ThomasLSteinemannMDProfessor of Ophthalmology

Anterior Segment Related, Cataract Related, Cornea & External Disease

Professor, MetroHealth Medical Center; Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine

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Office
2500 MetroHealth Dr
MHMC-Surgery/Ophthalmology
Cleveland, OH 44109
Phone+1 216-778-5830

I am a board-certified ophthalmologist(ABO, 1990) specializing in cornea and external eye disease as well as cataract surgery. Since 1999 I have served as a teaching physician at MetroHealth Medical Center and am appointed as Professor of Ophthalmology at Case Western Reserve University. I am past Division Director of Ophthalmology and former residency coordinator for two programs. I also see patients as staff ophthalmologist, Cleveland Clinic Cole Eye Institute. Clinical training was completed at the University of Kentucky A.B. Chandler Medical Center(Lexington, KY) followed by a fellowship in corneal disease, transplantation and refractive surgery at LSU Eye Center/Lions Eye Laboratories(New Orleans, LA). I was the local sub-PI for NIH-sponsored grant studying cataract surgery in dementia. I have served as a member of the AAO Council, the Cleveland Sight Center Board of Trustees, and as a voting member for the FDA Ophthalmic Devices Panel. I received the AAO Outstanding Advocate Award in 2020 and the AAO Distinguished Service Award in 2022.

Sjogren's syndrome, Diabetes mellitus, Chemical ocular injuries, Cataracts, Keratoplasty, Endothelial keratoplasty, Ocular trauma, Glaucoma, Cornea / External disease, Elevated intraocular pressure, Complex cataract surgery, Intraocular lens implants, Cataract Extraction, Contact Lenses, Recommended for clinical expertise in cornea and external disease, Recommended for clinical expertise in Sjogren’s Syndrome, Recommended for clinical skills in cataract and anterior segment

Louisiana State University School of Medicine (New Orleans)Residency, Ophthalmology, 1989 - 1991
University of Kentucky College of MedicineResidency, Ophthalmology, 1986 - 1989
Mercy St Vincent Medical Center/Mercy Health PartnersInternship, Transitional Year, 1985 - 1986
The University of Toledo College of MedicineClass of 1985, MD

Top Doctors Castle Connolly, 2013, 2015-2024
Ohio Top Doctors 2022-2023 Ohio Magazine
Best Doctors in Cleveland Cleveland Magazine, 2023
Teacher of the Year Cleveland Clinic Cole Eye Institute, 2023
MetroHealth Medical Staff Departmental Excellence Award MetroHealth Medical Center, 2022
Distinguished Service Award American Academy of Ophthalmology, 2022
Life Fellow American Academy of Ophthalmology, 2021
Secretariat Award American Academy of Ophthalmology, 2006, 2008, 2015, 2019, 2021
Outstanding Advocate Award American Academy of Ophthalmology, 2020
Teacher of the Year ("Outstanding Clinical Educator") Cleveland Clinic Cole Eye Institute, 2016-2017, 2019-2020
Top Doctor OH Top Docs
Senior Achievement Award American Academy of Ophthalmology, 2017
Top Doctors Cleveland Magazine, 2016-2017
Teacher of the Year Cole Eye Institute/Cleveland Clinic, 2015-2016
Fellow American Academy of Ophthalmology, 1991
Fellow (FAAO) American Academy of Ophthalmology, 1991
Teacher of the Year Cole Eye Institute/Cleveland Clinic Ophthalmology Residency, 2013
Achievement Award American Academy of Ophthalmology, 2010
Community Service Award University of Kentucky Medical Alumni Association, 2007
Outstanding Service Award Academy of Medicine/Northern Ohio Medical Association, 2006
Advocacy Award Ohio Ophthalmological Association, 2002
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Cataract Removal and Alzheimer's Disease Start of enrollment: 2009 Jun 01
Completed
Not Applicable

PubMed

Contact Lens Regulation: Where Have We Been, Where are We Going?
Kayleigh M Risser, Melody Y Zhou, Karl G Koster, Felicia I Tejawinata, Xinyu Gu
Eye & Contact Lens. 2024-11-19
Proparacaine Overuse in Corneal Abrasions at the Emergency Department: A Case Series.
Avery Zhou, Anja Rabljenovic, Thomas L Steinemann
Eye & Contact Lens. 2024-06-01
Law and Order: The Regulation of Contact Lens Sales in the United States Today.
Avery Zhou, Aaron Qi Yang Goh, Thomas L Steinemann
Eye & Contact Lens. 2023-11-01

Journal Articles

Appealing to Our Better Instincts
Steinemann TL, Jacobs DS, Eye and Contact Lens 48:355, 2022, 9/2022
Gone Viral: A Cross-Sectional Analysis of Contact Lens-Related Videos on Tik Tok
CostantiniJG, GohA, SteinemannTL, Eye and Contact Lens, 2022
Contact Lens Safety for the Correction of Refractive Errors in Healthy Eyes
Rhee MK, Jhanji V, Jacobs DS, Prescott C, Dhaliwal DK, Steinemann TL, Koffler BH, Eye and Contact Lens, 2022
Contact Lens Sales: Will Dysregulation Lead to Deregulation?
Costantini JG, Steinemann TL, Eye & Contact Lens 47(12):629-30, 12/1/2021
Passive Verification: A Flawed System Putting Patients' Sight at Risk
Renato J. Yupari, Thomas L. Steinemann, Eye and Contact Lens 46:197-200, 5/14/2020
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Founding member, CDC Healthy Contact Lens & Safety Working Group 2013 - Present
member, FDA Ophthalmic Devices Panel 2008 - Present
member, ECLA(CLAO) Board of Directors 2007 - Present
Editorial Board, Eye and Contact Lens Journal 2006 - Present
member, Northeast Ohio Executive Council, Prevent Blindness Ohio 2005 - Present
member, Cleveland Eye Bank Medical Policy Committee 2001 - Present
member, AAO Communications Committee 2018 - 2022
member(CLAO Delegate), The Council, American Academy of Ophthalmology 2008 - 2014
Chair, Research, Regulatory, and External Scientific Relations Committee, American Academy of Ophthalmology Federal Secretariat 2007 - 2012
member, Cleveland Sight Center Board of Trustees 2003 - 2017