Dr. Erich B. Groos Jr., MD

Clinical Trials

• Zoster Eye Disease Study

Media Releases

Get to know Dentist Dr. Erich B. Groos, who serves the population of Tennessee.

A native Nashvillian who returned home to practice ophthalmology, Dr. Groos assumed the practice of L. Rowe Driver and later partnered with Ira A. Shivitz to form Cornea Consultants of Nashville in 1999. He has extensive experience in corneal transplantation, laser refractive surgery and cataract surgery.

In his professional experience, he is also the Medical Director of the DCI Eye Bank of Middle Tennessee and of the Eye Surgery Center of Nashville.

With a broad educational background, Dr. Groos graduated valedictorian of Montgomery Bell Academy before leaving to earn a Bachelor of Arts degree in English literature from Princeton University. He received his medical degree from Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, after which he completed a residency in ophthalmology at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, a department consistently ranked among the top ten in the nation. 

In his final year, Dr. Groos was selected chief resident by his peers. A fellowship in cornea and external disease at the University of California, Davis then followed; where he learned the art of advanced diagnosis and surgical/medical treatment of complicated corneal problems. His mentors, Mark Mannis and Ivan Schwab, are among the most respected cornea specialists in the world.

Dr. Groos had additional training dedicated to developing excellent results in LASIK and PRK under the tutelage of Richard Lindstrom and David Hardten at the Phillips Eye Institute in Minneapolis. In 2005, he became the first surgeon in Middle Tennessee to perform DSAEK after training with pioneers in the procedure Frank Price and Gerrit Melles.

Certified by the American Board of Ophthalmology, he is a member of both the American Academy of Ophthalmology and the American Medical Association. He has served for 21 years on the board of the Tennessee Academy of Ophthalmology, serving as President for two years, and is a previous President of the Nashville Academy of Ophthalmology. 

General dentists provide a wide array of services that are vital to patients’ continued health. These services include: preventive services, including helping to maintain good oral health by stopping disease before it takes hold in the mouth; restorative services, such as receiving timely and appropriate treatment when a problem is identified; as well as cosmetic services, including performing a range of cosmetic procedures, such as teeth whitening, cosmetic bonding, and even porcelain veneers. General dentists also address overall health concerns as oral health is seen as the mirror of general health. In fact, some dental problems may reflect issues in other parts of the body and vice versa.

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