Dr. Ronald N. Gaster, M.D. , F.A.C.S., specializes in Cataract Surgery, Corneal Surgery, and Refractive Surgery.
Dr. Gaster is an expert in LASIK Surgery, All-Laser LASIK (bladeless), IntraLase laser, Wavefront Based (“Custom”) LASIK & PRK laser eye surgery, iLASIK for WaveScan Technology, Visx Advanced CustomVue treatments, Allegretto Excimer Laser, Refractive Surgery, Cataract Surgery, Premium Intraocular Lens Implant Surgery (IOLs), Refractive Lensectomy (RLE) or Clear Lensectomy (CLE) using Monofocal, Multifocal, Accommodating lenses, and Toric Lens Implants, Femtosecond Laser Corneal Transplants, Limbal Relaxing Incisions, Astigmatic Keratotomy, Sutureless Pterygium Surgery, Corneal Cross-Linking and / or Intacs for Keratoconus or Corneal Ectasia and Conductive Keratoplasty (CK).
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Appointments:
Address: Refractive Surgery LASIK Center Additional Office: 101 The City Drive, So. Dr. Gaster sees patients in Irvine, Newport Beach, Los Alamitos / Long Beach, Orange County, and Beverly Hills as well as international patients.
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Dr. Gaster is a Professor of Ophthalmology at the Gavin Herbert Eye Institute of the University of California, Irvine. Dr. Gaster has published over 60 articles and book chapters on refractive, cataract and lens implant surgery and corneal transplantation advances in major (peer-reviewed) ophthalmology journals and text books. Dr. Ronald Gaster has taught over 100 residents and fellows refractive, corneal and cataract surgery since 1979. Dr. Gaster has more than 200 presentations, lectures and courses at major meetings of ophthalmologists worldwide.
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Special discount* on LASIK and other elective surgery procedures offered by Dr. Gaster to members of U.S. military, local police, and fire departments, please contact the surgeon’s office directly and mention Trusted LASIK Surgeons.
Web Site:
Ronald N. Gaster University of California Irvine Professor of Ophthalmology
Credentials and Qualifications
Dr. Ronald Gaster has extensive qualifications that we estimate place him among the USA's top 1% of LASIK, Cataract and Refractive surgeons in the U.S.A. Dr. Ronald Gaster specializes in Cataract Surgery, Corneal Surgery and Refractive Surgery.
Below is a summary of Dr. Gaster’s qualifications. For your convenience, these credentials and criteria have been grouped by Experience, Patient Care and Credentials.
In addition, Dr. Gaster has included some additional career highlights that while not used by Trusted LASIK Surgeons in our screening process, clearly supplement his highly distinguished career.
Experience
- Over 20 years experience in laser vision surgery, including LASIK and PRK
- Over 25 years experience in refractive surgery
- Performed over 2,000 LASIK and laser vision procedures
- Principal investigator for 6 FDA studies for approval of excimer lasers as well as a Co-Investigator for 4 other studies
- American Academy of Ophthalmology, taught corneal microsurgical courses to ophthalmologists (every year since 1978)
- Helped teach the first course in refractive surgery in the northern hemisphere (1979)
- VISX Excimer Laser Certified Trainer in PRK and PTK (1996, 1998)
- First academic corneal specialist in Orange County
Premier Patient Care
- Use of IntraLase system for “All-Laser” or “Bladeless” LASIK
- Use of Wavefront Based (“Custom”) LASIK and PRK
- Use of iLASIK Procedure, WaveScan Technology, IntraLase, and Visx Advanced CustomVue treatments
- Use of Allegretto Excimer Laser
- Offers complete Refractive Surgery care, including LASIK, PRK, RLE / CLE, Limbal Relaxing Incisions, Astigmatic Keratotomy, and Conductive Keratoplasty (CK)
- Offers complete Cataract Surgery Care, including Premium Intraocular Lenses such as Tecnis Multifocal, ReSTOR and Crystalens for Presbyopia and Toric Lenses for Astigmatism
- Management of complications of surgery for new patients who had problems from a surgery performed by another doctor
