David William Hill was research professor in ophthalmology at the Royal College of Surgeons and a consultant ophthalmologist at Moorfields Hospital, London. He was born on 5 May 1926 in Croydon, Surrey, the son of a bank manager and a housewife. He attended Whitgift School, Croydon, before becoming a medical student at St Bartholomew's Hospital, qualifying in 1948. After house jobs at St Bartholomew's, he began training in ophthalmology at Brighton Eye Hospital. He did his National Service in the RAMC, serving in Austria and Trieste, and was the sole ophthalmic trained doctor in this area. He was then appointed as an ophthalmic surgeon to Edgware General Hospital and to a research post at Hammersmith Hospital. He subsequently became research professor in ophthalmology in our College in 1967, his research covering retinal circulation and diabetic retinopathy. At the same time he was appointed as a consultant ophthalmic surgeon to Moorfields Eye Hospital, where he continued his clinical work with a special interest in cataract surgery. He examined for the Royal College of Surgeons and also worked with the Royal National Institute for the Blind. He married Jean Adams, who was a part-time general practitioner and taught and examined in first aid. They had three children, one daughter qualifying as a doctor. There are eight grandchildren. After retirement in 1991 he was able to devote more time to the church as a lay reader and sacristan. He was keen on mountain walking, climbed the Matterhorn twice, and also found time to pursue his other interests of carpentry, bird watching and classical music. Sadly in April 2006 he suffered a stroke and died on 5 February 2008. He was survived by his wife Jean, their children and grandchildren.