal with clarity of purpose and uncompromising scientific standards. He believed deeply in the role of journals as intellectual stewards rather than mere repositories of data. His editorial guidance emphasized mechanistic insight, methodological rigor, and relevance to patient care – principles that continue to guide the journal today.On a personal level, I will remember José Cunha-Vaz for his warmth, his sharp intellect, and his generosity with time and advice. Conversations with him were always inspiring; one left them thinking more clearly, more ambitiously, and with a renewed sense of responsibility to the field. I am deeply grateful to have been mentored by him.José Cunha-Vaz leaves behind a global community of scientists, clinicians, and former trainees who carry his influence forward. His legacy lives on not only in textbooks and citations, but in institutions, networks, and people shaped by his vision. Ophthalmology – and all of us within it – is profoundly indebted to him.