- Other eye surgeons, optometrists, opticians, employees of companies that specialize in refractive surgery instrumentation or their family members have had their LASIK and other refractive surgeries performed by Dr. Gaster
Professional Credentials
- Certified by the American Board of Ophthalmology
- Fellow, American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO)
- Honor Award
- Achievement Award
- Member,American Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgery (ASCRS)
- Member, International Society of Refractive Surgery (ISRS)
- Professor of Ophthalmology,
University of California, Irvine
- Former Acting Chair of Department of Ophthalmology, University of California, Irvine
- Outstanding Teacher Award, 1999, 2002, 2008
- Current Hospital Staff Appointments:
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Past Hospital Staff Hospital Staff Appointments:
- Western Medical Center
- St. Joseph's Medical Center
- St. Mary's Medical Center
- Long Beach Community Hospital
- Reviewer for American Journal of Ophthalmology and other scientific journals
- Published over 60 articles and book chapters on refractive, cataract and lens implant surgery and corneal transplantation advances in major (peer-reviewed) ophthalmology journals and text books
- Over 200 presentations, lectures and courses at major meetings of ophthalmologists worldwide
- Have taught over 100 residents and fellows refractive, corneal and cataract surgery since 1979
Additional Career Highlights
- "Best Doctors in America" - Voted by his peers for inclusion every year since 1996
- “Physician of Excellence" for Orange County by the Orange County Medical Association (2005-2006, 2007-2008, 2009-2010, 2011-2012)
- "Top Doctors of Orange County"
- Los Angeles Magazine's Southern California "Super Doctor" 2008
- California
Academy of Eye Physicians and Surgeons
- Board of Trustees (2006-present)
- Board of Directors (2004-2007)
- Former President of the Orange County Society of Ophthalmology (2002-2004)
- Heed Ophthalmic Foundation Fellowship (1978-1979)
- Participated in medical missions in South America, Asia, and Africa to improve eye care to underserved populations
Education
- Undergraduate: Cornell University, Biological Sciences
- Medical School: U.C.L.A. School of Medicine
- Training: Internship: U.C. San Diego, Surgery
- Residency: U.C. San Diego
- Ophthalmology Residency: The University of Chicago
- Instituto Barraquer de America, Colombia
- Fellowship:
Microsurgery of the Anterior Segment, Corneal and Refractive Surgery,
Manhattan Eye, Ear and Throat Hospital: Manhattan
Eye, Ear and Throat Hospital
Certifications:
- Diplomat, American Board of Ophthalmology
- Fellow, American College of Surgeons
Surgeon Bio
Dr. Ronald N. Gaster is Professor of Ophthalmology at the University of California, Irvine, and was Acting Chair of the Department from 1987 to 1990.
He has been honored by his peers by being selected for Woodward and White's "Best Doctors in America" every year since 1996, and was awarded the American Academy of Ophthalmology Honor Award in 1988 and the Senior Achievement Award in 2007. Dr. Gaster was recently selected to be a "Physician of Excellence" for Orange County by the Orange County Medical Association. Dr. Gaster's primary clinical and research interests are in corneal and refractive surgery, including LASIK, and small incision cataract surgery and accommodating intraocular lenses. He is currently working on the use of the femtosecond laser with corneal transplant surgery.
In 1979, Dr. Gaster was recruited to UCI directly after completing his Fellowship in Corneal and Refractive Microsurgery at Manhattan Eye, Ear and Throat Hospital where he had been awarded a Heed Foundation Fellowship. During his fellowship he worked with Jose I. Barraquer, M.D., the father of Refractive Surgery, at the Instituto Barraquer de America in Colombia. He helped teach the first course in Refractive Surgery given in the northern hemisphere in 1979 with Richard C. Troutman, M.D., and was a charter member of the International Society of Refractive Keratoplasty. Dr. Gaster was the first academic corneal specialist in Orange County and has trained numerous residents and fellows here while maintaining his full-time academic position at UCI.
