Thomas W. Samuelson, a founding partner and attending surgeon of Minnesota Eye Consultants, is a board-certified ophthalmologist who specializes in the treatment of glaucoma, cataract, and refractive surgery. Dr. Samuelson completed his medical degree at the University of Minnesota and his residency training at the University of South Florida where he served as chief resident. He received his sub-specialty training at the Wills Eye Hospital in Philadelphia.

An adjunct professor of ophthalmology at the University of Minnesota and past chairman of the medical staff at the Phillips Eye Institute in Minneapolis, Dr. Samuelson has an active role in the education of medical students, residents, fellows, and practicing physicians. He is a faculty member at Hennepin County Medical Center, a major teaching hospital for the University of Minnesota residency program. On a national level, Dr. Samuelson is the current president of the American Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgery. He is the recipient of the American Academy of Ophthalmology’s Junior and Senior Achievement Awards honoring contributions made to the Academy’s educational programs. In 2018, Dr. Samuelson was awarded the AAO Lifetime Achievement Award. He also received the “Secretariate Award” for contributions to the AAO annual meeting. Dr. Samuelson has served as an examiner for the American Board of Ophthalmology and has been named as America’s Top Doctors each year since 2002. He is a past-president of the International Society of Spaeth Fellows – Wills Eye Hospital’s Glaucoma Fellows Society.

Dr. Samuelson served on the executive committee of the American Glaucoma Society for nearly a decade. He has also served as the secretariat for the AAO annual meeting serving as chairman of the Skills Transfer Committee. As a member of the Basic Clinical Science Course Committee for the AAO, Dr. Samuelson helped to write the textbooks most studied by residents within the field of ophthalmology. He is also a member of the American Academy of Ophthalmology, the Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology, the American Eye Study Club and the International Intraocular Lens Implant Club. Dr. Samuelson is the glaucoma section editor for Ocular Surgery News, the most widely circulated ophthalmology news publication worldwide. Dr. Samuelson also serves as an editorial board member and scientific reviewer for several ophthalmology journals.

Dr. Samuelson’s research interests include MIGS surgical procedures involving the Schlemm Canal as well as the management of coincident cataract and glaucoma. He has also performed research on the safety of LASIK in patients with other ocular disorders, especially glaucoma. A frequent lecturer nationally and internationally on ocular surgery, he has published numerous scientific manuscripts and textbook chapters on ophthalmic surgery. To view a list of Dr. Samuelson’s lectures and publications, click here.

On a personal note, Dr. Samuelson enjoys music, theater, golf, ice hockey, and running.

Dr. Samuelson’s Patient Reviews

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About

Dr. David Hardten, a board-certified ophthalmologist and founding partner of Minnesota Eye Consultants, is one of the nation’s most prominent leaders in the treatment of the cornea, external disease, anterior segment, cataract, refractive and laser surgery – as well as in research and education.

Dr. Hardten is closely involved in research projects surrounding LASIK Eye Surgery, refractive surgery, complex case management, cataract surgery, natural lens replacement surgery, glaucoma management, corneal transplantation, iris reconstruction, surgical instrumentation, and drug therapies. He formerly served as director for Minnesota Eye Consultants’ Clinical Research Department.

Dr. Hardten has received numerous awards for his dedication to the eye care industry including the 2011 Casebeer Award for outstanding contribution to the research and development of refractive surgery from the International Society of Refractive Surgery, the 2011 Allina HOPE (Hospital Outstanding Patient Experience) Award, and the 2010 American Academy of Ophthalmology Lifelong Education for the Ophthalmologist Continuing Education Recognition Award.

Dr. Hardten entered private practice in 1993 with Drs. Richard L. Lindstrom and Thomas W. Samuelson, also founding partners of Minnesota Eye Consultants. He is an attending ophthalmologist at Phillips Eye Institute in Minneapolis, MN, as well.

In addition to his active practice in medical and surgical diseases of the cornea and refractive and IOL surgery, Dr. Hardten lectures throughout the world on refractive surgery and research. He has published hundreds of textbook chapters, articles, and abstracts on cornea, cataract and refractive surgery.

