About

A cornea specialist by training, Frederick Fraunfelder, MD, has expertise in external disease, ocular oncology and refractive surgery.  He is one of the few physicians in Missouri to perform two specialized eye surgeries, DMEK and DSEK. Fraunfelder is the Roy E. Mason and Elizebeth Patee Mason Distinguished Professor and Chair of Ophthalmology.  He also serves as the clinic medical director of the Mason Eye Institute. 

Fraunfelder is an active surgeon and physician-scientist with a robust clinical practice and ongoing research projects. He is the author of more than 125 published articles, book chapters and books, including the recently revised edition of the book Drug-Induced Ocular Side Effects.

Fraunfelder’s research interests include the development of methods for improving the storage of donor corneal tissue, the mechanisms and risk factors for corneal graft rejection, corneal scarring and fibrosis, drug- and vaccine-induced ocular side effects, and the use of liquid nitrogen cryotherapy for eradicating lesions of the eye surface.

Board certified by the American Board of Ophthalmology, Fraunfelder is a member of the prestigious American Ophthalmological Society.

Education & Training

Medical School

Oregon Health & Science University School of Medicine

Residency

Ophthalmology

  • University Of Washington Medical Center

Internal Medicine

  • Providence Portland Medical Center-PRIOR/AH

Fellowship

Cornea, External Disease And Refractive Surgery

  • Oregon Health & Science University-OHSU GME

Boards

American Board of Ophthalmology

Insurances

MU Health Care participates with most major managed care organizations. To find out whether MU Health Care is a participating provider in your insurance plan or network, or for information on co-payments and deductibles, please contact your insurance carrier directly.

In the News

Academic Information

Associate Dean for Faculty Affairs
Chair of Ophthalmology
Roy E. and Elizabeth Patee Mason Distinguished Professorship in Ophthalmology

Research Profile

Recognized internationally as a leading expert on drug-induced ocular side effects, Dr. Fraunfelder is director of the National Registry of Drug-Induced Ocular Side Effects and serves as a consultant to the World Health Organization Uppsala Monitoring Center, Uppsala Sweden. Since 2008 he has served as the chair of the ocular toxicology session of the International Symposium on Ocular Pharmacology and Therapeutics. In addition to a research focus on ocular toxicology, his other research interests include laser vision correction, corneal and external diseases, cryopreservation of corneal transplant tissue, and ocular oncology. Dr. Fraunfelder was recently awarded a Coulter grant for his research on cryopreservation of corneal transplant tissue.

Research Interests

  • Corneal and external diseases including corneal graft rejection, corneal scarring and fibrosis
  • Cryopreservation of corneal transplant tissue
  • Drug and vaccine-induced ocular side effects
  • Laser vision correction
  • Ocular oncology
  • Ocular toxicology

Areas of Expertise

  • Cornea disease
  • Descemet's Stripping Endothelial Keratoplasty (DSEK)
  • Descemet's Membrane Endothelial Keratosplaty (DMEK)
  • Eradicating eye surface lesions with cryotherapy
  • Ocular oncology
  • Refractive surgery

Awards & Honors

  • 2016 Principal Investigator, Long term cryopreservation of corneal transplant tissues. Coulter Grant $125,000.

Publications

Peer-Reviewed Journal Articles - Published

  • Fraunfelder FW, Yang HK.   Association between bortezomib therapy and eyelid chalazia. JAMA Ophthalmology 2016 Jan; 134(1):88-90. 
  • Benage M, Fraunfelder FW. Vaccine-associated uveitis. Missouri Medicine 2016 Jan/Feb; 113(1):48-52.
  • Fraunfelder FW. MU ophthalmology charts a future of growth [editorial]. Missouri Medicine 2016 Jan/Feb; 113(1):39.
  • Fraunfelder FW, Fraunfelder FT. Conjunctival and corneal ulceration associated with nicorandil. Cutaneous and Ocular Toxicology 2014 Jun; 33(2):120-121.
  • Azuma M, Yabuta C, Fraunfelder FW, Shearer TR. Dry eye in LASIK patients. BMC Research Notes 2014 Jul; 7:420.
  • Holt HD, Hinkle DM, Falk NS. Fraunfelder FT, Fraunfelder FW.  Human papilloma virus vaccine associated uveitis.  Current Drug Safety 2014 Mar; 9(1):65-68.
  • Ng JK, Fraunfelder FW, Winthrop KL. Review and update on the epidemiology, clinical presentation, diagnosis, and treatment of fungal keratitis. Current Fungal Infection Reports 2013 Dec; 7(4):293-300.
  • Fraunfelder FW.  Liquid nitrogen cryotherapy of pterygia. Ophthalmology 2013 Oct; 120(10):e70.
  • Tehrani S, Fraunfelder FW. Cryotherapy in ophthalmology. Open Journal of Ophthalmology 2013 Nov; 3(4):103-117.
  • Fraunfelder FW, Fraunfelder FT. Restricting topical ocular chloramphenicol eye drop use in the United States. Did we overreact? American Journal of Ophthalmology 2013 Sep; 156(3): 420-2.
  • Patel M, Fraunfelder FWToxicity of topical ophthalmic anesthetics.  Expert Opinion on Drug Metabolism and Toxicology 2013 Aug; 9(8):983-988.
  • Fraunfelder FW.  Common ocular adverse drug reactions from systemic medications: a review. Ophthalmology International 2013; 8(1):30-33.
  • Winthrop KL, Chen L, Fraunfelder FW, et al. Initiation of anti-TNF therapy and the risk of optic neuritis: from the safety assessment of biologic ThERapy (SABER) Study. American Journal of Ophthalmology 2013 Jan; 155(1):183-189.

