Michael John Gilkes was a consultant ophthalmologist at the Sussex Eye Hospital, Brighton. He was born in Montreal, Canada, on 31 August 1923, the only child of Hester Dene Aram Parker, a musician, pianist and singer. She later married Martin Heming Gilkes, an author and teacher, who had lost a leg in the First World War and was awarded a Military Cross. Gilkes was educated at Hallfield School, Birmingham, Bedales and St Edward's School, Oxford. He went on to study medicine at St Thomas's Hospital Medical School, qualifying with the conjoint examination in 1946. He then spent two years as a ship's surgeon and station medical officer to South Georgia Island and the Antarctic Whaling Fleet. On his return to the UK, he was a house surgeon at the Dreadnought Seamen's Hospital and subsequently trained as an eye surgeon at Moorfields Eye Hospital in London. Under Sir Stewart Duke-Elder and the Medical Research Council, he worked on trachoma, spending time at the St John Eye Hospital in Jerusalem. He also worked with Sir Harold Ridley at St Thomas', who at that time was pioneering intraocular lenses for use in cataract surgery. In 1957 Gilkes was appointed as a consultant ophthalmologist at the Sussex Eye Hospital in Brighton and worked there for 30 years. He was an examiner for the Royal College of Ophthalmologists and was a visiting consultant and examiner in Iraq, Saudi Arabia and Pakistan. He was on the council of the British Medical Association and sat on the General Optical Council. Outside medicine, he enjoyed model making and yachting. He was a member of the Royal Cruising Club, the Royal Ocean Racing Club and the Cruising Association. He was married twice. In 1947, he married Cynthia Pemberton. His second wife was Audrey, his theatre sister for many years. He had a son and two daughters. Michael John Gilkes died on 22 December 2014. He was 91.