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Dr. Stephen Carl Pflugfelder, MD

Accepting New Patients

(Dr. Stephen C. Pflugfelder, M.D.)

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Specializes in: Eye Disease Ophthalmology (Corneal and External Diseases)

SUNY Upstate Medical University

Professional interests include: artificial cornea transplant (keratoprosthesis surgery), dry eye syndrome, refractive surgery (vision correction surgery), and more.

6550 Fannin Street Suite 1501
Houston, TX 77030

(713) 798-6100

Dr. Stephen Carl Pflugfelder, MD is a cornea specialist in Houston, TX specializing in eye disease ophthalmology (corneal and external diseases). He graduated from SUNY Upstate Medical University. Dr. Stephen Carl Pflugfelder, MD is affiliated with Baylor College of Medicine, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, St. Luke's Health, Baylor St. Luke's Medical Center - Houston, TX and The Woodlands Hospital - The Woodlands, TX.

Office Locations

Address:

1977 Butler Boulevard 2nd Floor
Houston, TX 77030

Address:

6550 Fannin Street Suite 1501
Houston, TX 77030

Address:

6565 Fannin Street Nc 205
Houston, TX 77030

Address:

7400 Merton Minter Boulevard South Texas Vhcs (671)
San Antonio, TX 78229

Some issues Dr. Stephen Carl Pflugfelder, MD can help you with:

Eye Problems

Millions of people every year have problems with their eyes. Some of the most common eye problems are refractive disorders, glaucoma, diabetic retinopathy, macular degeneration, and cataracts.

Refractive disorders happen when the shape of the eye doesn't let allow someone focus very precisely. They might be myopic (nearsighted), hyperopic (farsighted), or have an astigmatism, which is a focus problem caused by the cornea. Refractive disorders can be corrected by glasses or contacts.

Glaucoma is the leading cause of blindness in the United States. It happens when fluid pressure builds up within the eye and damages the optic nerve. It is treated with medications and surgery.

Diabetic retinopathy is a common complication of diabetes. The retina is tissue at the back of the eye that is filled with numerous, tiny blood vessels. When diabetes damages these delicate blood vessels, they burst or leak, leading to blind spots and blurred vision. Diabetic retinopathy can be treated with laser therapy and surgery, but often vision cannot be restored.

Macular degeneration is common in older adults. The macula is the central part of the retina and is responsible for crisp center vision. Over time, the cells in the macula begin to die, making central vision blurry. An early symptom of macular degeneration is that straight lines appear wavy.

Cataracts happen when the clear lens in the front of the eye becomes cloudy, making things look blurry or faded. They are extremely common in older people. By age 80, more than half of all Americans will have had a cataract. In early stages, prescription glasses and magnifying lenses can help. As the cataracts get worse, surgery to replace the lens may be the best option.

More than just one of the five senses, the eyes are heavily relied upon to communicate, work, and get around every day. It's important to have regular eye exams for vision stays in good shape for years to come.

In The News (see more mentions in the news)

“"If cells in the glands harden and plug the opening, it can keep the oil from getting into the tear film," says Stephen Pflugfelder, an ophthalmologist in Houston.”—"6 effective dry-eye treatments", Fox News, March 2015

“The wafer is not only less tedious than eye drops, it's more efficient, says Dr. Steven Pflugfelder, a professor of ophthalmology at Baylor College of Medicine in Dallas and an author of a study,...”—"Dissolving Contact Lenses Could Make Eye Drops Disappear", NPR, February 2015

“Power, who spent nearly 22 years at Allergan, including in global dry eye marketing positions, was tapped to head Alacrity after a recommendation by Stephen Pflugfelder, an ophthalmology professor...”—"Former Allergan Exec Heads Eye Drug Startup", Orange County Business Journal, November 2007

capsulotomy	14
doctor visit	51
excision	17
eye procedures	1076
laser treatment	14
removal of lesion (e.g. growth)	17
ultrasound (sonogram)	39

**Gender**
Male	165
Female	387

**Ethnicity**
Non-Hispanic White	466
Black	24
Hispanic	34
Asian	17
Other	11
Native American	0

**Age**
From 65 to 74	216
From 75 to 84	206
85 and over	93
Less than 65	37

doctor visit	109
excision	12
eye procedures	947
removal of lesion (e.g. growth)	12
ultrasound (sonogram)	38

