Michael Taravella, MD

Professor, Ophthalmology


FacultyPhoto
Medical School
  • MD, University of Colorado Denver School of Medicine (1981)
Undergraduate School
  • BS, Colorado School of Mines (CO) (1977)
Internship
  • Presbyterian-St Luke's Medical Center Program (1982)
Residency
  • University of Texas Medical Branch Hospitals Program, Ophthalmology (1985)
Fellowships
  • University of Connecticut Program, Cornea and Refractive Surgery (1986)
Languages
English
Department
Ophthalmology

Professional Titles

  • Director, Cornea and Refractive Surgery Fellowship

Recognitions

  • Americas Best Doctors Database, Consumers' Research Council (2011)
    2010, 2011
  • Top Docs Listing, 5280 Magazine (2009)
    2000, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2008, 2009
  • Achievement Award, American Academy of Ophthalmology (2005)
  • America’s Top Ophthalmologists, Castle Connolly (2006)
    2006, 2010, 2011, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017
  • Distinguished Alumni Medal, Colorado School of Mines (2003)
  • Full-time Faculty Teacher of the Year, CU Ophthalmology Department (2010)
    2009, 2010
  • Who’s Who Among American Teachers & Educators , Who’s Who (2006)

Publications

  • Incidence of YAG Laser Capsulotomy after Implantatin of the ALCON RESTOR Lens
  • Incidence of Nd: YAG capsulotomy for the RESTOR intraocular lens
  • Characterizing the Learning Curve in Phacoemulsification
  • Corneal Topography and Wavefront Imaging, Yanoff and Duker
  • Taravella MJ, Davidson R, Erlanger M, Guiton G, Gregory D. Time and cost of teaching cataract surgery. J Cataract Refract Surg. 2014 Feb;40(2):212-6. PubMed PMID: 24461498
  • Waite A, Davidson R, Taravella MJ. Descemet-stripping automated endothelial keratoplasty donor tissue preparation using the double-pass microkeratome technique. J Cataract Refract Surg. 2013 Mar;39(3):446-50. PubMed PMID: 23506921
  • Taravella MJ, Shah V, Davidson R. Ultrathin DSAEK. Int Ophthalmol Clin. 2013 Spring;53(2):21-30. PubMed PMID: 23470586
  • 21. Taravella MJ, Davidson R, Erlanger M, Guiton G, Gregory D. Characterizing the learning curve in phacoemulsification. J Cataract Refract Surg 2011; 37: 1069-75.
  • Chapter 2 Custom LASIK and PRK with the VISX Star laser, Michael J. Taravella, Richard S. Davidson and Scott Thomas; In Surgical Techniques in Ophthalmology Series: Refractive Surgery, F Hampton Roy Editor, Elsevier 2008
  • Corneal Topography and Wavefront imaging Yanoff and Duker, 4th edition
  • Femtosecond laser-assisted cataract surgery in complex cases. Taravella MJ, Meghpara B, Frank G, Gensheimer W, Davidson R. J Cataract Refract Surg. 2016 Jun;42(6):813-6. doi: 10.1016/j.jcrs.2016.02.049. PMID: 27373386
  • Kahook MY, Cionni RJ, Taravella MJ, Ang RE, Waite AN, Solomon JD, Uy HS. Continuous Curvilinear Capsulorhexis Performed With the VERUS Ophthalmic Caliper. J Refract Surg. 2016 Oct 1;32(10):654-658. PubMed PMID: 27722751
  • Bonnell LN, SooHoo JR, Seibold LK, Lynch AM, Wagner BD, Davidson RS, Taravella MJ. One-day postoperative intraocular pressure spikes after phacoemulsification cataract surgery in patients taking tamsulosin. J Cataract Refract Surg. 2016 Dec;42(12):1753-1758. PubMed PMID: 28007106
  • Taravella MJ, Davidson R. Reply. J Cataract Refract Surg. 2016 Nov;42(11):1693-1694. PubMed PMID: 27956308
  • Ultrathin DSAEK International Ophthalmology Clinics 2012
  • DSAEK Donor Tissue Preparation using a Double Pass Technique Waite A, Davidson R, Taravella MJ. MARCH 2013
  • Christopher KL, Patnaik JL, Miller DC, Lynch AM, Taravella MJ, Davidson RS. Accuracy of Intraoperative Aberrometry, Barrett True-K With and Without Posterior Cornea Measurements, Shammas-PL, and Haigis-L Formulas After Myopic Refractive Surgery. J Refract Surg. 2021 Jan 1;37(1):60-68. PubMed PMID: 33432996
  • Puente MA, Patnaik JL, Lynch AM, Snyder BM, Caplan CM, Pham B, Neves da Silva HV, Chen C, Taravella MJ, Palestine AG. Association of Federal Regulations in the United States and Canada With Potential Corneal Donation by Men Who Have Sex With Men. JAMA Ophthalmol. 2020 Sep 24. [Epub ahead of print] PubMed PMID: 32970105
  • Ryburn C, Patnaik JL, Miller DC, Alexander J, Lynch AM, Davidson RS, Taravella MJ. What Is the Cost of a Posterior Capsule Rupture Complication?. Ophthalmic Surg Lasers Imaging Retina. 2020 Aug 1;51(8):444-447. PubMed PMID: 32818276
  • Epstein R, Taravella M, Pantcheva MB. Kahook Dual Blade goniotomy in post penetrating keratoplasty steroid-induced ocular hypertension. Am J Ophthalmol Case Rep. 2020 Sep;19:100826. PubMed PMID: 32685769
  • Miller DC, Christopher KL, Patnaik JL, Lynch AM, Seibold LK, Mandava N, Taravella MJ. Posterior Capsule Rupture during Cataract Surgery in Eyes Receiving Intravitreal anti-VEGF Injections. Curr Eye Res. 2021 Feb;46(2):179-184. PubMed PMID: 32657614
  • Imbornoni LM, Wise RE, Taravella MJ, Hickey F, McCourt EA. Keratoconus and corneal morphology in patients with Down syndrome at a pediatric hospital. J AAPOS. 2020 Jun;24(3):140.e1-140.e5. PubMed PMID: 32473288
  • Christopher KL, Miller DC, Patnaik JL, Lynch AM, Davidson RS, Taravella MJ. Comparison of Visual Outcomes of Extended Depth of Focus Lenses in Patients With and Without Previous Laser Refractive Surgery. J Refract Surg. 2020 Jan 1;36(1):28-33. PubMed PMID: 31917848
  • Miller DC, Christopher KL, Patnaik JL, Lynch AM, Seibold LK, Mandava N, Taravella MJ. Posterior Capsule Rupture during Cataract Surgery in Eyes Receiving Intravitreal anti-VEGF Injections. Curr Eye Res. 2021 Feb;46(2):179-184. PubMed PMID: 32657614
  • Christopher KL, Patnaik JL, Miller DC, Lynch AM, Taravella MJ, Davidson RS. Accuracy of Intraoperative Aberrometry, Barrett True-K With and Without Posterior Cornea Measurements, Shammas-PL, and Haigis-L Formulas After Myopic Refractive Surgery. J Refract Surg. 2021 Jan 1;37(1):60-68. PubMed PMID: 33432996
  • Christopher KL, Patnaik JL, Ifantides C, Miller DC, Davidson RS, Taravella MJ, Lynch A, Wagner B. Time Utilization and Refractive Prediction Enhancement Associated with Intraoperative Aberrometry Use During Cataract Surgery. Clin Ophthalmol. 2021;15:531-539. PubMed PMID: 33603331
  • Association of Federal Regulations in the United States and Canada With Potential Corneal Donation by Men Who Have Sex With Men Michael A. Puente, MD; Jennifer L. Patnaik, PhD; Anne M. Lynch, MD, MSPH; Blake M. Snyder, MD; Chad M. Caplan, MD; Binhan Pham, BS; Helio V. Neves da Silva, BS; Conan Chen, BS; Michael J. Taravella, MD; Alan G. Palestine, MD
  • Comparison of the Modified Jones Tube Technique and the DMEK EndoGlide Technique With and Without Viscoelastic Material for DMEK Tissue Preparation
  • Necrotizing Scleritis Secondary to Exposed Polypropylene Suture Nihaal Mehta , Michael J Taravella 1 , Amit K Reddy 1 PMID: 36100503
  • Christopher KL, Terrin S, Lohmeier J, Hartman M, Davidson RS, Taravella MJ. Comparison of the Modified Jones Tube Technique and the DMEK EndoGlide Technique With and Without Viscoelastic Material for DMEK Tissue Preparation. Cornea. 2023 Feb 1;42(2):247-251. PubMed PMID: 36582037
  • Mehta N, Taravella MJ, Reddy AK. Necrotizing Scleritis Secondary to Exposed Polypropylene Suture. Ophthalmology. 2023 Jul;130(7):691. PubMed PMID: 36100503

