Dr. Heaton is a leader in ophthalmic microsurgery techniques in East Texas. He was one of the first to perform small incision cataract surgery and was the first in East Texas to use topical anesthesia for these procedures. These kinds of surgical advances have provided faster healing times and greatly increased comfort for his patients. Throughout his career, Dr. Heaton has sought advanced training to bring the latest techniques in laser vision correction to the area, including NearVision CK and Wavefront Technology for LASIK.

Dr. Heaton is also a respected teacher of innovative surgical techniques and has performed over 10,000 surgical procedures. He serves as a part-time instructor at Parkland Memorial Hospital in Dallas for the University of Texas Southwestern Medical School and at the University of Texas Health Center at Tyler. He has also traveled as far as Africa to the country of Sudan as an instructor for the ORBIS team, an international organization of eye care professionals who teach surgical techniques in developing countries. Dr. Heaton is a member of both the Society to Prevent Blindness and the Christian Ophthalmology Society. He is well known for his willingness to serve his patients as well as his community in many charitable capacities. Dr. Heaton played a key role in developing the annual Heaton Eye Associates Hope Open tennis tournament. This event benefits Living Alternatives, a Christian-based organization that provides assistance and guidance for women with unplanned pregnancies.

“I want my patients to experience the improved quality of life that comes from their best possible vision. I like to get to know my patients, and enjoy seeing exciting new technology help change their lives.”