David F. Chang, M.D. is widely recognized as one of the top cataract surgeons in the world. He graduated Summa Cum Laude from Harvard College and earned his Medical Degree from Harvard Medical School. Dr. Chang completed his ophthalmology residency at the University of California, San Francisco, where he advanced to the rank of Clinical Professor of Ophthalmology in 1999. He has taught cataract surgery to ophthalmology residents in training for more than 35 years. In 2006, Dr. Chang became only the third ophthalmologist to ever receive the Charlotte Baer Award honoring the outstanding clinical faculty member at the UCSF Medical School.
About David F. Chang
As an internationally recognized cataract expert, Dr. Chang regularly lectures on cataract surgery to other surgeons in the U.S. and abroad. Dr. Chang has received the highest international awards for cataract surgery from the American Academy of Ophthalmology (Kelman Medal Lecture) and the following international cataract and refractive surgery societies: American (Binkhorst Medal), European (Ridley Medal), Canadian (Award of Excellence), United Kingdom and Ireland (Rayner Medal), German (DOC Innovator Lecture), Indian (Gold Medal), and the Asia Pacific Association of Cataract & Refractive Surgery (Lim Medal).
He has been honored by the International Society of Refractive Surgery (President Award), American-European Congress of Ophthalmic Surgery (Visionary Award), All India Ophthalmology Society (President’s Lecture), Italian Ophthalmological Society (Strampelli Medal), Chinese American Ophthalmological Society (Pioneer Award), Royal Australia & New Zealand College of Ophthalmologists (Gregg Medal), Asia-Pacific Academy of Ophthalmology (Jose Rizal International Medal), International Intraocular Implant Club (IIIC Medal), Middle East Africa Council of Ophthalmology (El-Maghraby Award), and the International Council of Ophthalmology (Krwawicz Gold Medal). Including these, Dr. Chang has delivered more than 40 named lectures.
Having served as president in 2012-2013, Dr. Chang is on the executive board of the American Society of Cataract & Refractive Surgery (ASCRS), the largest international organization for cataract and refractive surgeons. He chaired the American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO) Cataract Preferred Practice Pattern Committee. This select national committee writes the clinical guidelines for cataract surgery that are used in the United States and in many foreign countries. Dr. Chang is also a leading expert on global cataract blindness. He chairs the ASCRS Foundation and received the prestigious AAO Humanitarian Service Award in 2019.
Dr. Chang has authored 5 best-selling textbooks on cataract surgical techniques for ophthalmologists. Mastering Refractive IOLs covers advanced lens implants and is considered the most comprehensive textbook on the subject. He has served as Chief Medical Editor of EyeWorld, a leading trade journal which has a global circulation of more than 30,000 ophthalmologists. Dr. Chang has designed a number of popular cataract surgical instruments that bear his name and are used worldwide. As a clinical investigator, Dr. Chang was the first American surgeon to implant the light adjustable lens implant and the first Northern California surgeon to implant a multifocal lens and the Symfony extended focus lens.
Dr. Chang has been regularly voted by his peers into the national edition of Best Doctors in America and is listed by Beckers Review as one of the top 39 ophthalmologists in the United States. In Newsweek’s listing of the top 175 ophthalmologists in the United States, Dr Chang ranked #2 in 2021 and #3 in 2022. These rankings were based on a national survey of more than 10,000 eye doctors.He has been named in every biennial list of the TOP 100 most influential people in ophthalmology, as voted by the international readership of The Ophthalmologist. He ranked #5 on this list in 2014, 2018, and 2023. He has maintained his private practice in Los Altos since 1984 and developed and founded the Peninsula Eye Surgery Center, which opened in 2005. He limits his practice to cataract and intraocular lens implant surgery.
