Please share with us your background.

My family’s first Commiskey—Patrick William Commiskey—emigrated from Ireland to Brooklyn, New York, in 1825. His son, Francis, had a son, who became my great-grandfather, Col. Archibald Francis Commiskey. The colonel traveled widely during his military career and, while living in Baltimore, had a son—my granddad—who was also named Francis. Grandaddy lost his brother during World War II, so he spent the remainder of the war directing a US Army transport vessel. After the war, he ran shipyards in South America. My father, also named Francis, was born in Arequipa, Peru —nicknamed la ciudad blanca, or the white city. The social and political changes in Latin America in the 1960s led my family to return to Baltimore. My father met my mother at the University of Maryland, and later they had me, also Patrick William Commiskey, in California. They intended to return to Maryland, but such is life, and we ended up in Michigan, where I was raised playing ice hockey year-round.

I graduated from the University of Michigan Medical School in Ann Arbor, completed ophthalmology residency at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, and finished training in cornea, external disease, and refractive surgery at the Johns Hopkins Wilmer Eye Institute in Baltimore. My life is a blessing, and the most important people in it are my beautiful wife Angelica and three little ones: Patrick (also William Commiskey), Ruth, and Hope.

What drew you to ophthalmology and, specifically, to your field of interest?

Ophthalmology is an amazing field of medicine, and some of the most appealing aspects to me are diagnostics, medical management, surgery, and the opportunity for subspecialization. In addition, ophthalmology is clinic-based with decent hours, friendly coworkers, constant innovation, and the ability to improve patient lives. In medical school, I was initially drawn to family medicine or integrative medicine because of a genuine desire to treat the whole person. While I can still enjoy this approach of earnestly focusing on trying to improve a person’s life, I can (sometimes literally with laser focus) concentrate on something very specific and actionable: improving the function of the eyes. It’s a beautiful and humbling pursuit.

Please describe your current position.

I am part of Eye Associates of New Mexico, where I have a busy practice in cornea, cataract, refractive, and complex anterior segment. I also offer MIGS. We are a multispecialty group that serves as tertiary eye care for the state of New Mexico and the surrounding region, treating eye disease across all social and economic groups. I have fantastic colleagues with great spirit.

Who are your mentors? 

I was blessed with parents who worked hard and cared for me. Dozens of nonphysicians have been essential guides and trusted friends through the years, and without the extraordinary fellowship of these individuals, I would not be where I am today.

Since residency, I have relied on guidance from Ian Conner, MD, PhD, and Deepinder Dhaliwal, MD, LAc. Their encouragement, challenges, and examples as excellent clinicians have helped drive me. Fellowship at Johns Hopkins afforded me lifelong resources in just about every niche in cornea, refractive, and complex anterior segment. Albert Jun, MD, PhD; Esen Akpek, MD; K. Scot Bower, MD; Yassine Daoud, MD; Allen Eghrari, MD, MPH; Lee Guo, OD; Michelle Hessen, OD; Oliver Schein, MD, MPH; Nakul Shekhawat, MD, MPH; Uri Soiberman, MD; Divya Srikumaran, MD; Michael Sulewski, MD; Fasika Woreta, MD, MPH; and Samuel Yiu, MD, PhD, are all fantastic teachers, and I practice knowing each is a phone call away. I am also thankful to the team at YoungMD Connect for their support on this journey, and to Gary Wortz, MD, for his podcast Ophthalmology off The Grid, which has inspired much of my career path.

Currently, Greg Ogawa, MD is a mentor graciously sharing his time and experience with me in the OR for complex anterior segment cases. With decades of wisdom from treating the Southwest’s most challenging anterior segment problems, he has so much to offer and is one of the kindest, most genuine people one could meet.

What has been the most memorable experience of your career thus far?

Postoperative follow-ups with patients who had dense cataracts or aphakia continue to be a source of joy.

What are some new technological advances that you have found particularly exciting? Which advances in the pipeline are you most enthusiastic or curious about? 

I love the EVO ICL (STAAR Surgical). The patients I see often lack options for LASIK/PRK and are looking for a solution. It’s so dry here in New Mexico, contact lens intolerance is prevalent, and thick glasses are difficult and expensive to manage. These patients are happy almost immediately after surgery, and it’s very gratifying. It’s also been enjoyable to work with our team here at Eye Associates and the folks at STAAR Surgical to improve our process for testing and sizing patients for the ICL. This process of optimization will be constant as refractive surgery technology continues to evolve.

I’ve also enjoyed using a variety of MIGS technologies, which have grown significantly during my time in the field. I’ve been offering iStent Infinite (Glaukos), Kahook Dual Blade (New World Medical), and iTrack Advance (Nova Eye Medical) as adjuvants to cataract and complex anterior segment surgery. The glaucoma specialists in our practice have helped develop a system to identify, screen, and treat patients. There are many patients with glaucoma in New Mexico and simply not enough glaucoma specialists to treat them (consider this a plug for anyone pursuing glaucoma training to consider joining our happy mission at Eye Associates of New Mexico, where there is no shortage of patients as well as beautiful weather).

What is the focus of some of your research? 

I’m focused on building the refractive practice at Eye Associates and ensuring our systems for collecting and processing information are efficient and airtight for surgical planning. I’ve gained consensus from other surgeons about standardized protocols, developed workflows and smart phrases in our electronic health record, and found partnerships within the practice that help improve patient care and maximize the strengths and training of staff and colleagues.

What is a typical day in your life? What keeps you busy, fulfilled, and passionate?

I wake up, give thanks in prayer, and ask for a good orientation for the day. Sometimes I exercise, and then I eat something; kiss my family; and, weather permitting, bike to work. My week is spent in surgery about one-third of the time and in clinic two-thirds of the time. After work, my family and I try to get outside. We are fortunate to live near a park and other families with kids. At bedtime, we typically read and pray together. I take that time to review the day and again give thanks, see where I was at fault, and ask for help. My life is deeply fulfilling, although it was not always so. I love my family, my job, and living in New Mexico. I’ve found that focusing on what I can give rather than receive has helped me realize that I’ve received more than plenty. I enjoy meeting patients and trying to improve their lives by improving their vision. Sometimes we can only offer comfort or a listening ear, but that is something.

What advice can you offer to individuals who are just now choosing their career paths after finishing residency or fellowship?

Find a place where you can help as many people as possible. For me, this meant finding a region in need of cornea and advanced anterior segment specialists as well as a practice that is efficient and ethical and a place where I can find mentorship and grow as a surgeon. Being this choosy is a luxury, as family or other geographic considerations take precedence for many people. Above all, we must take care of our families; they will remember us long after any patient will. I would also recommend genuinely following your passions—it is much easier to work hard and enjoy life if you are doing something in which you can find meaning and purpose. The natural energy that comes with doing what you love beats the sheer force of will.

Tell us about an innovative procedure you are performing or new imaging/diagnostic tool that has improved your practice.

Our practice is very excited about the EVO ICL. I am the second surgeon in the state to offer this surgery. We are uniquely positioned to offer the technology, as we care for every aspect of the eye, can manage any complication, and offer full-spectrum cornea and refractive surgery in a setting that is both thoughtful and efficient. Due to our high volume of cataract, cornea, glaucoma, and refractive cases, we also look forward to participating with industry to analyze and improve patient outcomes.