A Kentucky native, Dr. Parker established his practice in Cape Girardeau at Eye Care Specialists in 1998 following his corneal and refractive fellowship in Indiana. Dr. Parker was the first surgeon to perform LASIK in this area. His excellent surgical outcomes and personalized patient care have made him the most chosen LASIK doctor in southeast Missouri.
Recently, Dr. Parker added a modern vision correction procedure and again is the first surgeon to implant the EVO ICL in this area.
While general ophthalmologists are trained to care for all eye problems and conditions, subspecialists obtain additional 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, pediatrics, and plastic surgery, is required. This added training prepares your doctor to take care of more complex or specific conditions in certain areas of the eye. Dr. Parker’s subspecialty is corneal and refractive surgery. LASIK is a type of refractive surgery.
Years of Experience
Eyes Treated
20/25 or Better
Retreatment Rate
A surgeon should be board-certified. This 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.
If a LASIK surgeon is a “corneal sub-specialist” or is “fellowship trained”, he or she has undergone an additional 1-2 years of formal academic training in corneal and refractive surgery. A general ophthalmologist can become certified to perform LASIK surgery. However, a corneal specialist has the additional specialized training in diagnosing and treating corneal conditions and performing refractive surgery.
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.
Dr. Parker served as a member of the clinical trial team for Chiron Technologies to ensure regulatory compliance for FDA medical device approval.
Dr. Parker has professional memberships with the American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO), the American Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgery (ASCRS), and The Cornea Society. These affiliations help Dr. Parker stay abreast of technological advancements in ophthalmology and corneal refractive surgery. In Addition, he has served as an instructor at the AAO’s annual meeting, training other physicians on microkeratome use in LASIK. Dr. Parker also participates in the EyeCare America volunteer program through the AAO, providing vision care to older Americans in need.
“Even though LASIK is becoming more common and available in more offices, my eyesight is way too precious to gamble with. I thoroughly researched the physicians offering the procedure, and only one came out on top in every way: Dr. Shawn Parker.”
-Amy Jacquin
“It’s incredible! I can actually read the clock on the stove from across the room, see my alarm clock in the morning, read billboards and road signs! I walked into Eye Care Specialists dependant on glasses and contacts and the moment my LASIK procedure was complete I noticed a difference”
-Bobbi Ann Mason
“I am amazed with my eyesight after LASIK surgery! Dr. Shawn Parker and his staff are awesome! I would recommend them if you want to have LASIK.”
-Doug M.
