Stark, Walter J.

Walter J. Stark, M.D.

Dr. Walter J. Stark is Distinguished Professor of Ophthalmology and Director of the Stark-Mosher Center for Cataract and Corneal Diseases of The Wilmer Eye Institute at The Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions. He received his medical degree from the University of Oklahoma School of Medicine in 1967, and he completed an internship at the Duke University Hospital in 1968 and his residency training in ophthalmology at Wilmer in 1971. For two years, he was a Clinical Associate conducting research at the National Eye Institute and the National Institutes of Health. He joined the faculty at Wilmer in 1973 and was appointed Professor of Ophthalmology at Johns Hopkins and Director of the Corneal and Cataract Services of Wilmer in 1982.

Dr. Stark is an internationally recognized leader in the area of corneal transplantation, use of the excimer laser, and intraocular lens implantation for rehabilitation of patients with visual disability. He has served as visiting professor at many universities in the United States and abroad and has trained numerous ophthalmologists who have become leaders in this field. In addition, he was instrumental in the development of the Medical Eye Bank of Maryland and Tissue Banks International, both of which have the goal of alleviating blindness caused by corneal disease. Dr. Stark is currently Medical Director of the Medical Eye Bank of Maryland and Director of the Medical Board of Directors at Tissue Banks International.

In addition to his current positions at Johns Hopkins, Dr. Stark is a consultant to and former chairman of the Ophthalmic Devices Panel of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. He has also served as a consultant to the National Eye Institute and the National Naval Medical Center and is a member of the board of trustees of the Oklahoma Eye Foundation at the Dean A. McGee Eye Institute. Dr. Stark was associate editor of Archives of Ophthalmology, an American Medical Association publication, and has served on the editorial board of many ophthalmology journals. He is the author of five textbooks and has published more than 400 articles in peer-reviewed journals.

Dr. Stark received a special citation from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration Commissioner for his “Expert and Precedent-Setting Medical and Scientific Ophthalmic Device Advice to the FDA.” He is a recipient of the Honor and Senior Honor Awards of the American Academy of Ophthalmology. In 2003, the Academy recognized Dr. Stark once again with its Life Achievement Honor Award.

In 2004, Dr. Stark was honored at the dedication and naming of the Walter J. Stark, M.D., and Margaret C. Mosher Center for Cataract and Corneal Diseases. The Center was made possible through the generous donation of his long-time friend and former patient, the late Margaret C. Mosher. The naming of this Center is one of Dr. Stark’s most treasured honors.

Current Address

The Wilmer Ophthalmological Institute
The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine
600 N. Wolfe Street
Baltimore, MD, 21287-9238

Phone: (410) 955-5490
Fax:(410) 614-9172
Email: wstark@jhmi.edu

Awards

• Comissioner's Special citation for "Expert and Precedent-setting Medical and Scientific Ophthalmic
• Device Advice to FDA, Often During Periods of Controversy." -Food And Drug Administration, 1983
• First Visiting Professor of Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center, Sun Yat-sen University of Medical Sciences, Guangzhou, The People's Republic of China, 1986-1988
• National Institutes of Health, Principal Investigator, Chairman's Grant: Corneal Transplantation Studies (CCTS) 1U01 EY-06172, 1985-1993 $140,670 (Direct costs)
• National Institutes of Health, Principal Investigator, Clinical Center: Corneal Transplantation Studies (CCTS) 1UO1 EY-06155, 1985-1992 $739,817 (Direct costs)
• Senior Honor Award Recipient- American Acadamy of Ophthalmology, 1991

Current Research

• Excimer laser use in ophthalmology
• Histocompatibility antigens in keratoplasty
• Advances in cataract, glaucoma, and Intraocular lens surgery

Education

• Davidson College, 1960-1961
• University of Oklaholma, 1961-1963
• University of Oklaholma School of Medicine, 1963-1967
• Duke University (Internship) 1967-1968
• Wilmer Eye Institute (Residency) 1968-1971
• Clinical Associate, National Eye Institute, 1971-1973

Appointments

• Professor Of Ophthalmology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, 1982-Present
• Director of the Corneal Service, The Wilmer Institute, 1975-Present