Charles A. Kirby, M.D., F.A.C.S.
Dr. Kirby is a native of Oak Ridge, Tennessee. He received his undergraduate education at the University of Tennessee in Knoxville where he was the top graduate in the College of Engineering. His medical education was at the University of Tennessee Health Science Center in Memphis. He did his internship at the Methodist Hospital in Memphis, Tennessee. His residency in Ophthalmology was done at the prestigious combined program at the University of Alabama-Birmingham and the Eye Foundation Hospital in Birmingham.
He was certified by The American Board of Ophthalmology at the earliest possible date in 1983. In 1985, he was named a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons. Dr. Kirby is the only surgeon in Chattanooga to have certification by the American Board of Eye Surgery in Cataract and Implant surgery. He taught surgery to ophthalmology residents at the University of Tennessee Health Science Center - Chattanooga Unit.
Dr. Kirby feels the greatest honor he has received was to be chosen as the “Doctor’s Doctor” in ophthalmology by his peers in 1993. What more can you say!
Dr. Kirby began performing small incision cataract and implant surgery in 1981. He has performed thousands of these surgeries. In 1997, he began implanting the multifocal implants with great success. The newer Toric implants recently approved in 2011 allow Dr. Kirby to now correct large amounts of astigmatism which could not previously be corrected at the time of cataract and implant surgery.
Dr. Kirby began doing refractive surgery in 1985. He was able to correct myopia with Radial Keratotomy and astigmatism with Astigmatic Keratotomy. With the FDA approval of Excimer Laser, he began correcting myopia by doing LASIK surgery. When correction of astigmatism and hyperopia was approved by the FDA, Dr. Kirby began doing LASIK to correct both. He has many years experience with LASIK, having learned the technique from Dr. Charles Casebeer who was instrumental in getting FDA approval of LASIK.
Dr. Kirby also does numerous oculoplastic surgical procedures due to his training with Alston Calahan, M.D., F.A.C.S. at the Eye Foundation Hospital in Birmingham. Dr. Calahan was one of the early pioneers in the sub-specialty of ophthalmic plastic surgery.
Dr. Kirby also has extensive experience in the diagnosis, management, and treatment of glaucoma due to his training with Ralph F. Levine at the Eye Foundation Hospital in Birmingham. Dr. Levine was an early proponent of treatment of normal tension glaucoma.
Dr. Kirby and the clinical staff of the Chattanooga Eye Institute are proud of their contribution to medical science through their participation in numerous clinical studies. They have been involved in studies to obtain FDA approval for various drugs and lasers to treat dry eyes, post operative inflammation, glaucoma, and blepharospasms.
Dr. Kirby is a member of numerous professional organizations including, ChattanoogaMedical Association, Tennessee Medical Association, American Medical Association, American Academy of Ophthalmology, Tennessee, and the Tennessee Academy of Ophthalmology. He is also a member of the Board of Directors, the Executive Committee, and the Grant Committee of the Chattanooga Ophthalmological Foundation.