Stephen C. Kaufman, MD, PhD, is a professor of ophthalmology at the Kirk Kerkorian School of Medicine at UNLV. Dr. Kaufman also serves as a clinical professor at the University of Minnesota, where he previously served as vice chairman of ophthalmology and director of cornea and refractive surgery. He also served as medical director of Eye Care Services for the M Health Fairview healthcare system.

Dr. Kaufman has held several other leadership positions throughout his career, including director of cornea and refractive surgery service at the Medical College of Wisconsin, the State University of New York, and the Henry Ford Health System.

As a cornea specialist, Dr. Kaufman performs corneal transplants (PKP, DSAEK, and DMEK) and corneal crosslinking and treats a variety of corneal disorders, including keratoconus, dry eye, and corneal infections. He also performs refractive surgery (LASIK and PRK), pterygium surgery, and the treatment of ocular surface cancers.

In addition to caring for patients, Dr. Kaufman is a VISX excimer laser instructor and an invited lecturer at national and international ophthalmology meetings. He has more than 400 publications and presentations to his name, including 11 chapters on cornea and refractive surgery. He is also the editor of two cornea textbooks and serves on the editorial board of three ophthalmic journals.

A Heed ophthalmic fellow, Dr. Kaufman was previously on the board of directors of the Eye Bank Association of America, the Cornea Society, and the Minnesota Academy of Ophthalmology. He serves as chairman of the American Academy of Ophthalmology’s Cornea Knowledge Base Committee, co-chairman of the Midwest Cornea Association, and is a member of the editorial board of the American Academy of Ophthalmology’s Basic and Clinical Science Course (BSCS) textbook.

His honors include the American Academy of Ophthalmology’s Senior Achievement and Secretariat Awards, the American Medical Association (AMA) Achievement Award, National Institutes of Health (NIH) Physician Scientist Award, National Academy of Science Award, New York State Research Award, and the Eye Bank Association of America’s Paton Award for Corneal Transplant Surgery.