Dr. Gaster completed his ophthalmology residency at The University of Chicago, his surgical internship at the University of California, San Diego, was awarded his M.D. from U.C.L.A. School of Medicine and received his B.A. from Cornell University. Dr. Gaster was elected President of the Orange County Society of Ophthalmology from 2002 to 2004. He travels nationally and internationally to give lectures and teach ophthalmic microsurgery. Dr. Gaster has been on several medical missions to third-world countries and has taught many ophthalmologists there advances in corneal and cataract microsurgery.
LASIK Surgeon Dr. Ronald Gaster's Curriculum Vitae.
The screening process and standards used by Trusted LASIK Surgeons, can be found at:
How Are Lasik Eye Surgeons Qualified at TLS
To find a refractive specialist who has qualified to be
listed at Trusted LASIK surgeons in another area, please visit:
Find a Trusted LASIK Eye Surgeon
Note: Updating in progress.
Ronald N. Gaster, M.D., F.A.C.S., is a nationally recognized, board certified,
fellowship trained corneal, cataract and refractive surgeon. He
has been recognized by his peers as being in the top 1% of LASIK,
cataract and refractive eye surgeons in the U.S. and is included
in the 2011 Best Doctors in America, an honor he has received
yearly since 1996. Dr. Gaster was also included in Los Angeles
Magazine’s 2008 southern California SuperDoctors, Orange
County Medical Association’s 2011 Physicians of Excellence
and 2011 Top Doctors of Orange County. Dr. Gaster is a Professor
of Ophthalmology at the Gavin Herbert Eye Institute at the University
of California, Irvine, and has lectured and published extensively
on current innovations in refractive, corneal and cataract microsurgery.
He now sees patients in Beverly Hills and Orange County.
Dr. Gaster has been an innovator and leader in Laser Vision Correction surgery, having been a Principal Investigator at the Beckman Laser Institute on the Excimer Laser, which is used for LASIK and PRK today. He helped bring LASIK to China in 1996, training many Chinese ophthalmologists in this surgery. He has continued to carry out research on Femtosecond Laser corneal transplantation, being one of the first to perform these procedures in the U.S.
Furthermore, Dr. Gaster is currently on the cutting edge of new developments
in eye disease and surgery, including crosslinking (CXL) and Intacs,
and is accepting patients in a clinical trial with an IDE from
the FDA to compare the effectiveness of corneal cross linking
(CXL) alone to Intacs followed by corneal cross-linking (CXL)
for progressive keratoconus or post-LASIK ectasia. If you suffer
from either of these conditions, you may make an appointment for
a consultation by calling toll free (855) EyeDoc-1 or (310) 248-7474.
Dr. Gaster is using the new Femtosecond Laser for corneal transplantation,
DALK and LASIK surgery. Recently, the Femtosecond Laser was approved
for cataract surgery as well. DSEK is another exciting innovation
in corneal transplant surgery, which is performed by Dr. Gaster.
He uses an innovative delicate technique for this microsurgery,
which he has successfully taught to many corneal surgeons throughout
the U.S. ?Dr. Gaster also performs small incision cataract surgery,
using premium lenses (IOL’s) such as the Tecnis Multifocal,
ReSTOR and Crystalens intraocular lenses, where appropriate. He
also uses Toric lenses for astigmatism or performs Astigmatic
Keratotomy, if necessary, at the time of cataract surgery. He
has taught a course on the Surgical Treatment of Astigmatism at
the American Academy of Ophthalmology annual meeting for more
than 15 years. In addition, Dr. Gaster performs sutureless pterygium
surgery using amniotic membrane grafts or transplants or conjunctival
autografts with fibrin tissue glue, obviating the need for sutures.
These techniques result in less pain postoperatively and a lower
recurrence rate. Dry eyes, or keratitis sicca, can be a debilitating
condition, especially in more mature patients. Dr. Gaster uses
an innovative non-surgical treatment performed at the slit lamp
in the office that assists the tear glands to function normally
and thus reduces the symptoms of dry eyes.
