Board-Certified Ophthalmologist with decades of experience in LASIK, SMILE, and advanced cataract surgery
Nationally Recognized Leader in vision correction, consistently ranked among the Top 50 cataract and refractive surgeons
Pioneer in LASIK & SMILE vision correction, performing FDA-approved LASIK since its earliest days
Trusted Educator & Innovator, involved in clinical research and training the next generation of eye surgeons
Patient-Focused Care, offering personalized treatment plans designed for the safest procedures and best visual outcomes
Even after thirty years, I am still fascinated by the human eye. I am so fortunate to have a career dedicated to the art and science of vision.
As a refractive surgeon, I specialize in helping people see the world in the best way possible. I’ve performed thousands of laser and lens-based vision correction procedures, but that feeling never gets old. Because clear sight is more than just a clinical outcome; it’s freedom, confidence, and a meaningful change to a person’s everyday life.
It is my goal to make that a reality for every patient. Helping people disabled by poor vision is incredibly rewarding – it is an addictive feeling.
I grew up in the Midwest, where my father was a physician, and many of my family members were nurses, so it felt natural to me to become a doctor. My early medical training took place nearby at the University of Missouri and the University of Kansas. There, I witnessed the transformative power of restoring a patient’s vision with surgery. I sought out specialized fellowship training in Texas and Bogota, Colombia, and learned from the world’s most experienced surgeons.
Being a part of developing this field of science, improving what we know about vision, and how to treat the problems that affect nearly half of the world’s population, is the foundation of my career.
Professional Background
U.S. FDA clinical investigator for the SMILE vision correction technique
Named among “Top 50 Opinion Leaders in Cataract and Refractive Surgery”
Named president of the 2017 American-European Congress of Ophthalmic Surgery
Specialized training in laser and lens-based vision correction procedures
Performed more than 66,500 refractive procedures to date
Board-Certified Ophthalmologist, American Board of Ophthalmology
Author of more than 80 published research papers
Fellowship in Cornea, Refractive and Anterior Segment Surgery – University of Texas / Hermann Eye Center, Houston, TX, and Centro Oftalmologico Colombiano, Bogota, Colombia
Ophthalmology Residency, University of Kansas School of Medicine
Doctor of Medicine, University of Missouri – Kansas City
Bachelor of Arts (Biology), University of Missouri – Columbia
Credentials matter, but how a patient feels in my care matters more. I’m proud to have built a career in precision, empathy, and evidence-based excellence. Every day, I get to help patients see better – sometimes better than they ever have. Day in and day out, they tell me it is the greatest thing they have done for themselves. It is an honor to be a part of that personal improvement.
My career is a big part of who I am; however, my life is built around my family – particularly my wife of more than 30 years and our two children. I enjoy sports of all kinds – but particularly tennis, basketball, road cycling, and golf. I also love to get outdoors for some flyfishing. Thanks to my buddy Walter – our Labrador Retriever – I am also a runner.
If you’ve read this far, thank you. I hope you walk away knowing one thing: your vision isn’t just a number on a chart. It’s a deeply personal part of who you are. That understanding drives the work I do.
Fellowship in Cornea, Refractive and Anterior Segment Surgery – University of Texas / Hermann Eye Center, Houston, TX, and Centro Oftalmologico Colombiano, Bogota, Columbia, 1995-1996
Residency in Ophthalmology – University of Kansas School of Medicine, Kansas City, KS, 1991-1995
Medicine Internship – University of Missouri-Kansas City, Kansas City, MO, 1990-1991
Doctor of Medicine – University of Kansas School of Medicine, Kansas City, KS, Alpha Omega Alpha, 1986-1990
Bachelor of Arts, Biology – University of Missouri-Columbia, Columbia, MO, Phi Beta Kappa, 1982-1986
Honors & Awards
Senior Achievement Award, American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO)
Best LASIK Center, as voted by readers of The Pitch
Kansas City Super Doctors, KC Magazine
“Top 50 Opinion Leaders,” Cataract & Refractive Surgery Today
Achievement Award, AAO
1st Place Film Festival, Am. Soc.of Cataract & Refractive Surgery, Refractive Complications
1st Place Film Festival, Intl. Soc. of Refractive Surgery, World Symposium
Visx Star Award Recipient, listed among “Top 5% Laser Vision Correction Surgeons”
Memberships
AECOS (American-European Congress of Ophthalmic Surgery), 2017 President
American Academy of Ophthalmology
Fellow, American College of Surgeons
American Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgery
American, Kansas, Missouri & Metropolitan Medical Associations & Societies
International Society of Refractive Surgery
Kansas City Society of Ophthalmology & Otolaryngology
Missouri & Kansas State Societies of Eye Physicians & Surgeons
Additional Educational Programs
Verisyse Training Program, Denver, CO, 2005
Visx Train the Trainers CustomVue Protocol, New York, NY, 2003
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