| |
 The uninterrupted practice of ophthalmology within the Hertzog family began in Long Beach in 1927. Lars Hertzog, born and raised in Long Beach, is a fourth-generation surgeon and a third-generation ophthalmologist. He practices in the same facility that his father did until his retirement in 2004.
Lars Hertzog attended Loyola Marymount University, where he competed in intercollegiate lacrosse and served as team captain. He graduated as a member of the National Jesuit Honor Society, Alpha Sigma Nu, earning a B.S. degree in Biological Sciences. Prior to medical school, he completed a cornea/laser refractive surgery research fellowship at the USC Doheny Eye Institute, participating in some of the earliest published research on the Excimer laser, now used in LASIK. He obtained his medical degree from the USC Keck School of Medicine in 1996 and completed an internship in general surgery at the USC-affiliated Huntington Memorial Hospital in Pasadena, California.
Dr. Hertzog completed a three-year residency in ophthalmology at The University of Texas – Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas. He then remained for an additional year to complete a surgical fellowship in cornea, external disease, and laser refractive surgery.
A board-certified eye surgeon, Dr. Lars Hertzog specializes in diseases and surgery of the anterior segment of the eye, including microincisional cataract surgery, intraocular lens implants, laser vision correction, corneal transplantation, and glaucoma. He is an Associate Clinical Professor of Ophthalmology at The University of California-Irvine, and is an active consultant at the Veterans Medical Center of Long Beach.
Lars Hertzog, M.D., F.A.C.S. is a Senior Aviation Medical Examiner for the Federal Aviation Administration. He is delegated authority by the Federal Air Surgeon to determine which pilots can be issued a medical certificate and is required to report aeromedically relevant information to the FAA. Senior Examiners are the only Aviation Medical Examiners authorized to issue First Class (commercial, passenger transport) airman medical certificates.
In 2003, Dr. Hertzog became a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons, an honor held by less than one percent of ophthalmologists. The letters FACS (Fellow, American College of Surgeons) after a surgeon's name mean that the surgeon's education and training, professional qualifications, surgical competence, and ethical conduct have passed a rigorous evaluation, and have been found to be consistent with the high standards established and demanded by the College.
Lars and his wife Michelle reside in Long Beach with their children, Tomas, Olivia, and Erik. Lars is an avid competitive runner and can often be spotted running the streets of Long Beach after work and on weekends. He also enjoys surfing and paddleboarding, and is an active lacrosse player and youth coach.
back to top
|
|