Dr. Gaster was previously the Acting Chairman of the Department of Ophthalmology at the University of California, Irvine, and has trained over a hundred residents and dozens of corneal fellows on corneal transplant, cataract, refractive surgery and LASIK and other microsurgical procedures. He was voted Outstanding Teacher of the Year by his residents in 1999, 2002 and 2007, an honor that he treasures. Dr. Gaster graduated from Cornell University, where he lettered on the tennis team, and went on to the U.C.L.A. School of Medicine where he received his M.D. degree. He completed his internship and one year of a surgical residency at the University of California, San Diego, before completing his Ophthalmology residency at The University of Chicago, where he was the Chief Resident during his senior year. He then completed his Corneal and Refractive Surgery Fellowship with Dr. Richard Troutman at the Manhattan Eye, Ear and Throat Hospital in New York City, where he was awarded the prestigious Heed Ophthalmic Foundation Fellowship for the year. He also trained at the Instituto Barraquer de America in Bogota, Colombia, with the world-famous Dr. Jose Barraquer, and helped teach the first course on Refractive Surgery in the U.S. Dr. Gaster then was recruited to the University of California, Irvine, Department of Ophthalmology and was the first academic corneal specialist in Orange County.
Dr. Gaster has taught ophthalmic microsurgery courses at the annual
American Academy of Ophthalmology meeting for many years and has
been awarded the American Academy of Ophthalmology Honor Award
and the American Academy of Ophthalmology Achievement Award. He
is the co-medical Director of the Doheny Eye and Tissue Bank,
on the Board of Directors of the California Academy of Eye Physicians
and Surgeons, and formerly was the President of the Orange County
Society of Ophthalmology and was a member of the Medical Board
of California on the Medical Quality Review Committee. Dr. Gaster
has more than 60 original publications in peer-reviewed medical
journals and medical textbook chapters. His latest poster research
on corneal cross-linking was presented at ARVO (Association for
Research in Vision and Ophthalmology, the premier eye research
organization) this year in Florida, and he presented a paper on
corneal cross-linking (CXL) at the pre-ARVO meeting. He lectured
for the Discovery Eye Foundation on June 26, 2010, at U.C.I. in
Orange County, and his presentation can be heard by going to the
website of the National Keratoconus Foundation at nkcf.org and
clicking on the cross-linking tab and then OCVS CXL Session.
Dr. Gaster also enjoys working on medical missions and has taught many ophthalmologists in South America, Africa and Asia the techniques for corneal and cataract microsurgery. He has traveled with ORBIS, the flying eye hospital, and performed surgery on the airplane while he lectured to the ophthalmologists in the education theater of the airplane.
For leisure, Dr. Gaster enjoys time with his family, playing tennis
competitively, snow skiing, water skiing, wake boarding, playing
golf (poorly), and weight training. He is a double-black diamond
skier who has helicopter skied in the Canadian Rockies and been
awarded recognition for skiing 1.5 million vertical feet. Recently,
he took a photographic safari in Africa and enjoys theater, music,
chess, and humanitarian causes.
Education:
Undergraduate: Cornell University
Medical School: U.C.L.A. School of Medicine
Training: Internship: U.C. San Diego, Surgery
Residency:
U.C. San Diego
Ophthalmology Residency: The University of Chicago
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Instituto Barraquer de America, Colombia
Fellowship: Microsurgery of the Anterior Segment, Corneal and
Refractive Surgery, Manhattan Eye, Ear and Throat Hospital
Certifications: Diplomat, American Board of Ophthalmology
Fellow, American College of Surgeons
Fellow, American Academy of Ophthalmology
Professional Affiliations:
American Academy of Ophthalmology
American College of Surgeons
American Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgery
Cornea Society
International Society of Refractive Surgery
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California Academy of Eye Physicians and Surgeons, Board of Directors
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Orange County Society of Ophthalmology, past President
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Email Contact: RNGaster@laser-prk.com
