Stephen Updegraff

Stephen Updegraff, M.D., FACS (born January 31, 1962, in St. Petersburg, Florida) is an American refractive surgeon best known for his early involvement in, and contributions to, LASIK.

[6] Updegraff completed a six-month internship and his ophthalmic residency at the Louisiana State University Eye Center in New Orleans, where he performed research on excimer lasers, focusing specifically on procedures such as keratomileusis.

He then became the first surgeon to perform LASIK in Asia, where he demonstrated it and taught its techniques to hundreds of doctors in China.

[10] Updegraff currently has seven patents on technologies for LASIK and microsurgery of the eye,[11][12] and he frequently lectures and publishes on issues and advancements in refractive surgery.

1995-97 Advisory Panel, Ethicon Surgery[12] 1996-00 Skills Transfer Advisory Board Member, American Academy of Ophthalmology[12] 1997-00 USA Representative, International Society of Refractive Surgery Global Council[12] 1998-00 VISX Star Surgeon, Top 50 Excimer Laser Surgeons, United States[12] 1999 Outstanding Career Achievement Award, Eckerd College[12] 2000 Best Presentation, International Society of Refractive Surgery[12] 2001 Achievement Award, American Academy of Ophthalmology[12] 2003 Outstanding Business of the Year Award, St. Petersburg Area Chamber of Commerce[12] 2003 Performed first Crystalens lens implant surgery in Florida[20] 2003-05 Board of Trustees Member, Prevent Blindness[12] 2007 Kritzinger Memorial Award, International Society of Refractive Surgery & South African Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgery[12] 2008 Center of Excellence Award, Crystalens[12] 2009 Best Paper of Session, American Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgery[12] 2009-11 Dean's Council on Science member, Eckerd College[12] 2009 Distinguished Citizen Award, West Central Florida Council Boy Scouts of America[21] 2010-12 Best Doctors in America list[12] 2010-11 Leading Innovators in Premium IOL implant surgery list, Premier Surgeon[12] 2011 Top Doctors list, U.S. News & World Report[22]

Possible, but not proven coat of arms Op den Graeff as descendants of Herman op den Graeff (Heraldic representation by Matthias Laurenz Gräff based on the Krefeld Op den Graeff stained glass window from 1630, which may depict the “Lohengrin swan” of the Kleve coat of arms in one window)