**Gender**
Male	179
Female	399

**Ethnicity**
Non-Hispanic White	485
Black	26
Hispanic	37
Asian	17
Other	13
Native American	0

**Age**
From 65 to 74	230
From 75 to 84	212
85 and over	98
Less than 65	38

Hypertension	61
High Cholesterol	48
Stroke	4
Ischemic Heart Disease	31
Depression	15
Chronic Kidney Disease	18
Asthma	8
Osteoperosis	12
Atrial Fibrilation	10
Heart Failure	14
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease	8
Diabetes	22
Dementia	8
Cancer	12

doctor visit	83
eye procedures	925
lab tests	74
ultrasound (sonogram)	51

**Gender**
Male	338
Female	774

**Ethnicity**
Non-Hispanic White	906
Black	56
Hispanic	76
Asian	46
Other	0
Native American	0

**Age**
From 65 to 74	442
From 75 to 84	418
85 and over	196
Less than 65	56

Hypertension	63
High Cholesterol	50
Stroke	5
Ischemic Heart Disease	31
Depression	15
Chronic Kidney Disease	17
Asthma	9
Osteoperosis	10
Atrial Fibrilation	9
Heart Failure	15
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease	8
Diabetes	24
Dementia	8
Cancer	11

**Gender**
Male	177
Female	394

**Ethnicity**
Non-Hispanic White	477
Black	26
Hispanic	34
Asian	19
Other	0
Native American	0

**Age**
From 65 to 74	245
From 75 to 84	216
85 and over	81
Less than 65	29

Hypertension	64
High Cholesterol	49
Stroke	4
Ischemic Heart Disease	31
Depression	13
Chronic Kidney Disease	18
Asthma	11
Osteoperosis	12
Atrial Fibrilation	10
Heart Failure	15
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease	7
Diabetes	22
Dementia	7
Cancer	11

capsulotomy	25
diagnostic imaging	13
doctor visit	105
excision	10
eye procedures	1053
lab tests	95
laser treatment	25
removal of lesion (e.g. growth)	10
ultrasound (sonogram)	70

**Gender**
Male	193
Female	415

**Ethnicity**
Non-Hispanic White	513
Black	24
Hispanic	27
Asian	22
Other	22
Native American	0

**Age**
From 65 to 74	259
From 75 to 84	235
85 and over	89
Less than 65	25

**Gender**
Male	196
Female	389

**Ethnicity**
Non-Hispanic White	494
Black	21
Hispanic	30
Asian	26
Other	14
Native American	0

**Age**
From 65 to 74	238
From 75 to 84	249
85 and over	77
Less than 65	21

Hypertension	64
High Cholesterol	55
Stroke	5
Ischemic Heart Disease	32
Depression	19
Chronic Kidney Disease	21
Asthma	7
Osteoperosis	14
Atrial Fibrilation	10
Heart Failure	15
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease	7
Diabetes	22
Dementia	8
Cancer	12

capsulotomy	18
excision	17
eye procedures	1064
lab tests	39
laser treatment	18
removal of lesion (e.g. growth)	17
ultrasound (sonogram)	28

**Gender**
Male	201
Female	404

**Ethnicity**
Non-Hispanic White	497
Black	24
Hispanic	39
Asian	31
Other	14
Native American	0

**Age**
From 65 to 74	256
From 75 to 84	246
85 and over	77
Less than 65	26

capsulotomy	18
doctor visit	15
eye procedures	803
laser treatment	18

**Gender**
Male	143
Female	316

**Ethnicity**
Non-Hispanic White	376
Black	17
Hispanic	29
Asian	24
Other	13
Native American	0

**Age**
From 65 to 74	199
From 75 to 84	177
85 and over	65
Less than 65	18

Hypertension	60
High Cholesterol	58
Stroke	5
Ischemic Heart Disease	34
Depression	20
Chronic Kidney Disease	27
Asthma	7
Osteoperosis	17
Atrial Fibrilation	12
Heart Failure	14
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease	7
Diabetes	23
Dementia	7
Cancer	11

capsulotomy	21
doctor visit	44
eye procedures	731
laser treatment	21
ultrasound (sonogram)	23

**Gender**
Male	142
Female	313

**Ethnicity**
Non-Hispanic White	375
Black	0
Hispanic	35
Asian	25
Other	0
Native American	0

**Age**
From 65 to 74	181
From 75 to 84	201
85 and over	55
Less than 65	18

Hypertension	59
High Cholesterol	55
Stroke	3
Ischemic Heart Disease	33
Depression	17
Chronic Kidney Disease	25
Asthma	8
Osteoperosis	18
Atrial Fibrilation	10
Heart Failure	13
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease	8
Diabetes	23
Dementia	8
Cancer	15

capsulotomy	26
doctor visit	65
excision	11
eye procedures	723
laser treatment	26
removal of lesion (e.g. growth)	11
ultrasound (sonogram)	27

**Gender**
Male	127
Female	344

**Ethnicity**
Non-Hispanic White	372
Black	20
Hispanic	28
Asian	29
Other	22
Native American	0

**Age**
From 65 to 74	182
From 75 to 84	206
85 and over	66
Less than 65	17

Hypertension	68
High Cholesterol	71
Stroke	8
Ischemic Heart Disease	24
Depression	15
Chronic Kidney Disease	18
Asthma	11
Osteoperosis	28
Atrial Fibrilation	15
Heart Failure	10
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease	12
Diabetes	24
Dementia	5
Cancer	18

Average Medicare Procedure Volume From 2013 - 2022

Volume of procedures performed by Dr. Stephen Carl Pflugfelder, MD for Medicare patients.