Dr. Hardten resides in Excelsior, MN, with his wife, Christine, and their two daughters. In his free time, he enjoys golf, tennis, and travel.

Dr. Hardten’s Patient Reviews

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About

Elizabeth A. Davis, M.D., F.A.C.S. is an ophthalmologist with subspecialty training in corneal, cataract, and refractive surgery. She was born in Boston and grew up in Annapolis, MD, where she was the valedictorian of her high school class. She attended Cornell University as an undergraduate, graduating summa cum laude in mathematics with distinction in all subjects (top 5% of her class). She was inducted into the Phi Beta Kappa, Phi Kappa Phi, and Mortar Board National Honor Societies.

She was selected as a Presidential Scholar and received several research awards. Dr. Davis completed her doctor of medicine degree at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, graduating first in her class. She received a Dean’s Award and Lange Medical Student Award each year of medical school. She also received the Franklin Paine Mall Prize in anatomy, Hewlett-Packard Top Medical Graduate Award, and the Janet M. Glasgow Memorial Award. She was elected into the Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Society and won research awards as well as the prestigious William Stewart Halsted Award in surgery. She completed four years of cardiac surgery residency at Johns Hopkins before changing specialties to ophthalmology. At Johns Hopkins, she also completed a two-year immunology research fellowship, being supported by an American Heart Association Fellowship Award and Stetler Research Award.

For her ophthalmology residency, Dr. Davis attended Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary, Harvard Medical School. She then received a HEED Ophthalmic Foundation Scholarship to complete subspecialty fellowship training in cornea, external disease, refractive surgery, and glaucoma at Minnesota Eye Consultants.

Dr. Davis is an attending surgeon and partner of Minnesota Eye Consultants. She is a member of the Minnesota Academy of Ophthalmology, American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO), American Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgery (ASCRS), Refractive Surgery Interest Group and the International Society of Refractive Surgery. She has been a member of the AAO Committee for Ophthalmic Technology Development, the ASCRS Refractive Surgery Committee, and the ASCRS Government Relations Committee. Dr. Davis is actively involved in the research. She is an investigator in numerous FDA clinical studies. She also is an instructor for surgery training courses. Dr. Davis has given numerous talks across the country and internationally and has been an invited speaker at many meetings. She has authored numerous articles and book chapters in the field of refractive, cataract, and cornea surgery.

Dr. Davis is the Founder and Director of The Vision Project, a program created in 2002 through the Minnesota Eye Foundation to provide charitable eye surgery to qualifying patients in need. She is also the Founder and Director of Strides 4 Sight, a yearly 5K Walk/Run and Kids’ Fun Run that raises funds to support The Vision Project as well as the medical needs of other patients without financial resources.

Dr. Davis’s Patient Reviews

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About

William J. Lipham, MD is a board-certified Fellow of the American Board of Ophthalmology specializing in ophthalmic plastic and reconstructive surgery at Minnesota Eye Consultants. He was born and raised in Madison, Wisconsin, and attended the University of Wisconsin-Madison, where his undergraduate studies in biology and zoology led him to pursue a career in medicine.

Dr. Lipham received his medical degree from Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, Texas. After his first year of medical school training, Dr. Lipham was selected to participate in the Howard Hughes Medical Institute-National Institutes of Health (HHMI-NIH) Research Scholars Program at the National Institutes of Health in Bethesda. Maryland.

After graduating from medical school, Dr. Lipham completed his transitional internship at the University of Hawaii, Honolulu, where he met his wife Azura. During his internship, Dr. Lipham traveled to Vietnam with the Aloha Medical Mission where he worked with a group of American eye surgeons who taught local doctors how to surgically reconstruct patients’ eyelids and faces who had sustained severe trauma. This experience sparked an interest in pursuing additional training as an ophthalmic plastic and reconstructive surgeon.