Credentials
Education & Training
CASE WESTERN RESERVE CARE SYSTEM
Medical School, 2010
Languages
English
Memberships & Affiliations
American Board of Medical Specialties®
American Board of Otolaryngology
American Board of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery®
Awards & Recognition
2020 Ridley Medal:
2020 Venkataswamy Memorial Award
2020 Tadeusz Krwawicz Gold Medal
2019 DOC Innovator award
2018 Pioneer Award
Dr. Chang awarded 2009 Binkhorst Medal/Lecture
What patients say
Reviews & ratings
Patient Reviews
No reviews yetReviews for Chang David F MD
★★★★★4.031 reviewsGoogle reviews from the "Chang David F MD" Google Business Profile. Reviews describe the practice and may mention other providers at this location.View all Google reviews at this practice
Dr. Chang came highly recommended, so I went for a consultation. I found his staff to be very cordial, helpful, and polite. Initially, Dr. Chang was open and informative - until he found out my primary insurance was Medicare. Then his whole attitude changed, even though I said I would pay the difference between what I needed and what Medicare would cover. He immediately stopped talking with me, took the printed information out of my hand, and left the room. It was an unexpected, sudden, and abrupt dismissal. That made me question whether or not his skill set as a surgeon goes up or down, depending on his bias. Needless to say, I did not let him operate on my eyes.
Im sorry to say that Dr Chang is way too interested in selling his patients the most expensive options rather than fitting lenses that fit your needs. I use my phone and computer a lot all day long and having good near sight all the time is very important. My ophthalmologist recommended preserving my near sight and putting in lens for middle to far sight and using glasses for distance . Dr Chang would not agree and insisted on the most expensive distance lenses ($6,000) and convinced me to get used to “readers” . That has been a disaster. I now wear progressive glasses almost all the time so I can see my phone and read small print all the time. Dr. Chang does good surgical work but I feel he is too fixated on maximizing what he charges his parents rather than giving them the vision that fits their needs.
Dr. David Chang may come across as short-tempered and not very sociable, but his quality of work is truly top-notch. You just have to know how to approach him - if he sees that you’re knowledgeable and clear in your communication, he respects that and responds well. Otherwise, he may keep interactions minimal but still delivers excellent care. His staff generally follows the same pattern - more focused on the work than on social interaction. I still give him five stars because the results speak for themselves. He did an outstanding job for me, and now I’m taking my husband to him as well. His skills and outcomes are worth it.
Amazing Dr. caring profesional The Dr. the Drs. use for Cataract surgery!!
Dr. Chang is an all-star! You can read all about the great things he has done to advance cataract surgery, but his real secret sauce is the team he has put together to ensure the process is smooth from beginning to end. Each one of his team members adds value to the process. The process reminds me of the adages "measure twice, cut once" and "practice, practice, practice makes perfect." Thanks to the thorough preparation, the surgery is routine. They even let you pick your music. The surgery is so fast that it is done within two or three songs. It is much more pleasant than, say, a dentist appointment. I have had two eyes fixed by Dr. Chang and his team and am so thankful for their great work.
Rev Abraham Chang recently had cataract surgery and he spoke very highly of Dr. Chang.
Dr. Chang, in my opinion, is an ABSOLUTE JERK. A veterinary clinic would be a better choice than this pompous, embarrassment of a Dr. I was spared from possible disaster and tipped off to what they were doing, and my vision today is restored by a truly honest and skilled Dr. Now, when my eyes are examined Dr's, always marvel at how perfect the cataract lenses are placed and the quality of the lens I selected. I'm one of the lucky ones, I bowed out from "Dr. Ego", SAVING THOUSANDS OF $, and I won't be needing a seeing eye dog ! If you value your sight, GET A SECOND OPINION beforehand, and you'll be one of the lucky ones, too. If they remake the Bond movie, Chang would be the perfect DR. NO !
4.5 for Dr. Chang, 1.5 for his staff. They called me the day before surgery and told me to come in an hour earlier, but did not update the surgery time. I waited 1.5 hours *after* I was prepped, until after a person scheduled to arrive 45 minutes after me was done. I changed my mind about the Valium they offered, since I needed to bring my blood pressure down by then.