The highest averages for the top procedures that Dr. Stephen Carl Pflugfelder, MD treated as a cornea specialist in Houston, TX were eye procedures, lab tests, ultrasound (sonogram) and capsulotomy.

capsulotomy	20
diagnostic imaging	13
doctor visit	80
excision	13
eye procedures	927
lab tests	76
laser treatment	20
removal of lesion (e.g. growth)	13
ultrasound (sonogram)	42

Average Medicare Patient Data From 2013 - 2022

Information about Medicare patients treated by Dr. Stephen Carl Pflugfelder, MD.

**Gender**
Male	186
Female	413

**Ethnicity**
Black / African American	23
Asian / Pacific Islander	25
Non-Hispanic White	496
Hispanic	36
Native American / Alaskan Native	0
Other	10

**Age**
75 to 84	236
85 and over	89
Less than 65	28
65 to 74	244

Average of Total of Conditions of Medicare patients treated by Dr. Stephen Carl Pflugfelder, MD From 2013 - 2022

The highest averages of the most common conditions of Medicare patients that Dr. Stephen Carl Pflugfelder, MD treated were hypertension, high cholesterol, ischemic heart disease and diabetes.

Hypertension	62
High Cholesterol	53
Stroke	4
Ischemic Heart Disease	31
Depression	16
Chronic Kidney Disease	20
Asthma	8
Osteoporosis	15
Heart Failure	13
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease	8
Diabetes	23
Atrial Fibrillation	10
Cancer	12
Dementia	7

Education & Training

Dr. Stephen Carl Pflugfelder, MD graduated from SUNY Upstate Medical University. He completed residency at Baylor College of Medicine Affiliated Hospitals. He is certified by the American Board of Ophthalmology and has a state license in Texas.

Medical School: SUNY Upstate Medical University

Residency: Baylor College of Medicine Affiliated Hospitals

Board Certification: American Board of Ophthalmology

Licensed In: Texas

Affiliations & Hospitals

Dr. Stephen Carl Pflugfelder, MD is associated with these hospitals and organizations:

Baylor College of Medicine

U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs

St. Luke's Health

Baylor St. Luke's Medical Center - Houston, TX

The Woodlands Hospital - The Woodlands, TX

Ratings & Reviews

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General Payments

These charts describe general payments received by Dr. Stephen Carl Pflugfelder, MD. Doctors may receive payments for a number of reasons, including meal compensation, travel compensation, and consulting.

**Payments by Company**
Allergan Inc.	$172,405 RESTASIS $8,191	LASTACAFT $24	OZURDEX $19	$164,172
Shire North American Group Inc	$70,438 XIIDRA $57,357	$13,081
Kala Pharmaceuticals, Inc.	$55,482 EYSUVIS $36,079	INVELTYS $15,038	$4,365
GlaxoSmithKline, LLC.	$47,556 $47,556
Dompe US, Inc.	$11,400 Oxervate $2,850	$8,550
Other	$51,595 DUPIXENT $7,440	ACTHAR $6,617	VICTUS $5,000	Bromsite $1,415	ATLAS 9000 $500	Other $30,622

**Types of Payments**
Consulting Fee	$349,912
Travel and Lodging	$34,048
Compensation for services other than consulting, including serving as faculty or as a speaker at a venue other than a continuing education program	$10,708
Honoraria	$7,100
Food and Beverage	$7,091
Other	$16

Research Payments

Dr. Stephen Carl Pflugfelder, MD has received 63 research payments totaling $1,976,309.

Biography

Dr. Stephen Pflugfelder is a specialist in eye disease ophthalmology (corneal and external diseases) in Houston, TX and San Antonio, TX. In his practice, he is particularly interested in refractive surgery (vision correction surgery), ocular surface reconstruction, and artificial cornea transplant (keratoprosthesis surgery). He graduated from SUNY Upstate Medical University. Dr. Pflugfelder trained at a hospital affiliated with Baylor College of Medicine for residency. His professional affiliations include St. Luke's Health, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, and Baylor College of Medicine. According to St. Luke's Health, he is currently accepting new patients at his office in Houston, TX.