Craig Berger, MD

Tampa ophthalmologist Craig Berger, MDCraig Berger, MD opened the Bay Area Eye Institute in 2007, specializing in the treatment of Dry Eye Disease, cataract and cornea transplant surgery.

Dr. Berger, a Board Certified fellowship trained ophthalmic surgeon grew up in Leesburg, FL. He received his bachelor’s degree in chemistry from the University of Florida and received his Doctorate of Medicine degree from the University Of South Florida College Of Medicine in 1995.

He completed his internship at the Mayo Clinic in 1996 and his ophthalmology residency at the Tulane School of Medicine. He spent an additional year at Tulane for sub-specialty training in Cornea and Refractive Surgery. During his Corneal Fellowship, Dr. Berger was involved in the first studies of wavefront guided laser surgery (CustomCornea®) in the United States. He was also involved in the first efficacy and safety studies of Restasis® in patients with dry eye.

She is here!!! Shaylin Dale Berger was born on Sunday, February 1st, 2009.
Click for photosIn 2000, Dr. Berger returned to Tampa to take a position as a fulltime Assistant Professor of Ophthalmology at the University of South Florida Eye Institute. Since then, Dr. Berger has held the position of Business Integrity Officer of the USF Department of Ophthalmology. As a fulltime professor, he has had the privilege of teaching other doctors how to perform cataract, pterygium and cornea transplant surgery. Many of these former students of Dr. Berger are in practice here in the Tampa bay area. Since 2000, Dr. Berger has spent at least one half day a week treating American veterans at the James A Haley Veterans Administration Hospital.

He is board certified by the American Board of Ophthalmology and is a member of multiple local and national professional societies including American Academy of Ophthalmology, American Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgery, and Tampa Bay Ophthalmology Society, Florida Society of Ophthalmology and the Florida Medical Association. Dr. Berger has held the position of Chief of the Ophthalmology section for Tampa General Hospital since 2004. In 2007 and 2012, Dr Berger was named to the Best Doctors in America® database and was awarded the Surgical Teacher of the Year Award by the University of South Florida Department of Ophthalmology in 2008.

Dr. Berger opened the Bay Area Eye Institute in 2007 in order to provide comprehensive eye care specializing in the treatment of dry eye disease, corneal and cataract surgery. Dr. Berger has performed a wide variety of refractive surgeries, including PRK, LASIK, INTACS and no injection, sutureless cataract surgery. He is proud to be one of the first cornea surgeons in the Tampa Bay area to offer the latest advance in cornea transplant surgery, Descemet’s Stripping Automated Endothelial Keratoplasty (DSAEK). He is currently accepting new patients, consults and second opinions with available appointments within 2-3 days. Emergency patients can often be seen the same day. Dr. Berger also works very closely with the Tampa Bay area optometrists.

Dr. Berger in the News

Tampa Bay Medical News features Dr. Berger in their Physician Spotlight article.

What Dr. Berger’s patients are saying

“I would recommend, to any person considering this kind of surgery, Dr. Berger.  He is the doctor to choose for an excellent outcome.”

“I cried after the surgery when I realized how clear everything was and seeing what I was missing. At my follow-up appointment, I could see 20/20 for the first time in my life.”

“Dr. Berger did such a remarkable job that I don’t have to wear glasses for distance anymore.  The staff at Bay Area Eye Institute couldn’t have been any more experienced and professional.”

I was referred to Dr. Berger by my optometrist. I called his office and had an appointment within a week. I had Fuch’s Dystrophy, pseudoexfoliation syndrome, and a cataract in my right eye.

Dr. Berger did a partial cornea transplant (DSAEK) and a cataract surgery with implant. The surgery was a success, as was my recovery. Within 6 weeks, I had 20/40 vision.

I had no pain…The office and staff treated me promptly and with great respect. I will forever be grateful to them but especially Dr. Berger for a job very well done. The gift of sight is so precious…. I really feel he has given me back my life!

Dr. Berger is truly professional and an asset to the medical profession. Any questions I had concerning my cataract surgery were answered in detail and in words I could understand.

The courteous administrative staff made scheduling for the initial consultation, surgery and follow-up appointments effortless. Every attempt was made to accommodate my schedule and all done with a smile.

I am a pleased patient and the best part is I CAN SEE!

Amazing. The best thing I ever did!

I also want to commend Dr. Berger on his office staff and the staff at the Brandon Ambulatory Surgery Center for their professionalism efficiency and friendliness. Everyone has been great.