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Biography

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Dr. Allen is a full-time, board-certified, oculoplastic surgeon in Houston, Texas.  He will be practicing ophthalmology in Stockholm Sweden at Sankt Eriks Ögonsjukhus starting in September 2024.  His procedures range from routine outpatient surgeries to extremely complex, multi-disciplinary inpatient cases. 

 

He is deeply committed to medical education and exceptional patient care.  To this end, he created Oculoplastic Surgery Videos, an archive of over 300 narrated videos that are available to all, free of charge.  Currently over 10,000 people follow OSV online on Facebook, and over 20,000 follow him on YouTube.  On these sites, Dr. Allen introduces a new topic weekly and answers questions from physicians all over the world.  It is a singular project without equal in ophthalmology today.  The "classic" (pre-2015) videos are hosted by The University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics, where Dr. Allen both trained and worked on faculty prior to returning to Texas.  To access the videos, please click here.  His YouTube page includes these classic videos as well as his new videos.  To access his YouTube page, please click here.

Dr. Allen is happily married to his wife of 30 years, Missy.  She is an enthusiastic advocate for his domestic and international medical education initiatives, working as his partner in his Oculoplastic Surgery Videos programs, and working towards a more democratic and barrier-free access to excellent education and health care.  They have two children, Augustus and Astrid, and currently divide their time between Stockholm and Houston.  In his increasingly rare time away from ophthalmology, he enjoys long distance bicycling, running, and listening to music. 

Education & Training

1983-1987

B.S., Chemistry, Duke University, Durham, NC

Graduated Magna Cum Laude, Member of Phi Beta Kappa

1987-1995

M.D., Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX

Received Outstanding Performance in Basic Sciences Award for Medical Scientist Training Program

1988-1993

Ph. D., Human and Molecular Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX

Received Sigma Xi Thesis Excellence Award

1995-1996

Internship, Internal Medicine, University of New Mexico Hospital, Albuquerque, NM

1997-2000

Residency, Ophthalmology, University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics, Iowa City, IA

2000

Fellowship, Ophthalmic Genetics, University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics, Iowa City, IA

2004-2006

Fellowship, Oculoplastic Surgery, University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics, Iowa City, IA

Board Certification:

American Board of Ophthalmology (ABO)

Certification:

American Society of Ophthalmic Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery (ASOPRS)

Current Hospital/Clinic Affiliations:

  • Alkek Eye Center

  • Baylor/St. Luke’s Hospital

  • Texas Children’s Hospital

  • MD Anderson Cancer Center

  • Houston Methodist Hospital

  • Ben Taub General Hospital

Professional Affiliations:

  • American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO)

  • American Society of Ophthalmic Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery (ASOPRS)

  • Orbital Society

  • American College of Surgeons (FACS)

  • European Society of Ophthalmic Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery (ESOPRS)

Publications

Dr. Allen has an extensive history of academic research in the fields of ophthalmology, oculoplastic surgery, and molecular genetics.  He is the author of over 100 peer-reviewed papers, and is cited in over 5000 others.  To view a selection of his papers, please visit this site.   
He is also the author of the two textbooks seen below.

2018

Manual of Oculoplastic Surgery, 5th ed.

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This best-selling, step-by-step guide to oculoplastic surgery has been highly respected and widely used by ophthalmologists, oculofacial plastic fellows, residents, ENT-facial plastic surgeons, and general plastic surgeons. The revised and updated fifth edition of Manual of Oculoplastic Surgery is designed to guide the physician in exploring and completing a variety of ocular plastic procedures in a comprehensive and logical step-by-step sequence.

2016

Basic Ophthalmology:  Essentials for Medical Students, 10th ed.

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Basic Ophthalmology is an ideal complement to the medical student curriculum and is a key text for primary care residents and physicians who want to broaden their knowledge of eye disease diagnosis and treatment.  Clinicians will learn how to obtain an appropriate ocular history and perform a complete eye evaluation. From the history and findings, the clinician should be able to diagnose and manage or refer common ocular disorders.  This new edition includes content updates, 140+ figures and 17 video clips. The practical text summarizes important concepts, describes techniques step-by-step, and provides resources for additional information.

Additional Career Highlights

Member of committees in the American Academy of Ophthalmology and American Society of Ophthalmic Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery

 

Examiner for the American Board of Ophthalmology

 

Editorial Board:  Orbit, Current Opinion in Ophthalmology

 

Reviewer for over 30 peer-reviewed journals

Over 125 scientific presentations at national and international conferences

 

Over 350 lectures at national and international conferences

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