Who Is Dr. James Pinke and What Are His Credentials?

Updated

Dr. James R. Pinke is a board-certified ophthalmologist practicing at Pinke Eye Center in Shelton, Connecticut, with more than three decades of surgical experience. He is best known for his work in cataract and glaucoma surgery, and he has held leadership roles at Griffin Hospital and The Connecticut Eye Surgery Center, South. If you are evaluating him as a cataract or glaucoma surgeon, the details below cover his training, certifications, professional memberships, and the specific surgical milestones the practice credits to him.

Education and Training

  • Medical school: Graduate of Tufts University Medical School.
  • Residency: Completed his ophthalmology residency at Tufts New England Medical Center Hospital.

Board Certification and Professional Memberships

Dr. Pinke has been a board-certified fellow of the American Academy of Ophthalmology since 1983. His memberships include:

  • The American Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgery
  • The Fairfield County Medical Society
  • The American Medical Association
  • The Connecticut Society of Eye Physicians

Hospital and Surgical Center Roles

  • Senior attending ophthalmologist at Griffin Hospital.
  • Founding member and medical director of The Connecticut Eye Surgery Center, South, located in Milford, Connecticut.

Surgical Experience and Milestones

Dr. Pinke is described by the practice as renowned for his cataract and glaucoma surgery work, and he has lectured in nationally recognized courses on cataract surgery. Highlights the practice lists from his three decades of work include:

  • Being instrumental in bringing Femtosecond Laser cataract surgery to The Connecticut Eye Surgery Center.
  • Introducing "stitchless" cataract surgery to Connecticut.
  • Helping pioneer cataract surgery performed without injections, stitches, or eye patches.
  • Becoming one of the first surgeons in the state to offer multi-focal implants, a technique intended to correct vision at multiple distances.

What This Means If You Are Choosing a Surgeon

These credentials matter most if you are weighing cataract or glaucoma surgery options in Connecticut. Two things are worth checking against your own situation:

  • Procedure fit: The milestones above center on laser-assisted and stitchless cataract techniques and multi-focal implants. Ask during a consultation whether your eye anatomy and vision goals make you a candidate for these specific approaches, since not every patient qualifies for every technique.
  • Where surgery is performed: His role at The Connecticut Eye Surgery Center, South in Milford means surgery may take place there rather than at the Shelton office. Confirm the location when you schedule.

Contacting the Practice

Pinke Eye Center lists its phone number as 203.924.8800, and the site provides a "Request An Appointment" option along with a cataract self-test. The practice also publishes patient forms, directions, and a blog.