Stephen P. Christiansen, M.D.

Professor, Departments of Ophthalmology and Pediatrics

Director, Pediatric Ophthalmology and Adult Strabismus

Dr. Christiansen attended medical school at the Medical College of Wisconsin in Milwaukee after graduating from Wheaton College (IL) with a degree in Biology in 1978. His residency in ophthalmology was followed by Fellowship training in Pediatric Ophthalmology at Bascom Palmer Eye Institute in Miami, FL.

From 1991 to 1997, Dr. Christiansen worked at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences in Little Rock, and was promoted to the rank of Associate Professor in 1996. In 1997, he moved to the University of Minnesota. He was promoted to full Professor with tenure in 2006. He is married with four children.

Professional Activities:

Clinical Care - The clinical and surgical care of patients occupies a large proportion of Dr. Christiansen's week. His primary interests deal with strabismus (misaligned eyes), pediatric cataracts, and retinopathy of prematurity. However, his practice provides comprehensive eye care for all children and for those adults who have eye movement disorders. Patients are seen in the Minnesota Lions Children's Eye Clinic at the University of Minnesota. Appointments may be made by calling (612) 625-4400 or (800) 937-4393.

Teaching - Practical and didactic teaching for medical students, residents, and fellows occurs on a daily basis.

Administrative - Dr. Christiansen is the Director of Pediatric Ophthalmology and Adult Strabismus in the Department of Ophthalmology at the University of Minnesota.  He also functions as the Medical Director of the Orthoptic Program.  He is the website administrator for the Department of Ophthalmology.

Research - Dr. Christiansen is actively involved in both clinical and basic science research in pediatric ophthalmology. His clinical studies deal principally with strabismus, pediatric cataract, and with ocular outcomes in premature infants. He is Principle Investigator for the Minnesota Center of the Early Treatment of Retinopathy of Prematurity Study (ETROP), a multi-center study funded by the NIH, and for the Infant Aphakia Treatment Study (IATS).  He is also a participating investigator in the Amblyopia Treatment Studies and Nasolacrimal Duct Obstruction Studies, and is the national protocol chair for the Esotropia Treatment Study, all under the direction of the Pediatric Eye Disease Investigator Group administered by the Jaeb Center in Tampa.  His basic science research is currently focused on the medical (non-surgical) treatment of strabismus.  He and his principal collaborator, Dr. Linda McLoon, are developing and testing growth factors and new immunotoxins that modulate extraocular muscle strength to change the rotational position of the globe.  If you would like to find out more about these research efforts or would like to help support this work, please contact Dr. Christiansen.

Recent Publications:

Parvataneni M, Christiansen SP, Jensen AA, Summers CG:  Referral patterns for common amblyogenic conditions.  J AAPOS, 2005;9:22-25.

McLoon LK, Christiansen SP:  Pharmacologic approaches for the treatment of strabismus.  Drugs Fut, 2005;30:319-327.

Lawrence MG, Kramarevsky NY, Christiansen SP, Wright MM, Young TL, Summers CG:  Glaucoma following cataract surgery in children: Surgically modifiable risk factors. Trans Am Ophthalmol Soc, 2005;103:45-54.

Ugalde I, Christiansen SP, McLoon LK:  Botulinum toxin treatment of extraocular muscles in rabbits results in increased myofiber remodeling.  Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci, 2005;46: 4114-4120.

Christiansen SP, McLoon LK:  The effect of resection on satellite cell activity in rabbit extraocular muscle.  Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci, 2006;47:605-613.

Egbert JE, Christiansen SP, Wright MM, Young, TL, Summers CG:  The natural history of glaucoma and ocular hypertension after pediatric cataract surgery.  J AAPOS, 2006;10:54-57.

Anderson B, Christiansen SP, Grandt S, Grange R, McLoon LK. Increased extraocular muscle strength with direct injection of insulin-like growth factor-I.  Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci, 2006;47: 2461-2467.

Najjar DM, Christiansen SP, Bothun ED, Summers CG:  Strabismus and amblyopia in bilateral Peters anomaly.  J AAPOS, 2006; 10:193-197.

McLoon LK, Anderson BC, Christiansen SP:  Increasing muscle strength as a treatment for strabismus: sustained release of insulin-like growth factor-1 in rabbit extraocular muscle.  J AAPOS, In Press.