LASIK — Meet Our Surgeons
The physicians at Wolfe Eye Clinic are leaders in LASIK vision correction and have performed nearly 25,000 procedures since 1984. In fact, they were the first in Iowa to perform laser vision correction for nearsightedness, farsightedness and astigmatism. Today they continue their commitment to serve patients across Iowa with offices spanning the state in communities such as Ames, Cedar Falls, Cedar Rapids, Fort Dodge, Marshalltown, Waterloo and West Des Moines.
- Eric W. Bligard
- James A. Davison
- Todd W. Gothard
- Steven C. Johnson
- Benjamin L. Mason
- Louis J. Scallon
- Daniel J. Vos
- Norman F. Woodlief
Eric W. Bligard, M.D.
Fellowship-trained retinal specialist whose practice includes general ophthalmology, refractive surgery, treatment of cataracts, glaucoma, medical retina, and other ocular disorders.
Eric W. Bligard, M.D., received his medical degree in 1982 from the Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore. He completed an ophthalmology residency and a retinal fellowship at The Alton Ochsner Medical Foundation in New Orleans. He has been with Wolfe Eye Clinic since January 1987.
Professional affiliations include the American Board of Ophthalmology, the American Medical Association and the American Academy of Ophthalmology.
Dr. Bligard is married and has two children. He is an ardent tennis player and was ranked #15 in the United States and #1 in the five-state area of Iowa, Nebraska, Kansas, Missouri, and Wisconsin for all men over the age of 40 by the United States Tennis Association.
Vacations are mixed with work when he travels to countries such as Kenya and Nicaragua to perform eye surgery on people who would otherwise never get a chance to see a doctor. Dr. Bligard says, "It allows me to use some of my skills for others who are less fortunate while I travel and enjoy an experience unlike any other." Dr. Bligard has also performed cataract surgery with lens implants in Mexico and the People's Republic of China. He was the first surgeon to perform phacoemulsification with foldable lens implants in Kenya, East Africa.
Sees patients in: Storm Lake, Fort Dodge, Estherville, Emmetsburg
James A. Davison, M.D.
Specializing in cataract and refractive surgery.
James A. Davison, M.D., F.A.C.S., received his medical degree from Mayo Clinic Medical School in 1976. He finished his ophthalmology internship at Los Angeles County – University of Southern California in 1977. He completed an ophthalmology residency at Mayo Graduate School of Medicine and was the chief resident in ophthalmology in 1980. Dr. Davison has been with Wolfe Eye Clinic since July 1980.
Certified by the National Board of Medical Examiners and the American Board of Ophthalmology, Dr. Davison has written or produced more than 80 scientific articles and videotapes, and coedited a textbook on phacoemulsification and one on the surgical rehabilitation of vision.
Among his many professional accomplishments, Dr. Davison started the vitrectomy surgery service at Wolfe Eye Clinic and received the first prize for surgical innovation and excellence, the Surgicus Golden Hands Award, from Dr. Charles Kelman at Surgicus III, New York, New York, 1986. He also was a member of the editorial board for the Journal of the American Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgery in Fairfax, Virginia, from 1990 to 1995 and was the president of the Mayo Eye Alumni Association in 1996.
Dr. Davison has presented lectures and papers throughout the world at meetings in Canada, France, Monte Carlo, Italy, Japan and Hong Kong. In 1990, he was invited by Dr. Phillipe Crozafon to perform live surgery in Nice, France, and in 1995 by Dr. Lucio Buratto for a videocataract meeting in Milan, Italy.
Sees patients in: West Des Moines, Marshalltown, Grinnell
Todd W. Gothard, M.D.
Fellowship-trained corneal and refractive surgery specialist, and general ophthalmology, including treatment of cataracts, glaucoma and other ocular disorders.
Todd W. Gothard, M.D., is a fellowship-trained specialist in refractive, corneal and cataract surgery. He has been in practice since 1991 and has been with Wolfe Eye Clinic since 1993.
Dr. Gothard completed his undergraduate degree at Gannon University and earned his medical degree with honors from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Following an internship in internal medicine at the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia, he then completed a one-year fellowship in refractive, corneal and cataract surgery at the Phillips Eye Institute and the University of Minnesota under the direction of Dr. Richard Lindstrom.
He currently specializes in refractive, corneal and cataract surgery and has been performing refractive surgery since 1990. He has been actively involved in clinical trials with the excimer laser and has more than nine years of experience with the excimer laser. He has been a clinical investigator for several clinical trials in the evaluation of the LASIK procedure. He has written and lectured in the education of other surgeons and physicians in the practice of refractive surgery and the use of the excimer laser.
Sees patients in: Washington, Cedar Rapids, Waterloo
Steven C. Johnson, M.D.
Fellowship-trained corneal and refractive surgery subspecialist, also treating general ophthalmology, including treatment of cataracts, glaucoma and other ocular disorders.
