Honoring Our Retired Physicians
Since its founding in 1978, Tennessee Retina has grown to become Middle Tennessee’s largest and longest-standing retina practice, rooted in a tradition of excellence in patient care, leadership in research and innovation, and uncompromising commitment to preserving and improving vision. We’re proud to recognize and celebrate the contributions of our retired physicians, who helped build the foundation of care our community trusts.
Peter L. Sonkin, M.D.
Retired 2025
Dr. Peter Sonkin joined Tennessee Retina (formerly Retina-Vitreous Associates) in Nashville, TN in 1998. Dr. Sonkin earned his undergraduate degree in Chemistry from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and his Medical Degree from Duke University. Dr. Sonkin completed his Ophthalmology residency at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas, with extensive ocular trauma experience at Parkland Memorial Hospital. He then completed a two-year fellowship in Vitreoretinal Surgery and Medical Retina at the University of Iowa. Dr. Sonkin has published and presented research in the areas of diabetic retinopathy, macular degeneration, ocular trauma, AMD genetics, retinal detachment and hereditary retinal disorders. Dr. Sonkin has served as a principal investigator and co-investigator on many national clinical trials, particularly in the areas of macular degeneration and diabetic retinopathy. Dr. Sonkin has been on national advisory boards related to new treatments for macular degeneration and diabetic retinopathy and has served as the retina representative on the American Academy of Ophthalmology Patient Education Committee. He has previously served as a board member for US Retina, MDsupport.org and the genetics company ArticDx. He also served as the GPO Chair for US Retina from 2014-18.
Kenneth P. Moffat, M.D., FRCSC
Retired 2023
Ken Moffat, M.D., FRCSC (Fellow Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada) attended The University of Western Ontario for undergraduate courses and medical school training. He completed his ophthalmology residency at Wills Eye Hospital and a Retinal Specialist Fellowship at Bascom Palmer Eye Institute in Miami, FL.
After living in the sunny climate of Florida, Dr. Moffat moved back North to be on staff at the University of Toronto Ophthalmology Program. While practicing in Toronto, he played a key role in resident education and in developing the retina/vitreous fellowship program. Missing the warmer weather he moved to Nashville in 1990.
Gary S. Gutow, M.D., FACS
Retired 2013
Dr. Gary S. Gutow received his undergraduate and medical school training at the University of Michigan. After only three years of undergraduate education, Dr. Gutow was accepted into the Medical School program of the university. Dr. Gutow served two years as a United States Air Force captain, where he worked at the Department of Ophthalmology at Letterman General Hospital and served in Korea. After his military service, Dr. Gutow completed his ophthalmology residency training at the University of Michigan and was a faculty member there before completing a vitreoretinal fellowship with Retina Associates and the Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary at Harvard Medical School. While at Harvard, he was selected for the Heed Ophthalmic Fellowship. He trained under the members of Retina Associates, including Charles Schepens, M.D., the "father of modern retinal surgery." Upon moving to Nashville in 1975, Dr. Gutow established and was the first Director of the Retina Service at Vanderbilt University, while also teaching at Meharry Medical School. In 1978, he founded Retina-Vitreous Associates in Nashville, now Tennessee Retina. Dr. Gutow holds the distinct honor of being the first fellowship-trained retina specialist in Middle Tennessee.
He is a founding member of the Schepens International Retina Society. Dr. Gutow has published papers on retinal detachment, peripheral retinal lesions and diagnostic instrumentation in ophthalmology.