Dennis Lockhart, M.D.

Bloomington, LaSall / Peru, Peoria, and Decatur / Forsyth, Illinois

Dr. Dennis Lockhart joined the Gailey Eye Clinic in 1976. Since then, he has built a reputation as one of Illinois' most progressive and cutting-edge ocular surgeons. He was the first surgeon in Central Illinois to perform a vitrectomy, and also one of the first surgeons in Central Illinois to receive training in radial keratotomy. He started performing keratotomy in 1982.

He also performed astigmatic keratotomy and automated lamellar keratectomy (ALK), a procedure which can correct nearsightedness and farsightedness. In January 1996, he became one of the first eye surgeons in Central Illinois to perform photorefractive keratectomy (PRK), a procedure which uses a laser beam to correct a number of different eye disorders, nearsightedness, farsightedness and astigmatism.

Educational background

Dr. Lockhart began his higher education at the University of Akron, where he majored in chemistry and biology and minored in speech communication. He then went on for a master's degree in cellular physiology with an emphasis in biochemistry. During his master's training, he taught human physiology at the college level, and while still a graduate student, received a grant from the National Dental Association to explore the realm of oral adhesives. In conjunction with this research, Dr. Lockhart and Dr. Roger Keller were responsible for presenting multiple national and international papers on dental adhesives. The International Academy of Science invited him to New York to present his research findings to an international audience.

During his junior year of pursuing his medical degree at Loma Linda University in Southern California, Dr. Lockhart was invited to join the Alpha Omega Alpha academic honor society. He then accepted a medical internship sponsored by Johns Hopkins University and the U.S. Public Health Service in Baltimore, Maryland. In the year that followed, he received extensive training in various medical sub-specialties as well as emergency room care.

After his internship, he accepted a three year residency at the University of Minnesota, where he received special training in retinal and vitreous surgery. Dr. Lockhart holds the distinction of being the first resident in the university's history to implant an intraocular lens. In his senior year, he was honored to be offered the position of Chief of Staff of the ophthalmology department at the Veterans Hospital in Minnesota.

Although Dr. Lockhart has chosen to specialize in refractive surgery and cataract surgery, he maintains a large general ophthalmology practice. He performs the most modern cataract surgery using phacoemulsification, a procedure that uses a foldable implant, and no shot, no stitch, closure, or patch. He offers his senior cataract population the options of Premium Vision lenses, Continuous Vision lenses and Monofocal lenses to correct their visual disorders. In fact, in 1989, he was the first ophthalmologist in Central Illinois to use a foldable silicone implant. Dr. Lockhart offers his presbyopic patients the option of NearVision CK. He also frequently uses laser surgery to treat his diabetic and glaucoma patients.

Dr. Lockhart's memberships

• American Association of Ophthalmology (AAO)
• MAMA McLean Area Medical Association
• International Society of Refractive Surgeons (ISRS)
• McLean County Medical Society
• American Society of Cataract & Refractive Surgeons (ASCRS)
• The Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology
• Illinois Society for Prevention of Blindness
• President of BroMenn Watson Gailey Eye Bank Foundation

Hospital affiliations and staff membership

• BroMenn Medical Center
• Bloomington Eye Institute
• Illinois Valley Community Hospital

Dr. Lockhart enjoys spending time with his family and grandsons. His hobbies include water-skiing, running, working out, and watching the Pittsburgh Steelers.

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