Steven C. Johnson, M.D., received his medical degree from the University of Iowa. He completed an ophthalmology residency at the University of California, San Diego, where he was chief resident. He also completed a corneal and anterior segment surgery fellowship at the University of Connecticut. He presently holds an academic appointment as assistant clinical professor at the University of Iowa School of Medicine.
During the course of his fellowship in the late 1980s, Dr. Johnson worked on one of the first excimer laser prototypes in the United States. He has been, and remains today, a principal clinical investigator on the Technolas Excimer Laser and studies of the LASIK and PRK procedure. Dr. Johnson has recently written a textbook chapter on the excimer laser and astigmatism. Dr. Johnson is board-certified and is a member of the International Society of Refractive Surgeons.
Sees patients in: West Des Moines, Newton, Pella
Benjamin L. Mason, M.D.
Fellowship-trained glaucoma specialist whose practice includes general ophthalmology, refractive surgery, treatment of cataracts, glaucoma, and other ocular disorders.
Benjamin L. Mason, M.D., received his bachelor of sciences degree from the University of Iowa in Iowa City, Iowa. He then earned his doctorate of medicine from the University of Iowa College of Medicine. He completed an ophthalmology residency and a glaucoma fellowship at Bascom Palmer Eye Institute in Miami, Florida. He has been with Wolfe Eye Clinic since August 2006.
Professional affiliations include the American Board of Ophthalmology, the American Medical Association and the American Academy of Ophthalmology.
Dr. Mason enjoys spending time with family and friends and enjoys participating in athletics and outdoor activities such as biking, rollerblading, tennis, basketball and skiing. Dr. Mason is married and has two daughters.
Sees patients in: Waterloo, Marshalltown, Grundy Center, Cedar Rapids, Cedar Falls
Louis J. Scallon, M.D.
Comprehensive ophthalmologist, specializing in refractive surgery and treatment of cataracts, glaucoma and other ocular disorders.
An Iowa native, Louis J. Scallon, M.D., received his medical degree from the University of Iowa in 1984. His ophthalmology residency was completed at the Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee County Medical Complex, with a chief residency in ophthalmology in 1988.
Upon completion of his residency, Dr. Scallon returned to Iowa to begin practicing in Ames. He is affiliated with the American Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgeons, the American Medical Association, the Iowa Academy of Ophthalmology, and the American Academy of Ophthalmology, among other local affiliations.
As a Wolfe Eye Clinic surgeon, Dr. Scallon is certified in PRK and LASIK. These procedures use the excimer laser to correct myopia and astigmatism.
Dr. Scallon also enjoys long-distance running, music and being a scout leader for his children.
Sees patients in: Iowa Falls, Chariton, Ames, West Des Moines
Daniel J. Vos, M.D.
Comprehensive ophthalmologist, specializing in treatment of cataract, glaucoma and general eye disorders.
Daniel J. Vos, M.D., received his medical degree from the University of Iowa College of Medicine in 1979. His ophthalmology residency was completed at the Medical College of Wisconsin at Milwaukee County Medical Complex. He has been practicing in Ames since 1983.
Dr. Vos chose ophthalmology as his specialty because he wanted to be able to help improve the quality of life for his patients. He is married and has three children. When not at Wolfe Eye Clinic, he enjoys sailing, waterskiing, model railroading, and Bible study with his family. His advice to everyone is, "Spend as much time as you can with your children."
Norman F. Woodlief, M.D.
Fellowship-trained retinal specialist, practicing general ophthalmology, including treatment of cataract, glaucoma, retinal and other eye disorders.
Norman F. Woodlief, M.D., received his bachelor of arts in math and biology at the University of North Carolina – Greensboro, graduating magna cum laude, and was inducted into the Phi Beta Kappa Honor Society. He completed his medical degree at the University of North Carolina School of Medicine. Dr. Woodlief has been with the Wolfe Eye Clinic team since 1984.
Dr. Woodlief obtained his ophthalmology residency at Wills Eye Hospital in Philadelphia. He then completed a fellowship in retina-vitreous surgery at Bascom Palmer Eye Institute, Miami, Florida. He joined Wolfe Eye Clinic in July 1984.
His current practice emphasis is on cataract and refractive surgery with particular interest in LASIK surgery for both nearsightedness and farsightedness. Dr. Woodlief is board-certified and is a member of the International and American Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgeons. Dr. Woodlief is one of several Wolfe Eye Clinic surgeons to be listed in the respected and comprehensive medical referral book, Best Doctors in America.
Dr. Woodlief is an instrument-rated pilot and pianist, and is presently developing a software application to track refractive and cataract surgery outcomes. A former RK surgery patient, he has a master's degree in theology and has operated at mission hospitals in Sierra Leone, West Africa; Mombasa, Kenya, East Africa; and Cap Haitien, Haiti. He has been involved in the publication of numerous research articles and projects and was the recipient of the James Shipman Award at Wills Eye Hospital for his research presentation on scanning electron microscopy of the developing choroidal circulation.
Sees patients in: Waverly, Waterloo, West Union, New Hampton, Cedar Falls
