Stephen Laquis

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Biography

Brief Bio
Present
Past
Future

Through his ophthalmic plastic and orbital surgery practice, Stephen J. Laquis applies his extensive medical skills to treat facial and eyelid skin cancer, thyroid eye disease, orbital trauma, facial rejuvenation, and more.

Stephen Laquis’s ophthalmic plastic and orbital surgery practice restores beauty and function to the eyelids and face. He is a fellowship-trained orbital and eyelid surgeon. The practice serves the southwestern region of Florida, including Lee, Collier, and Charlotte counties. Offices are located in Fort Myers and Naples, but also serves Cape Coral, Marco Island, Bonita Springs, Estero, Punta Gorda, and Port Charlotte.
Orbital surgery is just one of the services that the practice provides. The orbit is the bony socket that surrounds the eye and protects it. There are a variety of maladies that require orbital surgery. These include congenital issues, orbital tumors, and trauma. Orbital surgery may address problems with the lacrimal system—the ducts and glands responsible for producing and draining tears. It can also involve loss of an eye, or any surgery connected to repairing trauma.
The practice also specializes in cosmetic procedures. Oculofacial plastic surgery attends to cosmetic concerns regarding the eyelids and face. It can address issues that are aesthetic in nature, as well as those connected to cancer or trauma. Eyelid surgery can take years off a person’s appearance. It is a very specialized niche of cosmetic surgery.
Stephen Laquis’s practice, Stephen J. Laquis Ophthalmic Plastic & Orbital Surgery, has seen over 30,000 patients and performed over 16,000 in its nine-year existence. The doctor has received many honors and awards as a result of his work there. He was featured in Gulfshore Life’s “40 Under 40”, and received the “Best Eyelid Surgeon” award from the News Press.

