Dr. Ruff graduated cum laude from Marquette University. He received his M.D. from the Chicago Medical School where he was elected to the National Medical Honor Society (AOA). His ophthalmology residency was completed at Michael Reese Hospital where he was the chief resident overseeing education for the junior resident and medical students. He is currently a clinical professor of ophthalmology at the Chicago Medical School.

Dr. Ruff is a board certified ophthalmologist who has been in private practice since 1984 during which time he has performed many thousands of intraocular surgical procedures. He became actively involved in performing refractive surgery, ie Radial Keratotomy, in 1991. In 1995, with FDA approval of the excimer laser, Dr. Ruff was one of the first surgeons in Chicago to actively perform PRK and LASIK 3 years later.

Dr. Ruff is a member of the American Academy of Ophthalmology, American Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgery and International Society of Refractive Surgery and has taught and performed intraocular surgery in India. He was the medical and surgical eye consultant for the Chicago Bears for sixteen years, having performed LASIK on a number of the players. He has been selected for both editions of the Chicago "Top Doctors" as published by Castle Connelly Medical LTD.