Richard L. Lindstrom, MD, has been an active member of ASCRS for 47 years. He first joined the leadership in 1985 and since then has served in several roles: as a member of the Editorial Board of the Journal of Cataract & Refractive Surgery, as Head of Corporate Gifts and later Chairman of the ASCRS Foundation, as ASCRS President from 2007–2008, and as ASCRS Member-at-Large on the ASCRS Executive Committee.
Dr. Lindstrom has had a significant influence on all areas of anterior segment surgery, and in 2021, ASCRS established the Richard L. Lindstrom, MD, Lecture and Medal to recognize the exceptional contributions he has made to cataract, cornea, refractive, glaucoma, and industry collaboration. In 2024, Dr. Lindstrom created the Lindstrom Legacy Gift Club with the ASCRS Foundation.
Dr. Lindstrom graduated Magna Cum Laude from the college of Liberal Arts at the University of Minnesota, where he also received his medical degree in 1972, and completed residency and fellowship in cornea. He also completed additional fellowships at Mary Shiels Hospital in Dallas, Texas, and at University Hospital in Salt Lake City, Utah.
Dr. Lindstrom has worked in a variety of capacities in personal practice. He worked in academia, serving as chair of the anterior segment service at a large academic center, University of Minnesota, and also as chief of the Minneapolis VA Hospital. He founded Minnesota Eye Consultants in 1989, which started as a solo practice and grew to 33 doctors and five offices and five ASCs.
In addition to his work within the Society, Dr. Lindstrom has been active in teaching. He has trained about 80 fellows in his career and taught at the University of Minnesota’s Department of Ophthalmology and the University of California, Irvine’s Gavin Herbert Eye Institute.
Dr. Lindstrom has held leadership positions with industry partners, served on many boards of directors, and is the Chief Medical Editor of the U.S. and international editions of Ocular Surgery News. He served as President of the International Society of Refractive Surgery of the American Academy of Ophthalmology in 1993–1994, was President of the International Intra-Ocular Implant Club in 2002–2004, and was President of the International Refractive Surgery Club in 2006–2008.
Dr. Lindstrom holds more than 40 patents in ophthalmology and has developed a number of corneal preservation solutions, intraocular lenses, drugs, and devices that are used in clinical practice globally. He has published more than 400 peer-reviewed journal articles, co-edited 10 books, and authored many book chapters. He has presented more than 40 named lectures and keynote speeches before professional societies in the U.S. and abroad, and is the recipient of numerous awards for distinguished service by national and international ophthalmology associations.
ASCRS Ophthalmology Hall of Fame
Modern medical science represents the accretion of knowledge gained over the centuries. Every so often, a truly gifted person comes along who, by genius, hard work, courage, and exceptional talent, makes a seminal contribution that significantly impacts ophthalmic care.
ASCRS established the ASCRS Ophthalmology Hall of Fame in 1999 to recognize the contributions of those men and women whose life’s work has been marked by such accomplishment. These pioneers laid the foundation for the development of intraocular lenses, lens removal technology, ophthalmic lasers, vitrectomy and retinal disease, and diagnostic tools and treatments across the broad spectrum of eye disease.
These icons often trained thousands of ophthalmologists who practice throughout the world and developed institutions that will continue ophthalmic research for years to come.
Since its inception, nearly 70 scientists and physicians have been so recognized by the Society. These individuals embody the essence of pursuing the ASCRS mission of empowering surgeons to improve the vision, outcomes, and quality of life of their patients through innovative approaches to Education, Advocacy, and Philanthropy.
