Dr. Bobby Maddox, an ophthalmologist (MD eye surgeon) practicing in El Paso, Texas, since 1975, has always been a pioneer in bringing new technology to benefit his patients. He routinely chose small incision phacoemulsification surgery (ultrasonic fragmentation) for his cataract patients more than a decade before other surgeons in the area. In 1982, he established the first in-office outpatient surgery center in El Paso specifically designed for phacoemulsification of cataracts with intraocular lens implant, a procedure now widely used throughout the world as the procedure of choice for cataract surgery. He pioneered and brought the first Excimer Laser for laser refractive surgery into the country of Mexico in August of 1991 and therefore, established the first excimer laser center for refractive surgery in the El Paso area. He is one of the rare American physicians with a license to practice medicine and eye surgery both in Mexico and the United States. At the present time, Dr. Maddox is performing all laser surgeries in his laser center in El Paso.

Dr. Maddox was born in Austin, Texas, and has spent most of his life in El Paso. As one of the great football legends of the El Paso High Tigers, he received the prestigious Ralph Marmolejo award from El Paso High for his outstanding performance at quarterback, punter, and safety. Along with his athletic prowess in football and track-and-field at El Paso High, Dr. Maddox competed in bodybuilding competitions as well, once capturing third place in the Mr. El Paso contest. Dr. Maddox has continued his lifelong interest in maintaining a strong physical fitness as well as a strong spiritual fitness. He and his family have dedicated themselves and their work to the honor and glory of God through His Son, Jesus Christ. His office is filled with reminders that God is there to carry us through our difficulties and to show us His love, if we would only ask Him, in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.

Dr. Maddox received his medical training and his Doctor of Medicine degree (MD) from the University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston, Texas in 1970. After a one year rotating internship in Austin, Texas at Brackenridge Hospital, where he delivered babies, and performed a pediatric, medicine, and emergency room rotation, he completed a 3-year Residency program in Ophthalmology (diagnosis of eye diseases and eye surgery) at Brown University and Rhode Island Hospital in Providence, Rhode Island. There is a huge confusion between the training of an optometrist (OD) and ophthalmologist (MD) and both are called “eye doctors” by the general public. The primary difference in training is the ophthalmologist (MD) first goes through medical school and earns and MD degree, 1 year hospital internship, and then enters 3 to 4 year residency hospital training program in eye surgery, diagnosis and treatment of eye diseases, contact lenses, and glasses prescriptions. The ophthalmologist (MD) is trained in his or her hospital residency training program just as other medical and surgical sub-specialties, such as a heart surgeon, brain surgeon, orthopedic surgeon, internal medicine, pediatrics, etc. The optometrist or doctor of optometry (OD) goes to optometry school just like a pharmacist goes to pharmacy school and does not attend medical school and does not complete a 3 to 4 year comprehensive in hospital training program, as does the MD ophthalmologist. As a consequence, the optometrist is not trained to perform eye surgery such as LASIK, cataract surgery, cosmetic eyelid surgery, etc. Even though both are referred to as “eye doctors”, there is a major difference in educational background and training.

After Dr. Maddox completed his in-hospital surgical eye residency training program, he was then awarded a Fellowship grant from the National Institutes of Health to participate in a study of the argon and Xenon laser surgery for the treatment of diabetic retinopathy, or retinal bleeding, which can lead to blindness. The year he spent treating and following the progress of diabetic patients at the famous Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary in Boston, Massachusetts provided him with an invaluable experience in laser eye surgery that he continues to use for the benefit of his patients. His love for the border and the international culture of El Paso brought him back to El Paso, where he established his private practice in 1975. In 1981, Dr. Maddox was certified by the American Board of Ophthalmology, and is a Fellow of the American Academy of Ophthalmology.

Because of his commitment to use his profession to serve God, he has always found time to take care of the indigent citizens of El Paso and many communities in Mexico. His dedication to assist the poor has resulted in his receiving special commendation from several governmental authorities and media organizations in Mexico, and culminated in his being presented the Conquistador Award by the Mayor and City Council of El Paso -- the highest honor the city can bestow on an individual. His reputation for quality in the care of his patients resulted in his being invited to become a member of the Society for Excellence in Eye Care, a national organization of highly skilled eye surgeons, and was chosen to be a Fellow of the Society for Excellence in Eye Care as well as being invited by the International Institute for Advanced Laser Surgery to become a member of its five-member International Advisory Board for Excimer Laser Surgery. In 1999, Summit Technology recognized Dr. Maddox as a “Pioneer in Refractive Surgery” at the annual meeting of the International LASIK Society.