Dr. Lipham then completed a three-year ophthalmology residency at the prestigious Bascom Palmer Eye Institute of the University of Miami, Florida. He then pursued an additional two­ year American Society of Ophthalmic Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery (ASOPRS) fellowship with Jonathan J. Dutton, MD, PhD at Duke University Eye Center in Durham, North Carolina. Upon completion of his fellowship, Dr. Lipham was selected by the residents and faculty of Duke Eye Center to receive the Hornaday Fellow Award for demonstrating excellence in clinical care, resident education, ethics and research. He was also the recipient of the Marvin H. Quickert Award, which is given for the most outstanding thesis from those submitted by candidates seeking membership in the American Society of Ophthalmic Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery.

Dr. Lipham is a member of the American Board of Ophthalmology (ABO) and a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons (FACS). He is also an active member of the American Society of Ophthalmic Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery (ASOPRS) and the American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO). In addition to his professional affiliations, Dr. Lipham has published numerous articles and chapters in the fields of ophthalmology and oculoplastic surgery.

Dr. Lipham’s specialties include surgery of the eyelids, tear drainage system, orbit, and laser vision correction. In addition to managing complex medical and surgical cases, he also provides a broad array of facial rejuvenation services, including cosmetic eyelid surgery, small incision endoscopic forehead lifts as well as Juvéderm and Botulinum toxin injections for wrinkle reduction.

Dr. Lipham’s Patient Reviews

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About

Dr. Patrick Riedel is a board-certified partner of Minnesota Eye Consultants. He is fellowship-trained in the medical and surgical treatment of glaucoma and cataracts. In addition, he is specifically trained in multiple refractive surgery techniques such as LASIK, PRK, and refractive implant lenses.

Dr. Riedel graduated magna cum laude from Carleton College in 1987 where he was elected to the Phi Beta Kappa honor society. He continued his education by attending the University of Minnesota Medical School. While there he received multiple scholarships for merit and was elected to the prestigious Alpha Omega Alpha honor society in his third year. He served as the president of this organization during his last year of medical school.

After completing an internship year at Hennepin County Medical Center, he then pursued his residency in ophthalmology at the University of Iowa, consistently ranked one of the top five ophthalmology training programs in the nation. He served as chief resident during the last six months of his residency.

Dr. Riedel continued his sub-specialty training, completing glaucoma and cataract surgery fellowships at the University of Utah John Moran Eye Center in Salt Lake City, and has been in practice since 1998.

As an assistant clinical professor of ophthalmology at the University of Minnesota, Dr. Riedel is actively involved in the clinical and surgical education of residents and fellows. He is an instructor in ocular pharmacology at Regions Hospital, and a consultant for the Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Minneapolis. He frequently lectures to local and regional ophthalmologists and optometrists and serves as an examiner for the American Board of Ophthalmology, the credentialing organization for physicians seeking to practice ophthalmology.

Dr. Riedel has multiple professional affiliations, including the American Academy of Ophthalmology, the American Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgeons, the Minnesota Academy of Ophthalmology, and the American Glaucoma Society. He is actively involved in both clinical and surgical research studies and has written book chapters and published research articles.

Dr. Riedel’s Patient Reviews

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About

Dr. Sherman Reeves is a board-certified ophthalmologist with subspecialty training in cornea and external disease, cataract, and refractive surgery. As director for Minnesota Eye Consultants’ Clinical Research Department, Dr. Reeves leads research projects surrounding LASIK Eye Surgery, refractive surgery, complex case management, cataract surgery, natural lens replacement surgery, glaucoma management, corneal transplantation, iris reconstruction, surgical instrumentation, and drug therapies.

Dr. Reeves was raised in Manhattan, KS, and then attended the University of Kansas where he was elected president of the 25,000 member student body in his junior year. While at KU, he also served on the Kansas University Athletic Corporation board of directors and served as president of the Kansas Union Memorial Corporation board of directors, a $14 million non-profit corporation responsible for the operation of the Kansas Student Unions. In his junior year, Dr. Reeves was awarded a Harry S. Truman Scholarship, a prestigious national award recognizing outstanding public service. Upon graduating with distinction, he was inducted into Phi Beta Kappa and received the Agnes Wright Strickland Award from the Chancellor for outstanding scholarship and service to the university.

