LASIK Eye Surgery: Austin's Specialists

To help spot the most qualified Austin LASIK surgery specialist, ask the following questions.

(At Eye Physicians of Austin, any LASIK surgery specialist you choose can give you positive answers to all these questions. That's because every Eye Physicians of Austin LASIK surgery specialist has done various vision correction (refractive) surgeries, especially LASIK, on thousands of eyes.)

Question 1: Is the doctor an ophthalmologist - that's a physician, an M.D., specializing in the eye?
Answer: To see if the doctor really is an ophthalmologist, check www.aao.org/aao/find_eyemd.cfm.

2. Is the ophthalmologist board-certified?
A. The American Academy of Ophthalmology says many, but not all, ophthalmologists are board certified. To become board certified, an Eye M.D. must pass a rigorous two-part examination that the American Board of Ophthalmology gives to assess his/her knowledge, experience and skills. The Board gives its information about certification through the American Board of Medical Specialties at www.abms.org/login.asp. It's faster to check at www.aao.org/aao/find_eyemd.cfm.

3. How much experience does the board-certified Austin ophthalmologist have specifically doing LASIK surgery? How much experience doing other refractive surgery? How much experience with the equipment to be used?
A. We don't buy a laser or other equipment unless it has a good record of success and safety. Each LASIK surgeon has confirmed those records by using our equipment successfully doing refractive surgery, including LASIK eye surgery in Austin, thousands of times. For more information on our LASIK eye surgeons and their experience, read the next section.

Looking for an Austin Ophthalmologist, Austin LASIK Specialist or a Laser Eye Doctor in Austin?

Here's some information about top-quality Austin ophthalmologists: the LASIK eye surgery specialists at Eye Physicians of Austin.

George C. Thorne, Jr., M.D.
Karl Randolph (Randy) Pierce, M.D.
Mark A. Plunkett, M.D.
James D. McNabb, M.D.
Eric Dai, M.D.

George C. Thorne, Jr., M.D.

Whether he's working in a developing nation or in Austin, laser eye surgery is something Dr. Thorne loves to do. Dr. Thorne has surgical special interests in LASIK and other laser and refractive surgeries. As surgery techniques have advanced, so have his skills. He has performed thousands of eye surgery cases, including several thousand LASIK procedures. In 1994, he performed his first LASIK surgery while he was in advanced, fellowship training in California. In 1989, he performed his first excimer laser PRK refractive surgery, making him one of the first in the United States to do so. In 1987 he began performing RK, the first modern refractive surgery. His extensive experience and special interests also include other types of vision correction surgeries, especially cataracts and corneal transplants.

In addition to performing LASIK eye surgery in Austin, Dr. Thorne has spent a considerable amount of time volunteering in less advanced nations. There he always aims to teach other physicians so they can accomplish more good than just one Austin eye doctor can during a visit. His qualifications also include being board certified by the American Board of Ophthalmology.

Memberships, Societies & Recognitions:

Named a "Super Doctor" in Texas Monthly (poll of doctors and nurses asked: To whom would you refer a loved one or one of your patients for medical diagnosis and/or treatment?)
Named one of America's Top Ophthalmologists by the Consumers' Research Council of America
International Institute for Advanced Laser Surgery
American Society of Cataract & Refractive Surgery
Kerato-Refractive Society
American Academy of Ophthalmology (former Practice Management Committee Chairman)
Texas Ophthalmological Association (Counselor, Past President)
American Medical Association
Seton & St. David's Hospitals (Past Ophthalmology Department Chairman both places)
Austin Ophthalmologic Society
Texas Medical Association
Texas Medical Foundation (Advisor)
Travis County Medical Society
Corneal Consultant, Lions Eye Bank

For more information about Dr. Thorne, visit his web site at mylasikmd.com and click here.

Karl Randolph (Randy) Pierce, M.D.

Austin ophthalmologist Dr. Randy Pierce enjoys helping needy children and treating adults, too. Dr. Pierce routinely performs LASIK surgery and has treated several thousand eyes. In addition to laser eye surgery in Austin, his full-service care includes surgical and medical management of many eye diseases. His qualifications also include being board certified by the American Board of Ophthalmology.

Memberships, Societies & Recognitions:

Named a "Super Doctor" in Texas Monthly (poll of doctors and nurses asked: To whom would you refer a loved one or one of your patients for medical diagnosis and/or treatment?)
Named one of America's Top Ophthalmologists by the Consumers' Research Council of America
American Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgery
American Academy of Ophthalmology
American Medical Association
Texas Ophthalmological Association
Texas Medical Association
Travis County Medical Society

For more information on Dr. Pierce, click here.

Mark A. Plunkett, M.D.

At Eye Physicians of Austin, LASIK surgery is a special interest of Dr. Plunkett's. After Dr. Plunkett became an ophthalmologist, he finished extra, advanced training (a fellowship in corneal and refractive surgery at Duke University) before starting to work with Drs. Rock and Thorne in 1996.

His special surgical interests include LASIK, small-incision cataract surgery, and cornea transplantation. His qualifications also include being board certified by the American Board of Ophthalmology.

Memberships, Societies & Recognitions:

Named one of America's Top Ophthalmologists by the Consumers' Research Council of America
American Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgery
American Academy of Ophthalmology
American Medical Association
Texas Medical Association
Texas Ophthalmology Association
Travis County Medical Society
Austin Ophthalmological Society (Past President)

For more information on Dr. Plunkett, click here.

James D. McNabb, M.D.

Dr. McNabb adds extensive, broad-based experience to laser eye surgery in Austin. After many years of solo practice in Austin, ophthalmologist Dr. McNabb has added his expertise to the Eye Physicians of Austin. LASIK surgery and cataracts are still his surgical specialties. He has performed many thousands of those operations. His qualifications also include being board certified by the American Board of Ophthalmology.

Memberships, Societies & Recognitions:

Named one of America's Top Ophthalmologists by the Consumers' Research Council of America
American Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgery
American Academy of Ophthalmology (Fellow, an advanced honor of the Academy)
International Society for Refractive Surgery
Texas Ophthalmological Society
Austin Ophthalmological Society (Past President)
Texas Medical Association
Travis County Medical Society

For more information on Dr. McNabb, click here.

Eric Dai, M.D.

Dr. Dai is a native Texan and a graduate of Rice University. After medical school at the Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, Texas, he completed an ophthalmology residency at the University of Texas Medical Branch during which he served as Chief Resident and was active in clinical research, publishing several papers in respected ophthalmic journals. Dr. Dai then received additional specialized training through a fellowship in cornea and refractive surgery at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center.

Dr. Dai is available for consultation on general medical and surgical treatment of the eye and has a special interest in cataract, LASIK, PRK, and corneal transplantation surgery.

When not at work caring for his patients, Dr. Dai enjoys tennis, jogging, and preparing Asian cuisine.

Educational Background

Undergraduate: Rice University, Houston, TX.
Medical School: Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX.
Internship: Transitional Internship, Brackenridge Hospital, Austin, TX.
Residency: The University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX.
Fellowship in Cornea and Refractive Surgery: The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX.

Memberships, Societies and Recognitions

American Academy of Ophthalmology
American Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgery
Texas Ophthalmological Society
Travis County Medical Society
Texas Medical Association

For more information on Dr. Dai, click here.

When choosing an Austin Eye Doctor or Austin Ophthalmologist, look for expertise, experience and service. At Eye Physicians of Austin, the LASIK eye surgery specialists provide you all three elements for a successful experience.