Stephen Laquis came to the United States to become a doctor. He hails from Trinidad, the Southernmost Caribbean island. Trinidad is home to a wide variety of ethnicities, religions, and cultures. Its diversity is rivaled by that found in southwestern Florida, which Laquis now calls home.
Dr. Stephen Laquis’s medical education began at Boston University. He graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in biology. Along the way, he had access to state-of-the-art research facilities and award-winning faculty. Biology comprises the building blocks for the medical field. It laid the groundwork for the great things to come in Dr. Laquis’s career.
While at BU, the doctor was a member of the National Pre-Medical Honor Society at BU. He also made the Dean’s List. This primed him for success at New York Medical College’s School of Medicine in Valhalla, New York.
Founded in 1860, NYMC’s School of Medicine is one of the oldest medical schools in the nation. It is known for its very competitive admission, with an average class size of only 190 students. Nonetheless, Stephen Laquis made the cut. He graduated with a medical degree in 1996.
His career picked up steam from there. Before residency, all medical professionals are required to perform one year of internship. Dr. Laquis completed his at Yale University, where he devoted his studies to internal medicine. He applied the knowledge he gained in medical school in a practical setting, learning how to interact with patients and treat their conditions.
He also completed his residency at Yale, which marked a very important moment in his career. This was when he decided to specialize in ophthalmology. He had to become both a surgical and a medical specialist in order to do so.
Ophthalmology is the branch of medicine concerned with diseases and disorders of the eye. An ophthalmologist is qualified to do everything from prescribing glasses to performing complex and delicate eye surgery. Every ophthalmologist spends at least three years in residency. They receive special training in eye care, including prevention and diagnosis. They must also be able to medically and surgically treat eye conditions.
After an ophthalmologist completes his or her residency, they choose a subspecialty. Stephen Laquis pursued several fellowships in his area. The first was at the University of Tennessee. His fellowship there focused on ophthalmic oncology, orbital disease, and oculoplastic surgery.
Another fellowship followed a year later, at Vanderbilt University, in ophthalmic, facial plastic, and reconstructive surgery. Dr. Laquis would apply these skills as well as those he honed at the University of Tennessee to his future practice. Oculoplastics, the surgical procedures that deal with the area surrounding the eye, may seem like a small niche of reconstructive surgery. The complexities involved are astounding, however.
Drooping eyelids are a major eye-related complaint. It isn’t a purely aesthetic one—it can affect vision, as well. The surgery used to correct eyelid droopiness is called blepharoplasty. Depending on whether it is performed on the bottom or top lids, it can correct droopiness, puffiness and under-eye bags. Many oculoplastic surgeons perform eyebrow or forehead lifts in order to combat drooping. They truly must have a huge skill set in comparison to the tiny part of the body they treat.
The sensitivity of the eye area requires an oculoplastic surgeon to have the highest levels of dexterity. Blepharoplasties are nowhere near the only type of surgery they perform, nor are they the most sensitive. Repair of tear duct obstructions, orbital fracture repairs, removal of tumors in and around the eyes, eyelid reconstruction, and eye removal are all oculoplastic concerns.
Stephen Laquis has become an expert in these procedures, and more. His curriculum vitae also include an appointment as assistant professor of ophthalmology at the University of South Florida. He trains surgeons in cosmetic, facial, and orbital surgery.
Orbital surgery can be very complicated, since it involves operating on the bones and tissues surrounding the eye. The orbit contains many nerves, blood vessels, and muscles. Dr. Laquis guides his students through the complexities of orbital surgery. This often involves tumor removal, fractures, foreign bodies, or infections. Orbital reconstruction can also include ocular prosthetics, or false eyes.
In addition to his appointment as a professor, Stephen Laquis is a member of many organizations. These include the American Society of Ophthalmic Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery, which sponsors several yearly scientific meetings. He is also a member of the American Academy of Ophthalmology, the largest national membership association of eye M.D.s.
The American Academy of Cosmetic Surgery, of which he is also a member, is an organization for all kinds of cosmetic surgeons. These include oculoplastic surgeons, oral and maxillofacial surgeons, plastic surgeons, and general surgeons. They also welcome obstetricians, gynecologists, plastic surgeons, dermatological surgeons, and otolaryngologists.
A membership with the American Medical Association is a sign of a doctor’s repute. Likewise, the American College of Surgeons is an extremely prestigious organization. Members are referred to as “Fellows”. The letters FACS after a surgeon’s name stand for Fellow, American College of Surgeons. They mean that his or her education, training, qualifications, competence, and ethical conduct have passed a rigorous evaluation.
Stephen Laquis has been honored with a member ship with all of these organizations. He has also been the recipient of several awards. Those he earned during his schooling include the Cornea Lifetime Achievement Award from Yale University and the Trustee Scholarship for Academic Achievements from NYMC. Yale University also awarded him the Marvin Sears Award for Clinical Excellence in 1999, during his residency.
At New York Medical College, the doctor also served as vice president elect of the Iota chapter of the Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Medical Society. The relationships he built through this organization have lasted a lifetime.
Dr. Laquis’s medical career has brought him very far in life. He established his practice nine years ago, and but has never forgotten his roots. He has always made time for those less fortunate, including people who cannot afford the medical care they need. Building on a lifetime of achievement, Stephen Laquis has always fulfilled his responsibility to his community.

Stephen Laquis believes in his responsibility to use his skills to help those in need. This is why his future will hold many charitable projects. Every few weeks, he performs free surgery for low-income trauma patients. He plans to continue this tradition for as long as his practice exists.
He also plans to perform plastic surgery on underprivileged patients who are flown into the U.S. for their procedures. In the past, he has helped people from Latin America, and South America, and the Caribbean. These individuals often do not have access to healthcare. When they need his help, the doctor will be there for them. He will treat eye tumors and perform reconstructive surgeries on those who need them most.
His generosity will continue to benefit several charities, as well. He is a well-known supporter of the Susan G. Komen Foundation, the March of Dimes, Special Equestrians, and the Make-A-Wish Foundation. He plans to participate in the Komen Foundation’s annual 5K in Bonita Springs, Florida, and otherwise continue to support these organizations.
Despite his inexhaustible work ethic, Stephen Laquis’s future also holds plenty of recreation. He is an avid spear fisherman, and intends to perpetuate this traditional form of fishing. He will continue to hone these skills in his free time. He also loves to travel with his family. The Laquises plan to experience many more exciting places in the future.