Dr. Reeves completed his doctor of medicine degree at the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine in Baltimore, MD. He also completed a master’s degree in public health at the Johns Hopkins School of Public Health on a merit-based, full-tuition Watt/Hansel Fellowship. While at Johns Hopkins, he was recognized for his research efforts with the Wilmer Ophthalmological Institute Dana Center Student Award, the Henry Strong Denison Award for Excellence in Research and the Sibley and Catherine Hoobler Award for Excellence in Public Health and Medicine. After graduating from medical school, Dr. Reeves completed the University of Maryland’s Mercy Medical Center internship in internal medicine.

Dr. Reeves obtained his ophthalmology residency training at the Duke University Eye Center in Durham, NC, where he was awarded the Dastgheib Eye Surgery Award in recognition for outstanding surgical skills. As a resident, he was also recognized with several national honors including the American Medical Association Foundation Leadership Award and was a co-recipient of the American Academy of Ophthalmology Star Award for the creation of a regional resident advocacy program. He then served a year on the Duke faculty as Chief Resident, with responsibility for the operation and education programs of the Duke ophthalmology residency. Dr. Reeves then obtained subspecialty fellowship training in cornea, external disease, glaucoma and refractive surgery at Minnesota Eye Consultants. During his fellowship year, he was awarded the Claes Dohlman Society Award, given to a single individual nationally each year for excellence in cornea subspecialty training.

Dr. Reeves performs cataract and intraocular lens implant surgery, corneal transplants and other surgeries for patients with corneal diseases. He also performs refractive surgery, including laser vision correction surgeries such as LASIK and PRK as well as refractive lens implant surgery.

Dr. Reeves’s Patient Reviews

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About

Dr. Jill Melicher, a 2024 Minnesota Monthly Top Doctor in Ophthalmology, is an ophthalmic plastic and reconstructive surgery specialist at Minnesota Eye Consultants. She specializes in surgery of the upper and lower eyelids, the tear drainage system, and the orbit. Dr. Melicher also provides an array of facial rejuvenation services, including cosmetic upper and lower eyelid surgery, small incision endoscopic forehead lifts, filler, and Botulinum toxin injections for wrinkle reduction.

Dr. Melicher’s surgical philosophy is that the best result is one that makes patients look and feel better, not different.  Her conservative approach to surgery will help patients achieve a well-rested, natural look.

Dr. Melicher attended Concordia College in Moorhead, MN for an undergraduate degree and went on to medical school at the University of North Dakota School of Medicine and Health Sciences. She finished residency training at the University of Minnesota Medical School where she rotated with the Minnesota Eye Consultants physicians. Dr. Melicher completed her fellowship training under the direction of Dr. Jeffrey Nerad at the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics in Iowa City, IA, and Cincinnati Eye Institute in Cincinnati, OH.

Dr. Melicher is Board Certified in Ophthalmology, a fellow of the American Academy of Ophthalmology. She has completed a two-year, Ophthalmic Plastic, Orbit, and Reconstructive Surgery fellowship training through the American Society of Ophthalmic Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery. She was inducted into the prestigious Alpha Omega Alpha Medical Honors Society and was awarded the Harry Plotke Award at the University of Minnesota Medical School, as well as medical scholarships at the University of North Dakota School of Medicine and Health Sciences. She has authored numerous publications and textbook chapters.  She has a passion for training the next generation of Ophthalmologists by teaching upper and lower eyelid surgery at national conferences every year.  She has served as the President of the Minnesota Academy of Ophthalmology and on multiple committees through the American Academy of Ophthalmology and the American Society of Ophthalmic Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery.

Dr. Melicher feels like her patients are a part of her extended family.  From a patient’s first consult to their final postop appointment, Dr. Melicher works hard to provide the best experience for her patients.

Originally from Fargo, North Dakota, Dr. Melicher, her husband and their three daughters call Minnesota home.  Outside of work, Dr. Melicher spends her time driving her kids around to their many activities.  And after a long hiatus from the sport, she is back to working on her backhand and the rest of her tennis game.

To learn more about Dr. Melicher and to see some of her before and after surgical photos, visit her bio site. 

