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Austin S. Nakatsuka
Rating: 4.9 of 5
( 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

    Rating: 4.9 out of 5
    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
    Rating: 5 out of 5

    Very thorough and listened to what I was experiencing before making a diagnosis.

    MORAN EYE CENTER
    Rating: 5 out of 5

    His care is the best, he explains every procedure carefully

    SOUTH JORDAN HEALTH CENTER
    Rating: 5 out of 5

    The wait for the doctor was more than one hour. I would appreciate if they could address that issue. Everything else was excellent, kind, caring

    MORAN EYE CENTER
    Rating: 5 out of 5

    Very personable and professional and cares about his patients

    MORAN EYE CENTER
    Rating: 5 out of 5

    I received excellent care at the Moran Eye Center.

    MORAN EYE CENTER
    Rating: 5 out of 5

    I feel like Dr. Nakatsuka is giving me the best care. He answers all my questions honestly and helps me when it comes to decisions I need to make. He is a very good surgeon with excellent results and I will definitely have him do my next surgery .

    MORAN EYE CENTER
    Rating: 5 out of 5

    Excellent.

    SOUTH JORDAN HEALTH CENTER
    Rating: 5 out of 5

    he explains everything

    SOUTH JORDAN HEALTH CENTER
    Rating: 5 out of 5

    The dr explained what to expect and why we needed to go to the main center for an ultrasound

  • 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. (Read full publication)
    2. Nakatsuka A (2024). The lens that would not stay put. Journal of cataract and refractive surgery, 50(3), 304-305. (Read full publication)
    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. (Read full publication)

    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. (Read full publication)
    2. Nakatsuka AS, Mifflin M (2020). Response to "Risk Factors for Dry Eye After Refractive Surgery". Cornea, 39(8), e22. (Read full publication)