Dr. Richard Meister – Premier Laser Eye Surgeon serving Sacramento, Roseville, and Surrounding Areas

Over the years, Dr. Richard Meister has distinguished himself as both an ardent scholar and an exceptional doctor. He began his education at the University of Oklahoma at Norman, earning bachelor’s degrees in zoology and secondary education. From there, he went on to attend post-graduate courses at UC Berkeley while doing research in microsurgery at Mt. Zion Hospital and the Cardiovascular Research Institute at the University of California at San Francisco. He received his bachelor’s degree in Medicine from the University of North Dakota in 1978, and he graduated from the University of California at Davis Medical School two years later. After finishing his internal medicine internship at UCLA’s Harbor General Hospital, he served as Chief Resident at the University of Texas at Houston's prestigious Hermann Eye Center, completing his ophthalmology residency in 1984 after having been voted “Most Outstanding Resident” by his peers.

Dr. Richard Meister established his current practice in 1984, the same year that he became the first surgeon in Northern California to perform radial keratotomy (RK) using the Russian Technique of refractive surgery. In 1993, he once again paved the way for local ophthalmologists when he performed the first automated lamellar keratoplasty (ALK) in the region. This groundbreaking procedure was soon thereafter combined with advanced laser technology, resulting in LASIK. True to form, Dr. Meister was one of the first American doctors to specialize in LASIK, performing the procedure outside of the country beginning in 1994, a full year before use of the excimer laser was even approved by the FDA. Since then, he has performed thousands of laser vision correction procedures both internationally and in the United States, including the first photorefractive keratectomy (PRK) in Sacramento in December 1995.

In 1996, Dr. Meister became the co-medical director and a partner of Pacific Laser Eye Center, where he has since been granted an FDA investigational device exemption (IDE). This allows him to continue to explore surgical applications of the excimer laser before they have been approved for wider usage by the FDA. Always striving to stay ahead of ophthalmologic trends, he was also one of the first surgeons to be trained for procedures involving Intacs (intrastromal corneal ring implants), SRPs (surgical reversal of presbyopia implants, designed to eliminate the need for bifocals or reading glasses), and intraocular phakic contact lens implants.

Dr. Meister receiving VISX Star Award from Dr. Steven Trokel who patented the excimer laser for vision correction.

In recent years, Dr. Richard Meister’s peerless expertise and surpassing work ethic have been acknowledged by his peers and colleagues, culminating in 1999 in his being asked to chair the Quality Assurance Committee of the Council for Refractive Surgery Quality Assurance (CRSQA), an organization that establishes the standards to which other refractive surgeons are held. He was likewise honored with the VISX Star Award for ranking in the top 50 for number of laser eye surgery procedures performed in the United States. After receiving the reward in both 1997 and 1998, he was requested by VISX to become one of the first teaching mentors of their excimer laser. He has also served as an investigator for the CRS LASIK Study (1995) and the Hyperopia and Astigmatism Treatment Study (1999-2002). He is currently an investigator for the LADARWave™ study, as well as an adjunct faculty member at the Southern California College of Optometry in Fullerton.

Dr. Meister is passionate about the advancement of refractive surgery technology. Because of his quest to provide his patients with only the best and most up-to-date care, he has been asked to speak about refractive surgery both by local media and at institutions around the world. Through it all, however, he has remained committed to serving the residents of the greater Sacramento area, continuing to offer them the benefit of his decades of research and experience.

If you are considering having laser eye surgery such as LASIK in Sacramento, Roseville, Citrus Heights, and the surrounding area, contact our office today for a complimentary consult with Dr. Meister, a true pioneer in laser eye surgery.

Ranina Gill, O.D.

Dr. Gill did her undergraduate work at UC Davis in nueropsychophysiology and earned her doctorate of optometry from the Southern California College of Optometry in 2000. She joined Meister Eye and Laser Center in 2005 and splits her time between Meister Eye and Laser Center and a private practice in Davis. Prior to joining the practice, Dr. Gill worked as a managing doctor for a busy practice in Sacramento. She is certified to diagnose and treat many ocular conditions and works closely with Dr. Meister in treating glaucoma patients. Her current clinical interests lie in advances in the treatment and prevention of age related macular degeneration as well as dry eye in peri- and post- menopausal women. In her spare time, Dr. Gill enjoys working with charitable organizations in providing eye care to underserved populations. She also likes to travel with her husband and friends. She hopes to continue her travels for both professional and personal enrichment, learning about history, culture, and of course the cuisine of different nations.

Paul R. Gollender, O.D.

Dr. Gollender, a graduate of University of California Berkeley School of Optometry has worked in ophthalmology and optometry since 1988. He maintains a private practice in Roseville and also shares his time in the practice of Meister Eye and Laser for over eleven years. Prior to joining Dr. Meister's practice, he worked at the equally prestigious Eye Associates of Sebastopol in the North Bay Area for nearly a decade. Dr. Gollender was Internationally Board certified in 1988 to treat eye disease. Later in 2003 he was California State Board certified to treat glaucoma. He is one of only 40 optometrists in California licensed in California to treat glaucoma. Dr. Gollender has lectured extensively throughout the United States on the treatment of glaucoma and other neurological disease including Multiple Sclerosis. He has authored more than 40 publications from 1999-2005. He served on the Sacramento Valley Optometric Society for seven years and was president of the society from 2004-2005. His current clinical interests lie in new glaucoma detection technology, improvement in cataract surgical outcomes especially in patients that have had previous refractive surgeries (including radial keratometry, PRK and LASIK), as well as the management of dry-eyed patients.

Dr. Gollender is married and father of three children. He has been a multi-sport athlete for twenty years and has completed numerous marathons, century rides and over 52 triathlons, including Ironman Canada. He enjoys golfing and playing electric guitar with his two younger children who also play bass and electric guitars.

Laser Eye Surgery - LASIK in Sacramento, near Roseville

Meister Eye & Laser Center has been in private practice for more than 24 years. In those 24 years, we have established ourselves not only as the pre-eminent providers of laser eye surgery, such as LASIK, in Sacramento, Roseville and the surrounding area, but also as among the most trusted and dedicated eye care professionals in all of Northern California. We take pride in being able to offer world-class PRK, LASEK, LASIK and other laser eye surgery to Sacramento, Roseville, Orangevale, Davis, and entire region from our office in Citrus Heights.

In recent years, the popularity of LASIK and other laser eye surgery procedures has led to a proliferation of LASIK centers in Sacramento, Roseville, and across the nation; some are more reputable than others. Choosing a doctor can be a difficult--even frustrating--process. When evaluating the many choices available to you, it is important to bear several questions in mind. For instance, how many years of experience does the surgeon have in LASIK and other procedures? Does that surgeon have a record of consistent success? What sorts of technology does he or she use in-office? Be wary of any laser eye surgery center that places more importance on “low prices” and dubious guarantees of 20/20 vision than on the answers to these vital questions.

At Dr. Richard Meister's laser eye surgery practice in the Sacramento suburb, near Roseville, of Citrus Heights, we are pleased to answer these and any other questions you may have. We invite you to explore our website and to contact us for a complimentary eye care consultation. We welcome the opportunity to discuss your vision treatment options and to show you the difference that experience and leading-edge technology make.