Chief, Cornea and Refractive Surgery Service

Department / Division:
Ophthalmology / Cornea and External Disease

Address:
DUMC 3802
Durham, NC 27710

Appointment Telephone:
919-681-3937, 919-681-4089 (Vision correction)

Fax Telephone:
919-681-7661

• MD, Duke University School of Medicine, 1981

• Ophthalmology, Baylor College of Medicine (Texas), 1983-1986

• Corneal and Refractive Surgery, Cullen Eye Institute, Baylor College of Medicine, 1986-1987
• Corneal and Refractive Surgery, Duke Eye Center, 1987-1988

Clinical Interests:
Cataract and intraocular lens surgery, laser refractive surgery (LASIK, LASEK, PRK, Custom Wavefront Technology, refractive cataract surgery), prevention and management of surgical complications, ReSTOR and Verisyse intraocular lenses, corneal transplantation, external eye diseases

Research Interests:
Alan Carlson, MD, serves as Chief of the Corneal and Refractive Surgery Services at the Duke Eye Center where his research interests and clinical emphasis largely specializes in laser vision correction surgery, cataract surgery, and corneal transplantation. A leader in his field, Carlson is credited with starting the Duke Center for Vision Correction in 1996, and building this program to a nationally recognized university program for laser and vision correction surgery. As one of the most experienced surgeons in his field, he has performed over 43,000 surgical procedures, including 15,000 LASIK procedures. This experience led to his selection as one of the top six surgeons among university laser surgeons in the United States.  Carlson is considered a senior key opinion leader among refractive, corneal, and cataract surgeons and credited with several important contributions in corneal endothelial transplantation (DSEK, DSAEK) and intraocular lens surgery aimed at treating cataracts and presbyopia.  
Carlson is nationally and internationally recognized for his work aimed at the prevention and management of surgical complications. He has delivered 275 invited lectures and courses across four continents, and he has published 85 articles, book chapters, and instructional videos. In 1998, Carlson received the academic honor award from the American Academy of Ophthalmology and was twice the recipient of the APPI Crystal Award in Japan for his clinical research in ophthalmic surgery.
Carlson has been teaching refractive surgeons for over 20 years, has conducted over 30 televised interviews, and performed the first televised LASIK procedure in this region. He is the only certified VISX Laser Surgery instructor in the Carolinas. His innovative work has been featured in numerous publications, including Time Magazine. He served as the editor of the complications section for Review of Refractive Surgery and serves on the advisory board for Review of Ophthalmology. His reputation attracts patients throughout the United States and internationally and these frequently include professional athletes, physicians, optometrists, ophthalmologists (including LASIK surgeons), and their families. His passion for delivering the best possible patient care to each patient is largely responsible for his selection to virtually every Best Doctors list for over 14 consecutive years, including: Best Doctors in America, Best Doctors in the Southeast, and Best Doctors in North Carolina.

Representative Publications:
Chieh JJ, Carlson AN, Jaffe GJ. Combined fluocinolone acetonide intraocular delivery system insertion, phacoemulsification, and intraocular lens implantation for severe uveitis. Am J Ophthalmol. 2008 Oct;146(4):589-594. (2008) Abstract

Kang PC, Klintworth GK, Kim T, Carlson AN, Adelman R, Stinnett S, Afshari NA. Trends in the indications for penetrating keratoplasty, 1980-2001. Cornea. 2005 Oct;24(7):801-3. (2005) Abstract

Carlson AN: What's New in Cornea and External Disease, Review of Ophthalmology, May 2001; 93. (2001)

Carlson AN, Kristinsson JK: Preventing and Managing a Post-LASIK Infection, Review of Refractive Surgery, January 2001; p.23-26. (2001)

1. Carlson AN, Stewart WC, Tso PC: Intraocular lens complications requiring removal or exchange. (Major review), Survey of Opthalmology, March-April, 1998, 42(5), 417-440. (1998)

Apple DJ, Price FW, Gwin T, Imkamp E, Daun M, Casanova R, Hansen S, Carlson AN. Sutured retropupillary posterior chamber intraocular lenses for exchange or secondary implantation. The 12th annual Binkhorst lecture, 1988. Ophthalmology. 1989 Aug;96(8):1241-7. (1989) Abstract


1. Carlson AN:  Iridodialysis Repair During Cataract Surgery, Case Study, Review of Refractive Surgery, May 2002; 14-18.

2. Chiavetta SV, Carlson AN:  The Unhappy Cataract Patient, Review of Refractive Surgery, May 2002; 22-26

3. Carlson AN: Refractive Surgery 2002, The Year in Review, Review of Ophthalmology, November 2002

4. Carlson AN: Book Review:  Custom LASIK – Surgical Techniques and Complications, Burratto and Brint, Slack INC. 2003, American Journal of Ophthalmology, October 2003; 789.

5. Carlson AN: Classification and Prevention of Striae and Microstriae, Review of Refractive Surgery, November 2003; 13-17.

6. Rocha G, Brothers L, Ahmed I, Hill W, Carlson AN, Braga-Mele R: White Cataract and Capsular Rent, Cataract and Refractive Surgery Today, August 2004, 51-55.

7. Ambati B, Carlson AN: Previniendo las Perforaciones Centrales en LASIK. Review of Ophthalmology En espanol. July 2005; 12-13

8. Condon GP, Hoffman RS, Carlson AN, Hill WE: A Sudden Collapse of the Anterior Chamber.  Cataract & Refractive Surgery Today, September 2005; 48-50

9. Kanitkar K, Carlson AN, Yee R:  Ocular Problems Associated With Computer Use, Review of Ophthalmology, April 2005; 47-52

10. Khng C, Carlson AN, Khan B, Braga-Mele R, Rocha G: Late Dislocation of an IOL. Cataract & Refractive Surgery Today, August 2006; 32-34.

11. Majka CP, Carlson AN: When to Use Multifocal Intraocular Lenses, EyeNet AAO, September 2006; 43-45.

12. Gupta N, Carlson AN: Keratoconus: Diagnosis and Management, EyeNet AAO Ophthalmic Pearls, May 2007.