Stephen Updegraff,

M.D. Doctor of Medicine (abbreviated M.D., from the Latin ''Medicinae Doctor'') is a medical degree, the meaning of which varies between different jurisdictions. In the United States, and some other countries, the M.D. denotes a professional degree. ...

, FACS (born January 31, 1962, in

St. Petersburg, Florida St. Petersburg is a city in Pinellas County, Florida, United States. As of the 2020 census, the population was 258,308, making it the fifth-most populous city in Florida and the second-largest city in the Tampa Bay Area, after Tampa. It is the ...

) is an American refractive surgeon best known for his early involvement in, and contributions to,

LASIK LASIK or Lasik (''laser-assisted in situ keratomileusis''), commonly referred to as laser eye surgery or laser vision correction, is a type of refractive surgery for the correction of myopia, hyperopia, and an actual cure for astigmatism, sinc ...

.LASIK by Updegraff
/ref> He is a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons, a board-certified member of the

American Board of Ophthalmology The American Board of Ophthalmology (ABO) is an independent, non-profit organization responsible for certifying ophthalmologists ( eye physicians and surgeons) in the United States of America. Founded in 1916, the ABO was the first American Bo ...

, a founding member of the American College of Ophthalmic Surgeons, and a member of the International Society of Refractive Surgery, the American Academy of Ophthalmology, the American Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgery, and the Pine Ridge Eye Study Society. Updegraff currently serves as the medical director of Updegraff Vision in St. Petersburg, Florida.Updegraff Vision
/ref>

Early life

Updegraff was born in St. Petersburg, Florida. Updegraff was a descendant of the DutchProf. William I. Hull: William Penn and the Dutch Quaker Migration to Pennsylvania (2018) and German Op den Graeff family. He was a direct descendant of

Herman op den Graeff Herman op den Graeff ( Aldekerk, 26 November 1585 - Krefeld, 27 December 1642) was a Mennonite community leader from Krefeld. Origin Herman Op den Graeff was the first historically proven member of the Op den Graeff family. He was born on 26 N ...

mennonite Mennonites are groups of Anabaptist Christian church communities of denominations. The name is derived from the founder of the movement, Menno Simons (1496–1561) of Friesland. Through his writings about Reformed Christianity during the Radi ...

leader of

Krefeld Krefeld ( , ; li, Krieëvel ), also spelled Crefeld until 1925 (though the spelling was still being used in British papers throughout the Second World War), is a city in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. It is located northwest of Düsseldorf, i ...

, and his grandson

Abraham op den Graeff Abraham Isacks op den Graeff (c. 1646 – c. 1731) was an original founder of Germantown, Pennsylvania, as well as a civic leader, award-winning weaver, and signer of the first organized religious protest against slavery in colonial America. He, ...

, one of the founders of

Germantown Germantown or German Town may refer to: Places Australia * Germantown, Queensland, a locality in the Cassowary Coast Region United States * Germantown, California, the former name of Artois, a census-designated place in Glenn County * Ge ...

and in 1688 signer of the first protest against slavery in colonial America. Stephen Updegraff graduated from

The McCallie School The McCallie School is a boys college-preparatory school located on Missionary Ridge in Chattanooga, Tennessee, United States. The school was founded in 1905 and now has 250 boarding students in grades 9–12 and 669 day students in grades 6–12 ...

in Chattanooga, Tennessee. He was exposed to the medical treatment of eyes at an early age by his father, ophthalmologist Ambrose Updegraff, M.D., whom he accompanied on hospital rounds to visit patients who had undergone eye surgeries.Tomalin, Terry
Father, son keep their past afloat
''St. Petersburg Times'', September 8, 2006

Education

Updegraff received his bachelor's degree in biology from

Eckerd College Eckerd College is a private liberal arts college in St. Petersburg, Florida. Founded in 1958, part of the campus is waterfront and beach on Boca Ciega Bay. Because of its location, Eckerd is considered a "beach school" and has its own student ...

in 1984,The McArthur Alumni Award
Eckerd College. Accessed November 10, 2010. and his M.D. from the Penn State College of Medicine in 1989.Doctor donates to marine science studies
''St. Petersburg Times'', July 16, 2006.

Career

Updegraff completed a six-month internship and his ophthalmic residency at the

Louisiana State University Louisiana State University (officially Louisiana State University and Agricultural and Mechanical College, commonly referred to as LSU) is a public land-grant research university in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. The university was founded in 1860 nea ...