Non-Peer Reviewed Articles

  • New research findings prompted updated recommendations: Revised recommendations guide screening for chloroquine, hydroxychloroquine retinopathy. EyeWorld, By Vanessa Caceres, Contributing Writer, Interview of Frederick W. Fraunfelder, 2016.
  • Confessions of a New Chairman on Recruiting. Review of Ophthalmology, By Frederick W. Fraunfelder, 2016.
  • Systemic drugs that can affect the retina: a common treatment for rheumatological disease leads the way. Ophthalmology Management, By Vanessa Caceres, Contributing Editor, Interview of Frederick W. Fraunfelder, 2015.
  • Clinical Update: Medication-Related Visual Hallucinations: What You Need to Know. Eye Net Magazine, By Mary Wade, Contributing Writer, Interview of Frederick W. Fraunfelder, Jerry Jacobson and Bokkwan Jun, 2015.
  • Ocular adverse drug reactions from systemic medications: a review. Ophthalmology International. By Frederick W. Fraunfelder, 2013.
  • Clinical Update: Watch for Ocular Effects of Breast Cancer Drugs. Eye Net Magazine, By Barbara Boughton, Contributing Writer, Interview of K.V. Chalam, Alvin Eisner, and Frederick W. Fraunfelder, 2013.
  • Some Supplements Can Damage Eyes. International News Network, Interview of Frederick W. Fraunfelder, 2013.
  • Questioning the system: a physician’s perspective on perplexing pay for performance programs. The Ophthalmologist, By Frederick W. Fraunfelder and Stevan Whitt, 2017.
  • Molecularly targeted cancer drugs and ocular toxicity. Eye Net Magazine, By Lori Baker-Schena, Contributing Writer, Interview of M. Tariq Bhatti, Frederick W. Fraunfelder, and April K.S. Salama, 2017.
  • Ten pearls for success in ophthalmology fund raising. Ophthalmology Times, By Frederick W. Fraunfelder, 2016.

Peer-Reviewed Journal Articles

  • Hinkle DM, Chancellor JR, Hale BP, Fraunfelder FT, Fraunfelder FW. Tetanus, Diphtheria, and Pertussis Vaccine Associated Uveitis. Journal of Basic and Clinical Pharmacology 2017 [in press].
  • Grillo AP, Fraunfelder FW. Keratitis in association with herpes zoster and varicella vaccines. Drugs of Today 2017 Aug; 53(7):393-397.
  • Jun B, Fraunfelder FW. Atypical optic neuritis after inactivated influenza vaccination. Journal of Neuro-Ophthalmology 2017 Aug;41:1-4.
  • Fraunfelder FW, Raju M, Strohbehn A. Cornea transplant failure associated with smoking. Eye Care and Vision 2017 Jul;1(2):1-5.
  • Fraunfelder FW, Alloju S, Patel M. Liquid nitrogen cryotherapy treatment of herpes simplex epithelial keratitis. Missouri Medicine 2017 Mar/Apr;114(2):129-132.
  • Murugesan R, Chisholm M, Mosa ASM, Shyu C-R, Fraunfelder FW. Investigating risk factors for cataract using Cerner Health Facts® database. Journal of Eye & Cataract Surgery 2017 Feb;3(1):19.
  • Fraunfelder FW. Fundraising in ophthalmology. Journal of Eye & Cataract Surgery 2016 Dec;3(1):15.