Founder and attending surgeon at Minnesota Eye Consultants, Adjunct Clinical Professor Emeritus at the University of Minnesota Department of Ophthalmology, Associate Director: Minnesota Lions Eye Bank, Board Member: University of Minnesota Foundation, and Visiting Professor: UC Irvine: Gavin Herbert Eye Institute. Dr. Lindstrom is a board-certified ophthalmologist and internationally recognized leader in corneal, cataract, refractive and laser surgery. He has been at the forefront of ophthalmology’s evolutionary changes throughout his career, as a recognized researcher, teacher, inventor, writer, lecturer and highly acclaimed physician and surgeon.
About Richard L. Lindstrom
After graduating Magna Cum Laude from the College of Liberal Arts at the University of Minnesota, Dr. Lindstrom completed his doctorate degree in medicine in 1972. He conducted research, residency and a one year fellowship training in cornea and external diseases at the University of Minnesota and affiliated hospitals and extended his anterior segment surgery fellowship training at Mary Shiels Hospital in Dallas, Texas for 6 months. He then served as a Heed Fellow in Glaucoma at University Hospital in Salt Lake City for 6 months. In 1980, Dr. Lindstrom returned to the University of Minnesota, where he spent ten years on the faculty of the Department of Ophthalmology, the last years as a full professor and the Harold G. Scheie Research Chair. He continues as Adjunct Professor Emeritus, Chairman of the Vision Foundation, and Associate Director of the Minnesota Lions Eye Bank at the University of Minnesota. He entered private practice in 1989, and has led the growth and expansion of Minnesota Eye Consultants serving as managing partner for 15 years.
Dr. Lindstrom is medical director of Sightpath Medical, Co-Medical Director of TLC Vision, Co-Medical Director of Precision Lens, and Medical Director of Refractec. He is Chief Medical Editor of the USA and International editions of Ocular Surgery News, which reaches over 82,000 ophthalmologists worldwide.
Dr. Lindstrom is Past President of the American Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgeons and the International Intraocular Implant Club. He currently serves on the Governing Board and is the Chair of the ASCRS Foundation. He is also Past President of the International Society of Refractive Surgery and the International Refractive Surgery Club. He is currently the Global Education Liaison of the International Society of Refractive Surgery of the American Academy of Ophthalmology.
He is Chairman and CEO of Lindstrom Restoration and Environmental Services, a three-generation family business. He has endowed funds supporting the University of Minnesota, Department of Ophthalmology, the Eye Bank Association of America, and the University of Minnesota Tennis Team.
Dr. Lindstrom holds over 38 patents in ophthalmology and has developed a number of solutions, intraocular lenses and instruments that are used in clinical practices globally. He serves on the Board of Directors of several publicly traded and private companies including AcuFocus, Inc, TLC Vision, Sightpath, TearLab Corporation, Wavetec, Onpoint Medical Diagnostics, Revitalvision, Eyestore, Strathspey Crown, Refractec, the public foundations including the University of Minnesota Foundation, ASCRS Foundation and Inner City Tennis. Dr. Lindstrom consults widely for major companies including Alcon, Abbott Medical Optics, and Bausch + Lomb as well as start up and early stage companies. He is a venture affiliate at Versant Ventures and a consultant to Schroeder Venture Life Sciences. He has served as a source of early stage Angel Capital for 60 start up companies.
A frequent lecturer throughout the world on cornea, external diseases, cataract, refractive surgery, and glaucoma, he has presented over 40 named lectures and keynote speeches before professional societies in the U.S. and abroad, including the Binkhorst and Innovator Lectures at ASCRS, The Barraquer and Lans Lectures at ISRS, The IIIC Medal Lecture, the Blumenthal Memorial Lecture in Jerusalem, Israel, the Benedetto Strampelli Medal Lecture in Rome, Italy, and the Albrecht von Garefe-Vorlesung Innovator’s Lecture in Nuremberg, Germany. He has received the Lifetime Achievement Award of the American Academy of Ophthalmology and The International Society of Refractive Surgery.
Dr. Lindstrom serves on a number of Journal editorial boards, including JCRS and JRS. He is the Honorary Editor-in-Chief of the U.S./Chinese Journal of Ophthalmology. He has co-edited ten books, published over 350 peer reviewed journal articles and 60 book chapters. His professional affiliations are extensive.
He is the recipient of numerous awards for distinguished service by national and international ophthalmology associations, including again Lifetime Achievement Award from the International Society of Refractive Surgery in 1995 and 2002, the American Academy of Ophthalmology Lifetime Achievement Award in 2007, the Bausch and Lomb Lifetime Achievement Award in 2005, Benjamin F. Boyd Humanitarian Award in 2000, and the Paton Award and NACT from the Eye Bank Association of America.
Dr. Lindstrom lives in Minneapolis on the shores of Lake Minnetonka with his wife Jaci and has two children and 4 grandchildren.
Credentials
Education & Training
- 1969
- Undergraduate School
- Mary Shields Eye Hospital|university Hospital
- Fellowship Hospital, 1979
- University Of Minnesota
- Residency Hospital, 1977
- University Of Minnesota / Twin Cities Campus
- Residency Hospital, 1977
- Abbott-northwestern Medical Center
- Internship Hospital, 1973
- University Of Minnesota Medical School
- Medical School, 1972
Languages
English
Memberships & Affiliations
- Adjunct Clinical Professor Emeritus, University of Minnesota Department of Ophthalmology
- Visiting Professor, UC Irvine Gavin Herbert Eye Institute
- Chairman, Vision Foundation
- Board Director, University of Minnesota Foundation
- Associate Director, Lions Gift of Sight
Awards & Recognition
American Board of Medical Specialties®
American Board of Ophthalmology®
What patients say
Reviews & ratings
Patient Reviews
No reviews yetReviews for Minnesota Eye Consultants
★★★★★4.81,589 reviewsGoogle reviews for Minnesota Eye Consultants, the practice associated with Dr. Richard L. Lindstrom. Reviews describe the practice and may mention other providers at this location.View all Google reviews at this practice
- Response from the ownerWe appreciate your 5-star review!
