Dr. Kristen Hawthorne was born in Dallas, Texas and is excited to be returning to her home state to practice ophthalmology. In addition to practicing general ophthalmology, Dr. Hawthorne is a fellowship trained ophthalmologist specializing in LASIK, complicated cataract surgery and corneal diseases of the eye.

Dr. Hawthorne completed her undergraduate work at Clemson University where she graduated Magna cum Laude in Biochemistry. After studying abroad in Australia for one year, she returned to complete her M.D. at the Medical University of South Carolina in Charleston, South Carolina where she was elected to the honor society of Alpha Omega Alpha. Following medical school Dr. Hawthorne competed an internship in Internal Medicine in the Bay Area in Northern California. She then completed her ophthalmology residency at the University of Alabama at Birmingham and the Callahan Eye Foundation where she won awards for her research endeavors. Dr. Hawthorne then completed subspecialty training in Cornea, External Disease and Refractive Surgery at the Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary, Harvard Medical School in Boston, Massachusetts where she was honored with a distinguished teaching award by her peers.

Dr. Hawthorne performs the most current cornea, cataract and anterior segment procedures available including corneal transplants (penetrating keratoplasty, endothelial keratoplasty and deep anterior lamellar keratoplasty), INTACS and keratoprostheses. She specializes in treating patients with corneal dystrophies (including Fuchs dystrophy), keratoconus and corneal infections. Dr. Hawthorne has a special interest in treating patients with hereditary corneal dystrophies, herpes zoster, herpes simplex, ocular surface disease, corneal scars, failed corneal transplants and both benign and malignant corneal and conjunctival tumors.

Dr. Hawthorne performs a wide variety of refractive procedures including LASIK, PRK, limbal relaxing incisions, astigmatism correcting lenses, accommodating/multifocal lenses, refractive lens exchange and phakic IOLs. She has a special interest in post-refractive surgery cataract surgery.

Dr. Hawthorne is a member of the American Academy of Ophthalmology and the American Society for Cataract and Refractive Surgery. She has presented at multiple national meetings and stays actively involved in corneal research.