Dr. Melicher’s Patient Reviews

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Glaucoma and Cataract Specialist

Christine Larsen, M.D., specializes in the treatment of glaucoma and cataract surgery at Minnesota Eye Consultants. She is medical director for the practice’s five ancillary surgery centers. She also serves as adjunct clinical faculty at the University of Minnesota and works with residents at both the Minneapolis VA and Hennepin County Medical Center.

Education and Background

Originally from Nebraska, Dr. Larsen pursued her undergraduate degree at Nebraska Wesleyan University in Lincoln, graduating with Highest Distinction. She completed her doctor of medicine degree at the University of Nebraska Medical Center. She obtained her ophthalmology residency training at the at the same institution, where she served as Chief Resident and was honored with the Outstanding Resident Research Award. She completed her fellowship in Glaucoma at the University of Wisconsin in Madison, WI and was awarded numerous scholarships and grants throughout her academic career.

Professional Affiliations, Research, and Ophthalmology Leadership

Dr. Larsen is a member of the American Academy of Ophthalmology, the American Glaucoma Society, and the American Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgery. She has served on multiple committees within these organizations and presented at their national meetings. She has published several peer-reviewed articles and book chapters and has been involved in medical mission initiatives within the United States and internationally. Dr. Larsen is also actively involved in research and has served as principal investigator for several US clinical trials. She also has an interest in health policy, having participated in advocacy efforts through leadership roles with the American Medical Association as a medical student, the Nebraska Academy of Eye Physicians and Surgeons as a resident, and has served as an elected participant in the American Glaucoma Society’s Health Policy Leadership Development Program.

Dr. Larsen’s husband is also a practicing glaucoma specialist. They moved to the Twin Cities after completion of training where they are raising their son and twin daughters.

Dr. Larsen’s Patient Reviews

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About

Dr. Omar Awad, a 2024 Minnesota Monthly Top Doctor in Ophthalmology, is a board-certified ophthalmologist, specializing in corneal diseases, cataracts removal, and refractive treatments. He received his medical degree in ophthalmology from the University of Minnesota Medical School. He completed his internship at the Hennepin County Medical Center and his residency at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center Eye and Ear Institute.

As part of Dr. Awad’s extensive training, he has completed a fellowship in Cornea, Cataract, and Refractive surgery at Johns Hopkins Wilmer Eye Institute in Baltimore, MD. Dr. Awad is an Assistant Clinical Professor of Ophthalmology at the University of Minnesota, and he lectures internationally on cataract and lens implant surgery.

He is a current member of the American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO), the American Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgeons (ASCRS), the International Society of Refractive Surgeons, the Cornea Society and the Minnesota Academy of Ophthalmology. Dr. Awad has consistently received Mpls St. Paul Magazine’s Top Doctor’s honors.

Dr. Awad has four daughters that keep him and his wife very busy with all of their activities. He likes to cook in his free time, and keeps active with swimming, triathlons, and marathon running.

Dr. Awad’s Patient Reviews

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About

Dr. Hansen specializes in cornea, external disease, anterior segment, cataract, glaucoma, and refractive surgery.

Dr. Hansen completed his undergraduate coursework and Doctorate in Medicine at the University of Utah in Salt Lake City. He was awarded the Linda and Derrick Wood scholarship and two medical scholarships.

After a one-year residency at Sacred Heart Medical Center in Spokane, Washington, he completed his ophthalmology residency at Duke University in Durham, North Carolina. Following his residency, he was selected to be the Chief Resident where he was involved with resident education and surgical training.

Dr. Hansen performs cataract and intraocular lens implant surgery, corneal transplants and other surgeries for patients with corneal diseases, along with a variety of glaucoma procedures. He also performs refractive surgery, including laser vision correction procedures such as LASIK and PRK as well as refractive lens implant surgery.

His hobbies include spending time with his wife and kids. He enjoys coaching little league basketball and soccer and attending dance and gymnastic performances. As a family, they enjoy traveling and exploring new cites. He also likes to spend his free time playing basketball and attending or watching college sporting events.

Dr. Hansen’s Patient Reviews

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