Very friendly, Answer all my questions I had. Would recommend did a great check on my eyes after my surgery. Thanks very much
Response from the ownerYour positive feedback is greatly appreciated! Our team is dedicated to providing thorough attention and ensuring all inquiries are fully addressed. We are grateful for your recommendation to others.My Name is Dora Marie Pariseau, I have been given the better gift of sight, by Doctors who care to help others, With God's Help, Blessings goes to the Helpers who makes a difference in the world.
Response from the ownerYour heartfelt message is deeply appreciated! We are truly inspired by your sentiments and are committed to making a positive difference for all individuals. Our staff consistently strives to deliver supportive assistance.First appointment and everything went great.
Response from the ownerWe are delighted to receive your positive remarks! Ensuring a smooth and pleasant initial engagement for everyone is very important to us. Our team works diligently to provide excellent service.I really enjoy the team within Minnesota Eye Consultants. They’re always friendly and understanding as I have pretty bad anxiety when it comes to eye appointments. They’re always friendly are patient, friendly, caring and don’t rush the appointment. I plan on continuing my eye appointments with this company.
Response from the ownerYour glowing feedback is truly valued! We are so pleased to learn that our team's supportive approach helps ease concerns. Creating a calm and reassuring atmosphere for all individuals is a core principle for us, and we are glad that commitment is evident.Terrible service. Charged $530 for contact lense fittings, didn't get any contacts, and they refuse to give me the actual prescription without paying another $330 for another appointment. So for $530, I still have no contacts and no prescription to take somewhere else. They refuse to bill my insurance and want me to pay out of pocket (likely because they know if they billed my insurance it will be fraud). If you need to talk to administration for any type of help, good luck. Have been trying to get someone on the phone for more than 6 months. After emailing, they still refuse to talk. They only respond to Google reviews. If you want good healthcare, go anywhere else. Submitting an official complaint to Attorney General and Minnesota board of optometry. Maybe they will respond to them. Their billing is incorrect and they will try to bait you into more cost without transparency. Very unethical and very poor medical care. Update: I have been in email communication with you. You have replied a couple times and refuse to talk to me on the phone. I have emailed you my insurance information, you refuse to acknowledge you received my insurance, and you stopped responding to emails. I have a paper trail to send to the authorities. Your Google responses are ridiculous. I find it fascinating that you respond to my Google review within a week and yet I have been waiting for a response to my last email, with insurance, for many weeks. I pay almost $1,000 a month for insurance and yet you refuse to submit my last $330 contact lens fitting appointment to insurance.
Response from the ownerWe sincerely regret the considerable difficulties and frustrations you have experienced regarding our services and billing. We understand your concerns about pricing clarity and the challenges in reaching our administration. Our practice is dedicated to ethical conduct and providing transparent information. We are thoroughly reviewing our procedures and communication channels to rectify these serious matters and ensure a more positive process for all. Your detailed feedback is invaluable as we continuously strive to enhance our operations. Please contact our office to discuss your concerns further. We are eager to address any issues you may have and work towards a resolution.I only saw this doctor for about 5 minutes. He seemed very nice and competent . Hard to tell in that short of time.
Response from the ownerWe value your feedback concerning our healthcare professionals. We understand that time can sometimes feel limited, and we continuously work to ensure every individual receives thorough attention. Our team is dedicated to providing comprehensive and compassionate service.- Response from the ownerYour 5-star review is appreciated!
The staff were all friendly; however, I felt that the doctor I saw couldn't have cared less about my well-being, which had a devastating impact on my life. I had cataract surgery here a year ago when I was only 42 years old. After the diagnosis, the doctor spent about three minutes discussing the diagnosis and the surgery with me. Without knowing the expected outcome and fully understanding all the options I had, the surgery was scheduled and performed on my right eye. The result is, ever since the surgery, my two eyes have never worked well together. My unoperated eye still sees well, but my operated eye only has clear vision at a specific distance, and I have never been told what that distance would be up to this point and how that would impact my life. As a result, I cannot see my computer screen clearly with my operated eye. Since I spend most of my day working in front of a computer and expect to continue working this way for the next 20 years, you can imagine how frustrating it has been to experience this after undergoing a permanent surgery. Now, only a year and half later, my operated eye has developed posterior capsule opacification (PCO), and my vision is becoming blurry again. If I cover my unoperated eye, I can't read the text on the screen. Cataract surgery may be routine for a surgeon, but for a patient, the outcome can have life-changing consequences, especially when it is performed at a relatively young age. I felt that the doctor was too busy to take the time to understand my individual situation, which resulted in this unfortunate experience.
Response from the ownerWe are truly sorry to learn of your profound dissatisfaction. We understand that significant health decisions carry immense personal weight, and we regret that you feel unheard regarding such important matters. Our commitment is to ensure every individual receives comprehensive information and feels fully supported in their choices. We are reviewing our processes to ensure clearer communication and greater empathy are consistently provided. Please contact our office to discuss your concerns further. We are eager to address any issues you may have and work towards a resolution.- Response from the ownerWe appreciate your 5-star review!