Professional Memberships

  • American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO), Fellow
  • American Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgery (ASCRS), Member
  • Pan American Association of Ophthalmology (PAAO), Member
  • American Medical Association (AMA), Member
  • Colorado Society of Eye Physicians and Surgeons (CSEPS), Member
  • Eye Bank Association of America (EBAA), Member
  • Paton Society, Member
  • Pediatric Keratoplasty Society, Member

Practice Locations

UCHealth Sue Anschutz-Rodgers Eye Center
1675 Aurora Ct
Aurora, CO 80045
720-848-2020

UCHealth Eye Center - Boulder
5495 Arapahoe Ave
Suite 101
Boulder, CO 80303
303-545-2020

UCHealth Longs Peak Surgery Center
1750 E. Ken Pratt Boulevard
Longmont, CO 80504
720-718-1400

Hospital Affiliation
  • University of Colorado Hospital
  • Children's Hospital Colorado

Specialty Information

Specialties
  • Ophthalmology, Board Certification (1987)
  • Cornea and Refractive Surgery, Specialized Training (1986)
Conditions & Treatments
  • Eyes and Vision - Cataract
  • Eyes and Vision - Corneal Disease
  • Eyes and Vision - Corneal Transplantation
  • Eyes and Vision - LASIK Surgery
  • Eyes and Vision - Dry Eyes
  • Eyes and Vision
  • Surgery - Transplant Surgery
  • Surgery
  • Surgery - Eye and/or Orbital Surgery
  • Eyes and Vision - Eye Disease
  • Eyes and Vision - Ophthalmic Oncology
Clinical Interests
Laser vision correction (LASIK/PRK), cataract surgery and cornea transplantation.