Steve Charles, MD is one of the world’s leading vitreoretinal surgeons and has developed many of the techniques and devices used by vitreoretinal surgeons worldwide. He is on the editorial board of Retina and a reviewer for Ophthalmology, Archives of Ophthalmology, American Journal of Ophthalmology, and British Journal of Ophthalmology. He is a mechanical and electrical engineer and has 106 issued or pending patents. He is a consultant for Alcon Laboratories and the principal architect of the Alcon Accurus and Alcon Constellation Vision System. He is the Founder of MicroDexterity Systems, developing robots for dexterity enhancement for minimally invasive knee and hip replacement, spine surgery, and skull base neurosurgery. He is the President of Infinity Research, Inc; a medical device and avionics consulting company. He has received the Wacker Medal from the Club Jules Gonin, the first Founders Medal from the Vitreous Society, was inducted into the University of Miami School of Medicine Medical Alumni Association Hall of Fame, and was named by Ocular Surgery News as one of the top ten innovators in the past 25 years. He is a Clinical Professor at the University of Tennessee and an Adjunct Professor at Columbia College of Physicians and Surgeons and Chinese University of Hong Kong. After four years in engineering school, he completed medical school at the University of Miami School of Medicine. He did research all four medical school years at the Bascom Palmer Eye Institute. After a medical internship at Jackson Memorial Hospital in Miami he completed a residency at the Bascom Palmer Eye Institute followed by a two year Clinical Associate appointment at the National Eye Institute (NIH); focused on vitreoretinal surgery, angiogenesis research, and medical device engineering.
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Dr. Charles has performed over 28,000 vitrectomies, lectured in 43 countries and operated in 26, delivered 14 named lectures, and over 1000 speaking trips. He authored a leading textbook in the field which is now in the 5th edition and in 5 languages and authored over 140 articles in the medical literature and 44 book chapters. He is a Fellow in the American College of Surgeons and International College of Surgeons and a member of the Retina Society, Macular Society, American Society of Retinal Specialists, Club Jules Gonin, American Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgery, American Academy of Ophthalmology, and the Dowling Society. He is the founder of the Charles Retina Institute, located in Memphis, TN, which is a nationally known eye clinic specializing in the treatment of retina, macula, and vitreous diseases.
Techniques
Technologies
Dr. Charles has assisted with the forming of several medical device startup companies and is a consultant for Alcon Laboratories and OptiMedica. He has invented or co-invented approximately 56 patented Alcon devices and 26 patent-pending products, as well as invented 17 patented or patent-pending medical robotics products. He holds four more issued and pending patents, for a total of 103.
He is the Chairman and Founder of MicroDexterity Systems, a medical device company that creates medical robots for dexterity enhancement in knee replacement surgery and hip replacement surgery, spine surgery, and skull base neurosurgery.
He is also an affiliate of several engineering organizations and was named by Ocular Surgery News as one of the top ten innovators of the past 25 years.
Technology Company Board Positions
Dr. Charles is on the editorial boards of Retina. He is also a reviewer for Ophthalmology, Archives of Ophthalmology, the British Journal of Ophthalmology, and several other peer reviewed journals.
Dr. Charles is a member of the Retina Society, the Macula Society, Club Jules Gonin, the American Society of Retinal Specialists, American Academy of Ophthalmology, and his local and state medical and ophthalmology societies.
He also teaches as a Clinical Professor at the University of Tennessee, Adjunct Professor at Columbia College of Physicians and Surgeons, and an Adjunct Professor at the Chinese University of Hong Kong.
Awards
Dr. Charles has been listed in Best Doctors in America and Best Ophthalmologists in America and has received the esteemed Wacker Medal from the Club Jules Gonin. He has also received the first Founders Medal from the Vitreous Society, was inducted into the University of Miami School of Medicine Medical Alumni Association Hall of Fame, and was named one of the "Top Five Innovators Over the Past 25 Years" by Ocular Surgical News.