Guy E. Knolle, Jr., M.D., F.A.C.S.

Diplomate of the American Board of Ophthalmology
Fellow of the American College Of Surgeons

	Guy E. Knolle, Jr.

Specialties:
PRELEX                                                                                                                                                                     Cataract Surgery
General Ophthalmology

Location:
Austin, Texas

As a result of his leadership abilities and his commitment to quality micro-surgery, Dr. Guy Knolle was elected by his peers to serve as President of the prestigious American Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgery from 1989 to 1991. In 1989, he received the American Academy of Ophthalmology Honor Award for his contribution to the education of other ophthalmologists. Respected and recognized by his peers for his clinical excellence, he is listed among  "Best Doctors of America" and "Top Ophthalmologists of America". 

Dr. Knolle, a fourth generation Texan, graduated with a BA degree in Plan II at the University of Texas in Austin in 1958. Dr. Knolle was the third generation in his family to receive a Medical Degree from Tulane University School of Medicine in 1962. He did a straight medicine internship at the Barnes Hospital Group in St. Louis, Missouri and served for one year as a fellow in ophthalmology with glaucoma specialist and department chairman, Dr. Bernard Becker at the McMillan Eye Hospital. Dr. Knolle returned to his native Houston in 1965 and completed his ophthalmology residency at Baylor College of Medicine. He served as a Captain in the U.S. Army for two years. Returning to Houston, he began the private practice of ophthalmology on April 8, 1968 by joining his father, a noted Houston ophthalmologist. He was appointed Associate Clinical Professor at Baylor College of Medicine in1970. In the late 1970s Dr. Knolle performed missionary work in Guatemala on several occasions, while training cataract surgeons from the United States. In the early 1980’s he built his own surgery center in Houston, Texas and expanded his practice with satellite offices in Bellville and Brenham, Texas.

Dr. Knolle learned phacoemulsification, a technique used to perform small incision cataract surgery in New York City in 1972 from Dr. Charles Kelman, the innovator of this procedure. He began implanting intraocular lenses after studying with Henry Hirschman in Long Beach, California in 1975. In 1981, he developed his own intraocular lens implant, the PC80, which was used by surgeons throughout the country for over ten years.

In 1986, he was recognized by Cooper-Vision as one of 23 National Master Pioneers of Phacoemulsification and his name was entered with the other 22 pioneers in the Congressional Record of the United States Congress for his efforts in helping develop the procedure. Shortly thereafter he became founding president of the Windsor National Associates, a select group of ophthalmologists dedicated to sharing ideas and techniques to enhance the clinical practice of ophthalmology.

 Dr. Knolle, an international lecturer and innovator of new surgical techniques, first began corneal transplantation in 1969. Because of his interest in cornea and refractive surgery, he went to Bogotá, Columbia to study keratomileusis with Jose Barraquer, M.D. in 1978.  He performed epikeratophakia in the early 1980’s and started performing radial keratotomy in 1984 with the advent of diamond knives and ultrasound pachymetry. In the 1990’s, Dr. Knolle began using automated lamellar keratoplasty to correct refractive errors for both nearsighted and farsighted patients. He was certified to use the excimer laser for refractive  surgery in 1998.

After practicing ophthalmology in Houston for almost thirty years, he married Dr. Sue Ellen Young in May 1997 and moved to Austin to join her in the practice of ophthalmology.

Dr. Knolle enjoys horse back riding, scuba diving, water-skiing, fishing, hunting and photography but his favorite pastime is flying airplanes. He frequently uses his airplane to visit his three children and grandchildren in Houston. With over 7,000 hours of flight time as “pilot in command,” Dr. Knolle has been a private pilot since 1963. He was instrument rated in 1971 and received his multi-engine rating in 1986. He has owned seven airplanes including a Machen turbo A36 Bonanza for five years, a B58 Beech Baron for seven years, and three Turbo 210 Centurions. He is currently flying his second Beechcraft A36TC Bonanza.