Medical Education
Dr Schallhorn graduated from the University of Uniformed Services
(USU) School of Health Sciences with a degree in medicine in 1988,
completed his internship in 1989, served as a general medical officer
in 1990, completed his residency program in 1993, and certified by the
American Board of Ophthalmology in 1995.
Refractive Surgeon
Captain Steve Schallhorn served as the Director of Cornea Service and
Refractive Surgery at Naval Medical Center San Diego (“Balboa
Hospital”) and the Refractive Surgery Program Manager for the United
States Navy. He conceived of and initiated the first refractive surgery
programs for the US armed forces to study the visual recovery and
performance characteristics of PRK and LASIK before excimer lasers
were FDA approved. He is a member of the AMA, American Society of
Cataract and Refractive Surgeons (ASCRS), American Board of
Ophthalmology (ABO), and fellow of the American Academy of
Ophthalmology (AAO). He is a scientific reviewer for the ophthalmology
peer review journals Ophthalmology, Journal of Cataract and
Refractive Surgery, Investigative Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences,
and Journal of Refractive Surgery.
Dr Schallhorn serves his profession as chairman of AAO Refracive
Ophthalmic Technology Assessment committee and the AAO
Refractive Surgery knowledge base committee, executive steering
committee member of the AAO Refractive Surgery Interest Group,
contributor to the AAO basic science curriculum in Refractive Surgery,
and Executive Committee member of the International Society of
Refractive Surgery (ISRS).
As an acknowledged by his peers as an expert in refractive surgery, Dr Schalhorn receives
numerous requests to conduct nationwide training courses, and routinely provides
consultation regarding refractive surgery to various organizations, including his role as:
- Author of 16 peer-reviewed papers and 3 book chapters
- Visiting professor of medicine at Harvard, USC, UCSF, Baylor, and others
- Consultant to NASA, the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), the US Bureau of
Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (ATF), Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), National
Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), and Federal Aviation Administration
(FAA)
- Advisor for refractive surgery to Australia, Canada, France, Great Britain, Greece, Japan,
New Zealand, Singapore, Taiwan, Turkey, and the US Air Force, Army, and Coast Guard
- ASCRS representative to the annual meetings in Russia and Singapore
- AAO representative to the annual meeting in the Philippines
Clinical Investigator
While in his fellowship program at USC, Dr Schallhorn initiated his first clinical trials in
refractive surgery with the excimer laser before it was approved by the FDA. He is currently
engaged in multiple clinical trials to study new developments in refractive surgery technology.
Over the years, he independently studied the safety and effectiveness of refractive surgical
procedures. It is because of his efforts that refractive surgery is allowed for military Aviators,
Navy SEALs and divers, and other restricted groups among active duty military personnel. The
US Air Force and Army refractive surgery programs are modeled after the work Dr Schallhorn
initiated a decade ago. Among his other significant accomplishments are landmark studies of:
- Visual performance with Night Vision Goggles
- Effects of refractive surgery at altitude
- Changes in night driving performance
- LASIK flap stability
- Glare disability
- Visual aberrations
Dr Schallhorn has been involved with numerous clinical trials sponsored by:
- The US Navy (under his direction) in conjunction with
- Summit Technologies
- VISX Incorporated
- Alcon Autonomous Technologies
- IntraLase
- Bausch & Lomb
- Advanced Medical Optics (AMO)
- KeraVision
- Allergan
- Laser Diagnostic Technologies
- Staar
- Carl Zeiss Meditec
- Ophthonix
Honors and Awards
Dr Schallhorn is the recipient of numerous military and academic awards and honors,
including:
- Selection for Alpha Omega Alpha medical honors society
- Honors medical school graduate (ranked in the top 5% of his class)
- Designated “Fellow of the Year” at Doheny Eye Institute (1995/96) during the period of
his 2-year fellowship training in Cornea and External Disease.
- The Joint Chiefs of Staff Award for Excellence in Military Medicine (1997) presented
by Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (General John M. Shalikashvili) and American
patriot Zachary Fisher - the award included a $50,000 research grant.
- The Navy Legion of Merit, the highest non-combat medal in the military, awarded for
performance of meritorious service to the United States for his work in refractive surgery
- Distinguished Lans Refractive Surgery Award (2004) by the International Society of
Refractive Surgery (ISRS), a 3,500-member worldwide medical research organization
comprised of leading eye care experts in vision correction surgery.
- Selected by his peers to be included as one of the Best Doctors in America 2005-
2006.
- Voted one of the "TOP 50 Opinion Leaders" for Outstanding Contribution and
Leadership in the Fields of Cataract and Refractive Surgery in 2006.
- Selected to give the prestigious keynote address, the Binkhorst Lecture, at the 2007
annual meeting of the American Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgeons.
Dr Schallhorn performing LASIK at Naval
Medical Center San Diego.
Dr Schallhorn (left) receiving the distinguished
Lans Award at the AAO (New Orleans, 2004)
along with fellow award recipients Drs Steven
Slade (center) and Thomas Neuhann (right).
Physician (1988-present)