Dr. Maddox is also an internationally recognized educator, having addressed the 8th Congress of Ophthalmology in Lima, Peru, and the Third National Symposium of Optometry in Juarez, Mexico. In 1984, he participated in instructing other ophthalmologists, including some of his own former instructors, at an intensive course on Advanced Techniques in Cataract Surgery and Phacoemulsification, jointly sponsored in Philadelphia by the American Academy of Ophthalmology, Heinemann University, Temple University School of Medicine, Scheie Eye Institute, and Wills Eye Hospital. His publications include articles detailing his technique for removing difficult cortical material during cataract surgery, published in Ocular Surgery News, as well as extensive patient educational materials. In 1996, Dr. Maddox discovered a new and very important post-LASIK syndrome which he named Sands of the Sahara, or SOS, later referred to by others as DLK (diffuse lamellar keratitis). He has also served on physician educational panels, and he has contributed videos of his own surgical techniques to be used as instructional videos for the libraries of several major suppliers of ophthalmic surgery products. He has in the past conducted a nationwide series of physician certification seminars in postoperative care following Excimer Laser Photorefractive surgery for the correction of myopia, hyperopia, and astigmatism.

His love of his profession and his dedication and commitment to the well-being of his patients has always led Dr. Maddox to be a pioneer in bringing his patients the best medical advances and medical technology science has to offer. He began offering Radial Keratotomy to his patients in 1982. In 1989, when he learned of the exciting results of early European and FDA studies of the Excimer Laser for correcting nearsightedness, he wanted to bring this revolutionary technology to his patients. All 64 clinical sites designated for the FDA studies in the U.S. were already assigned, and no new sites were being allowed. So, Dr. Maddox sought to take advantage of the international character of El Paso and began an intensive 2-year process to receive a medical license in Mexico and to establish a clinical study for Mexico similar to the FDA study in the United States.

Dr. Maddox began working with the federal regulatory agencies in Mexico City in December 1989, to establish an Excimer Laser Center in Juarez, Mexico for the purpose of performing excimer laser surgery for the correction of myopia, hyperopia, and astigmatism. Dr. Maddox made a commitment to establish all aspects of the laser center in complete accordance and compliance with the laws of Mexico. In order to be totally within the regulations of the Ministry of Health and all other governmental agencies of Mexico, Dr. Maddox chose to apply for a license to practice medicine in Mexico. After fourteen months, he fulfilled all of the requirements for licensure and, in January 1991, he was granted his license to practice ophthalmology. The final step to establishment of the excimer laser center was completed in August 1991, and the Excimer Laser Center began operations in January 1992. After Dr. Maddox was awarded his license to practice ophthalmology in Mexico, he was also granted a permit by the Ministry of Health to establish an excimer laser site in Juarez, using the excimer laser system manufactured by Summit Technology, Inc., of Waltham, Massachusetts. Both the Ministry of Health and the Mexican Society of Ophthalmology in Mexico approved Dr. Maddox to perform excimer laser surgery and to conduct clinical studies for the Ministry of Health, as well as the protocol developed by Dr. Maddox for the studies to be conducted. These studies substantiated for Mexico the safety, predictability and efficacy of the 193-nanometer excimer laser in correcting refractive insufficiency of the cornea, as previously established in other worldwide studies. Millions of patients have undergone excimer laser surgery in countries throughout the world.

In the past, Dr. Maddox had two excimer laser systems, one at our El Paso laser center and one in our Juarez, Mexico laser center. However, after 17 years in Mexico, Dr. Maddox closed the Juarez, Mexico laser center and at the present time does all laser procedures at his laser center in El Paso. Procedures performed at our laser center in El Paso include diabetic retinopathy, as well as cataract, cosmetic eyelid surgery for puffy eyelids, Botox, and dermal fillers for wrinkles and facial rejuvenation. He also performs routine eye examinations and gives out glasses prescriptions at our new El Paso laser center. (Click here for contact information).

At The Maddox Laser Eye Center we have 4 different lasers used for 4 different types of procedures. Dr. Maddox presently performs all preoperative measurements himself. He does the complete workup, surgery, and all post-op follow-up visits. He spends quality time with each individual patient and is well known for his quality time bedside manner, making sure that the patient, a family member, and the doctor are on the same page. This is why he cordially invites a family member to accompany the patient so that all can get the information directly from Dr. Maddox and thereby avoid any miscommunication.