Dr. Julie M. Sturm is a board-certified ophthalmologist with fellowship training in the areas of the cornea, cataract, and refractive surgery. She is a native of St. Louis and a graduate of Visitation Academy. She attended the University of Missouri – Kansas City School of Medicine. After a year internship at St. John’s Mercy Medical Center, she completed an ophthalmology residency at University Hospital of Cleveland – Case Western Reserve.
In 2005, Dr. Sturm completed a fellowship at the prestigious Assil-Sinskey Eye Institute in Los Angeles, California, where she received more specialized training in refractive surgical procedures such as LASIK, refractive cataract surgery, and implantable contact lenses. She was one of the first fellows in the country to implant the Verisyse™ implantable contact lens upon receiving FDA approval. She was also invited to assist in the training of other surgeons across the country.
Dr. Sturm has been involved in several clinical research activities. During her fellowship, she was involved in US FDA Clinical Trials examining future lens technology. At the 2003 national meeting of the American Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgeons, Dr. Sturm and her research associate presented a research project on technology to assist in the safety of LASIK surgery. The presentation was awarded the top paper presentation of the session by fellow physicians. She has also been involved in several FDA clinical trials looking at potential ocular side effects of new oral medications for the treatment of systemic diseases.
Since joining The Eye Center in 2005 Dr. Sturm has performed over 25,000 cataract, LASIK, and other eye procedures. She is continually educating herself and her staff to provide the best care and latest ophthalmic technology for her patients. She has been invited to lecture on the treatments of dry eye and advise the ophthalmic industry on the latest advancements in intraocular lens technology. She serves as President of The Eye Center and Medical Director of the Florissant Surgery Center.
Dr. Sturm is a member of the American Academy of Ophthalmology, the American Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgeons, the Missouri State Medical Association, and the St. Louis Ophthalmologic Society. She is also a medical staff member at both Christian Hospital and SSM St. Joseph Hospital in St. Charles.
When she’s not in the office or surgery center, Dr. Sturm enjoys interval training, needlepoint, traveling, and spending time with her husband and their two children Patrick and Madeline.