How to Check an Eye Surgeon in Denver: License, Board Certification and Questions to Ask

Who regulates doctors in Colorado

Physicians in Colorado are regulated by the Colorado Medical Board, part of the Division of Professions and Occupations (DPO) within the Department of Regulatory Agencies (DORA). The DPO regulates more than 550,000 licenses, registrations, certifications and permits.

Step 1: Verify the Colorado license

1. Open DPO Online ServicesGo to the state's online services portal (linked below) and choose Verify a Colorado License.
2. Search by nameEnter the surgeon's name as it appears on the practice website or your consultation paperwork.
3. Confirm you have the right personIf several results appear, match the details to what the practice tells you before drawing conclusions.
4. Check the statusThe lookup shows whether the license is active and current.
5. Look for disciplineIt also shows whether there have been any suspensions or disciplinary actions.

Start here: DPO Online Services. The same portal offers downloadable licensee and discipline lists and online complaint filing. The Colorado Virtual Library explains what the license search shows.

Step 2: Confirm board certification

A state license and board certification are separate checks. For eye surgeons, the certifying body is the American Board of Ophthalmology (ABO). Founded in 1916, it was the first US board to certify medical specialists and is one of 24 boards recognized by the American Board of Medical Specialties (ABMS), according to Pearson VUE.

The ABO's physician search is free. You can search by name, location or both, and the result shows certification status and history. The National Eye Institute notes that the ABO also confirms certification free of charge by phone.

If the surgeon isn't an ophthalmologist, as with some surgeons who perform eyelid surgery, use ABMS Certification Matters, a free service for checking certification by any of the 24 ABMS member boards.

What “Board Eligible” means

Board Eligible describes an ophthalmologist who is not yet certified. The ABO allows this status for up to seven years after a surgeon finishes ophthalmology residency. It's a defined status, not a certification, so if a practice uses the term, ask where the surgeon is in the certification process.

Step 3: Ask the right questions at the consultation

Credentials are a minimum, not a ranking. The FDA keeps no registry of doctors and can't refer you to a surgeon, and it says choosing the right patient and the surgeon's experience and skill are “still the most important considerations.” These questions help you judge both:

• How many of this specific procedure have you performed?
• Will you personally perform my surgery and see me at follow-up visits?
• What makes me a good or poor candidate? For laser surgery, the FDA's LASIK checklist covers prescription changes in the last year, large pupils in dim light, thin corneas and dry eyes.
• What are the main risks for my eyes, and how would you handle them?
• If the result isn't what we expected, what happens next, and what does it cost?
• Where will the surgery take place?
• Can I have the full price in writing?

The FDA LASIK checklist is worth printing before a refractive consultation. For procedure-specific questions, see our guides to LASIK, SMILE, PRK and ICL, cataract surgery and eyelid surgery.

Step 4: Understand referrals in Denver

Some routes to a surgeon start with a referral rather than a search. Details come from Kaiser Permanente Colorado, Denver Health, the VA and Children's Hospital Colorado.

• Kaiser Permanente Colorado: a Kaiser retina specialist's profile says retina care usually requires a referral from another eye care provider.
• Denver Health Eye Clinic: accepts ophthalmology referrals from community providers through EpicCare Link; new patients can also book online or by phone at 303-436-4949.
• Veterans: the Rocky Mountain Regional VA Medical Center in Aurora offers ophthalmology, including medical and surgical care for cataracts, glaucoma, macular degeneration and diabetic eye disease.
• Children: Children's Hospital Colorado's Eye Care line is 720-777-5877.

If something goes wrong

You can file a complaint about a Colorado-licensed physician online through DPO Online Services, or contact the Medical Board program at dora_medicalboard@state.co.us. For LASIK injuries, the FDA accepts reports through MedWatch at 1-800-FDA-1088. The FDA doesn't regulate the practice of medicine, so concerns about a doctor's conduct belong with the state board.