Eye Center in

New Orleans New Orleans ( , ,New Orleans

, where he performed research on excimer lasers, focusing specifically on procedures such as

keratomileusis Keratomileusis, from Greek κέρας (kéras: horn) and σμίλευσις (smíleusis: carving),The word is derived from Greek κέρας - keras (root: kerat-) "horn, cornea" and σμίλευσις - smileusis "carving or corneal reshaping, is ...

.Landry, Sue
Farsighted put hope in laser
''St. Petersburg Times'', November 7, 1998. During a fellowship at the University of Texas-Houston's Hermann Eye Center, Updegraff worked for Stephen G. Slade, M.D.,Slade, Stephen G., Stephen A. Updegraff, and Stephen F. Brint. (1995) In Salz, James. "Excimer Laser Myopic Keratomileusis: United States Experience," ''Corneal Laser Surgery''. St. Louis: Mosby. 195-6. then one of only two surgeons in the United States performing keratomileusis,Shepherd, Gary
New technique sparks visions of profitability
''The Business Journal'', November 6, 1998. and was a member of the team chaired by Slade and Luis A. Ruiz, M.D., that developed LASIK. During its 1994

FDA The United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA or US FDA) is a federal agency of the Department of Health and Human Services. The FDA is responsible for protecting and promoting public health through the control and supervision of food ...

clinical trial Clinical trials are prospective biomedical or behavioral research studies on human participants designed to answer specific questions about biomedical or behavioral interventions, including new treatments (such as novel vaccines, drugs, diet ...

s, Updegraff performed the third LASIK surgery in the United States. He then became the first surgeon to perform LASIK in

Asia Asia (, ) is one of the world's most notable geographical regions, which is either considered a continent in its own right or a subcontinent of Eurasia, which shares the continental landmass of Afro-Eurasia with Africa. Asia covers an are ...

, where he demonstrated it and taught its techniques to hundreds of doctors in China."On the Run with Larry Ericksmoen," ''National Dragster Magazine'', September 3, 1998. Updegraff currently has seven patents on technologies for LASIK and microsurgery of the eye,Updegraff, Stephen A. (2003) "The Moria M2 Microkeratome and LASIK Technique." Brint, Stephen, and Lucio Buratto. ''Custom LASIK: Surgical Techniques and Complications''. Thorofare, NJ: Slack. 611-620.Stephen Updegraff, M.D., CV
/ref> and he frequently lectures and publishes on issues and advancements in refractive surgery.

Patents

* Apparatus and method for mechanically dilating the pupil of an eye (1994). * Method of radial keratotomy employing a vibrating cutting blade (1995). * Corneal surface marker and marking method for reducing irregular astigmatism during lamellar (LASIK) corneal surgery (1997). * Corneal surface marker and marking method for improving laser centration (1998). * Corneal irrigation cannula and method of using (1998). * Corneal flap/cap elevator (1998). * Corneal irrigation cannula (1998).

Awards and achievements

1995-97 Advisory Panel, Ethicon Surgery
1996-00 Skills Transfer Advisory Board Member, American Academy of Ophthalmology
1997-00 USA Representative, International Society of Refractive Surgery Global Council
1998-00 VISX Star Surgeon, Top 50 Excimer Laser Surgeons, United States
1999 Outstanding Career Achievement Award, Eckerd College
2000 Best Presentation, International Society of Refractive Surgery
2001 Achievement Award, American Academy of Ophthalmology
2003 Outstanding Business of the Year Award, St. Petersburg Area Chamber of Commerce
2003 Performed first Crystalens lens implant surgery in FloridaAbout Dr. Stephen Updegraff
/ref>
2003-05 Board of Trustees Member, Prevent Blindness
2007 Kritzinger Memorial Award, International Society of Refractive Surgery & South African Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgery
2008 Center of Excellence Award, Crystalens
2009 Best Paper of Session, American Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgery
2009-11 Dean's Council on Science member, Eckerd College
2009 Distinguished Citizen Award, West Central Florida Council Boy Scouts of America
''St. Petersburg Times'', November 9, 2009.
2010-12 Best Doctors in America list
2010-11 Leading Innovators in Premium IOL implant surgery list, Premier Surgeon
2011 Top Doctors list, U.S. News & World ReportUS News & World Report Top Doctors
/ref>

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Updegraff, Stephen Living people 1962 births American ophthalmologists 21st-century American inventors Eckerd College alumni