Ronald Lange, MD was inspired at the age of 10 to pursue a career in eye care by his optometrist. The rest, as they say, is history.
“The best advice I would give anyone entering any medical field is to always put family first, stay curious, and keep learning,” Dr. Lange said. “Maybe this balance is why, after 40 years, I still love what I do.”
Dr. Lange is a retina specialist based in northern Wisconsin. He completed his ophthalmology residency with the University of Wisconsin (UW) Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences in 1984, followed by a medical retina fellowship in 1985.
“My favorite memory from my training at the UW is probably the incredible amount of hands-on experience I received as primary surgeon. I wasn’t merely observing,” Dr. Lange recalled. “My most memorable experience involved a graduate engineering student who suffered a traumatic eye injury from a hydraulic line explosion. I initially sutured his corneal laceration. Then a week later, I assisted with the repair, which was a complex process involving removal of a plastic foreign body and dislocated lens from the vitreous cavity. A keratoprosthesis was placed, followed by vitrectomy done by Dr. Thomas Stevens. After that, I completed a corneal transplant.”
After concluding his ophthalmology training, Dr. Lange joined another DOVS graduate, Dr. C. Thomas Dow, in private practice in Eau Claire, WI. What began as a small clinic has grown into a multi-specialty group with eight doctors and several outreach locations, including Cumberland, where Dr. Lange started outreach in 1986 and now spends half his time. Dr. Lange also served as chief of surgery at Sacred Heart Hospital for 26 years, which included a major renovation and expansion of services.
Beyond clinical care, Dr. Lange has been a passionate advocate for diabetes education. He chaired the Diabetes 2000 initiative, promoting awareness of the link between blood sugar control and eye health, and served on the board of the American Diabetes Association’s local affiliate. He has been a member of the American Academy of Ophthalmology for 44 years.
“The most rewarding thing about my work has been the patients who have placed their trust in me,” Dr. Lange said. “I have been seeing many of them for several decades. The most memorable is a young woman I first saw in 1986, when she was only 15 years old. She was diagnosed with severe proliferative diabetic retinopathy. I was able to successfully treat both eyes with pan retinal photocoagulation, a laser-based treatment for retinal disease. I still see her yearly. She is now a grandmother and has maintained excellent vision.”
Outside of work, Dr. Lange enjoys snowshoeing, hunting, and fishing with Pat, his wife of 46 years, his sons, and grandson.