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Austin S. Nakatsuka
( out of 806 reviews )

Austin S. Nakatsuka, MD

Languages spoken: English

Clinical Locations

Primary Location

John A. Moran Eye Center

65 N Mario Capecchi
Salt Lake City , UT 84132

South Jordan Health Center

Moran Eye Center
5126 West Daybreak Parkway
South Jordan , UT 84009

Austin S. Nakatsuka, MD, is a glaucoma and cataract specialist. A gifted surgeon and former Moran Eye Center fellow, Nakatsuka completed a one-year fellowship in glaucoma and advanced cataract and iris surgery, training extensively with the late Alan S. Crandall, MD. Before that, he completed a one-year fellowship in cornea and refractive surgery at Moran.

A Hawaii native, Nakatsuka earned his medical degree at the University of Hawaii and completed his ophthalmology residency at the University of Texas Medical Branch/Houston Methodist Hospital in Galveston, Texas.

He has published numerous peer-reviewed journal articles and served in a range of community activities, including as a volunteer physician for the Hawaii Salvation Army Drug Rehabilitation Clinic and the Navajo Nation in southern Utah. He rebuilt homes as part of Hurricane Harvey relief efforts in Houston and has served as a peer advisor with the American Indian Student Association at the University of California, Los Angeles.

In addition to his surgical and clinical practices at Moran’s main University of Utah location and South Jordan clinic, Nakatsuka will dedicate a few weeks a year to working with Moran’s Global Outreach Division, providing care to underserved communities locally and internationally.

Get to know Dr. Nakatsuka by watching his profile video.

Patient Rating

4.9 /5
( out of 806 reviews )

The patient rating score is an average of all responses on our patient experience survey. The rating averages scores for all questions about care from our providers.

The scale on which responses are measured is 1 to 5 with 5 being the best score.

Patient Comments

Patient comments are gathered from our patient experience survey and displayed in their entirety. For the convenience of our visitors, some patient comments have been translated from their original language into English while preserving their original meaning as accurately as possible. Patients are de-identified for confidentiality and patient privacy.

SOUTH JORDAN HEALTH CENTER

Young... knowledgeable.... good personality... considerate very professional

SOUTH JORDAN HEALTH CENTER

Best eye doc Ive seen in 10 years!

MORAN EYE CENTER

Dr. Nakatsuka is an incredible doctor and surgeon! He did a wonderful job on my cataract surgery.

SOUTH JORDAN HEALTH CENTER

He's an exemplary ophthalmologist. Always pleasant, compassionate, very knowledgeable and a great educator. He conducts thorough exams and incorporates my input in the treatment plan.. I feel safe in his care.

MORAN EYE CENTER

Understanding, caring, attentive and very responsive

SOUTH JORDAN HEALTH CENTER

Dr. Nakatsuka is great!

SOUTH JORDAN HEALTH CENTER

Dr. Nakatsuka is as pleasant in his demeanor as he is professionally competent.

SOUTH JORDAN HEALTH CENTER

Most capable and professional.

MORAN EYE CENTER

Dr. Nakatsuka showed me a lot of compassion and understanding about my condition and the other issues I am facing with my health. I felt listened to and understood.

Austin S. Nakatsuka, MD, is a glaucoma and cataract specialist. A gifted surgeon and former Moran Eye Center fellow, Nakatsuka completed a one-year fellowship in glaucoma and advanced cataract and iris surgery, training extensively with the late Alan S. Crandall, MD. Before that, he completed a one-year fellowship in cornea and refractive surgery at Moran.

A Hawaii native, Nakatsuka earned his medical degree at the University of Hawaii and completed his ophthalmology residency at the University of Texas Medical Branch/Houston Methodist Hospital in Galveston, Texas.

He has published numerous peer-reviewed journal articles and served in a range of community activities, including as a volunteer physician for the Hawaii Salvation Army Drug Rehabilitation Clinic and the Navajo Nation in southern Utah. He rebuilt homes as part of Hurricane Harvey relief efforts in Houston and has served as a peer advisor with the American Indian Student Association at the University of California, Los Angeles.

In addition to his surgical and clinical practices at Moran’s main University of Utah location and South Jordan clinic, Nakatsuka will dedicate a few weeks a year to working with Moran’s Global Outreach Division, providing care to underserved communities locally and internationally.

Get to know Dr. Nakatsuka by watching his profile video.

Board Certification and Academic Information

Academic Departments Ophthalmology & Visual Sciences -Assistant Professor (Clinical)

Education history

Undergraduate Psychobiology - University of California, Los Angeles B.S.
Professional Medical Medicine - University of Hawaii, John A. Burns School of Medicine M.D.
Residency Transitional Year - Hawaii Residency Programs, Inc. Resident
Residency Ophthalmology - University of Texas Medical Branch/Houston Methodist Hospital Resident
Chief Resident Ophthalmology - University of Texas Medical Branch/Houston Methodist Hospital Chief Resident
Fellowship Ophthalmology, Cornea and Refractive Surgery - University of Utah, John A. Moran Eye Center Clinical Fellow
Fellowship Ophthalmology, Glaucoma and Anterior Segment - University of Utah, John A. Moran Eye Center Clinical Fellow

Selected Publications

Journal Article

  1. Kelkar N, Eid K, Nakatsuka AS, Johnson C, Mamalis N, Werner (2025). Severe intraocular lens tilt after the Yamane technique. Journal of cataract and refractive surgery, 51(2), 126-132.
  2. Nakatsuka A (2024). The lens that would not stay put. Journal of cataract and refractive surgery, 50(3), 304-305.
  3. Sharma M, Johnson C, Carpenter CM, Ofori-Atta BS, Brintz BJ, Polski A, Nakatsuka A (2025). Post-Operative Outcomes at One Year of STREAMLINE Microinvasive Glaucoma Surgery Combining Micro-Goniotomy and Focal Ab-Interno Canaloplasty. Clinical ophthalmology (Auckland, N.Z.), 19, 3381-3387.

Letter

  1. Nakatsuka AS, Lin (2020). Ocular management of acute Stevens-Johnson syndrome in a 14-month-old child. Canadian journal of ophthalmology. Journal canadien d'ophtalmologie, 55(6), e213-e214.
  2. Nakatsuka AS, Mifflin M (2020). Response to "Risk Factors for Dry Eye After Refractive Surgery". Cornea, 39(8), e22.