“I find LASIK surgery so powerful! For someone who has worn glasses and contact lenses for most of their life, then all of a sudden to one day be able to wake up and see, I think it’s a spectacular experience!”
Shawn Parker, MD, FACS, a Kentucky native, settled in Cape Girardeau at Eye Care Specialists in 1998 following his corneal and refractive fellowship in Indiana. As a corneal specialist, Dr. Shawn Parker treats complex conditions of the cornea (the front part of the eye) such as Fuchs’ dystrophy, keratoconus, keratitis, and corneal diseases and traumas. He performs corneal transplant and glaucoma surgery as well as refractive surgery, including cataract and LASIK laser vision correction. Dr. Shawn Parker was the first surgeon to perform LASIK in this area, and his excellent surgical outcomes and personalized patient care have made him one of the most chosen LASIK surgeons in southeast Missouri. Dr. Parker is a certified EVO ICL surgeon and is the first and only surgeon in our area to perform this modern vision correction surgery.
Dr. Shawn Parker sees patients in our Cape Girardeau, MO, and Marion, IL locations. He is typically available for appointments at our Cape Girardeau location on the first and third Tuesdays, second and fourth Wednesdays, Thursdays, and every other Friday morning. He performs surgery at Doctors’ Park Surgery Center every Monday and one Thursday a month. LASIK surgery is performed at our Cape Girardeau office every other Friday, EVO ICL surgery is performed at Doctors’ Park Surgery, and more complex corneal cases at Saint Francis Medical Center on the first and third Wednesdays of each month. He sees patients at our Marion location on the second and fourth Tuesday mornings of each month and then performs cataract surgery at the Marion Healthcare Surgery Center on those afternoons.
In his leisure time, Dr. Shawn Parker enjoys vacationing with his family, sharing his ophthalmic skills on mission trips, as well as playing pickleball, tennis, and golf.
All ophthalmologists are required to complete a college degree followed by eight years of schooling and training to earn their MD (doctor of medicine) or DO (doctor of osteopathic medicine). These eight years encompass four years of medical school, a year of internship, and a minimum of three years in a university and hospital-based ophthalmology residency. This training allows them to diagnose and treat more complex conditions related to the eye and perform eye surgery.
While ophthalmologists are trained to care for all eye problems and conditions, subspecialists obtain advanced knowledge and training in a specific area of eye care. One to two years of additional, more in-depth training, called a fellowship, in one of the main subspecialty areas, such as glaucoma, retina, cornea, and plastic surgery, is required. This added training prepares specialists to take care of more complex or specific conditions in certain areas of the eye.
Dr. Shawn Parker is a corneal and refractive specialist specializing in conditions of the cornea (the front part of the eye) such as corneal transplants, Fuchs’ disease, and keratoconus. He also performs refractive surgery such as cataract surgery with presbyopia and astigmatism-correcting lifestyle lenses and LASIK laser vision correction. He is the only corneal and refractive specialist at Eye Care Specialists.
Board certification indicates that, beyond his or her basic medical license, an entity recognized by the American Board of Medical Specialties has certified the surgeon to practice within his or her specialty. For ophthalmology, this entity is the American Board of Ophthalmology (ABO). The ABO certifies that the surgeon has completed specific training and continuing education related to the specialty. Click here for an informative video explaining ABO certification.
Ophthalmologists are trained to care for all eye conditions and diseases. If an ophthalmologist is a “subspecialist” or is “fellowship trained”, he or she has undergone an additional 1-2 years of more in-depth training in a specific medical or surgical eye care. Dr. Parker completed a fellowship in Corneal and Refractive Surgery, specializing in conditions and diseases affecting the cornea (the front part of the eye) and refractive surgery, such as cataract or LASIK laser vision correction.
The suffix FACS indicates that a surgeon is a "fellow" of the American College of Surgeons (ACS). The ACS was established in 1913 with the mission to improve the quality of care for surgical patients. The organization sets high standards for surgical education and practice. A fellow of the ACS has passed rigorous evaluation, and his or her education and training, professional qualifications, surgical competence, and ethical conduct meet the high standards required by the College.
The following affiliations help Dr. Parker stay abreast of technological advancements in ophthalmology and corneal refractive surgery.
The mission of the AAO is to advance the lifelong learning and professional interests of ophthalmologists (Eye M.D.s) to ensure that the public can obtain the best possible eye care. The AAO provides information and tools that we utilize to educate our patients.
The mission of ASCRS is to advance the art and science of ophthalmic surgery and the knowledge and skills of ophthalmic surgeons. ASCRS is a primary resource for up-to-date clinical information for surgery, published research, and regulatory information affecting the practice of medicine.
The Cornea Society is dedicated and committed to advancements in diseases of the cornea and external eye. The Cornea Society is the single largest subspecialty society representing the subspecialty fields of cornea, external disease, and refractive surgery.
ISRS is a global organization and a partner of the American Academy of Ophthalmology. ISRS connects members from over 80 countries and provides up-to-date clinical and research developments in refractive, cornea, cataract, and lens-based surgery.
The mission of MoSEPS is to represent Missouri ophthalmology by providing educational opportunities, legislative advocacy, and practice enhancement to members such that quality medical and surgical eye care is promoted for the citizens of Missouri.
Introduced the LASIK procedure to Southeast Missouri over 18 years ago
Served as an instructor at the American Academy of Ophthalmology’s annual meeting, training other physicians on microkeratome use in LASIK
Garnered a regional reputation as the “Surgeon’s Surgeon” for LASIK
Participates in EyeCare America, a volunteer program through the AAO, providing vision care to older Americans in need
Traveled to Hayti for a mission trip and to perform ophthalmology on adults and children
Served as a sub-investigator in FDA clinical trials for advancements in laser vision correction
Named Chief Resident while at the University of Louisville Department of Ophthalmology
A member of the Phi Delta Epsilon Medical Fraternity
University of Louisville School of Medicine
Louisville, Kentucky
Doctor of Medicine
Murray State University
Murray, Kentucky
Bachelor of Science – Biology
University of Louisville School of Medicine
Louisville, Kentucky
Kentucky Lions Eye Research Institute
University of Louisville
Louisville, Kentucky
Corneal Consultants of Indiana
Indianapolis, Indiana
Francis Price, M.D. and William Whitson, M.D., Directors
