Elliot Perlman, M.D., MD
Corneal Specialist, Cataract Surgeon, LASIK Surgeon
- Cataract Surgery
- LASIK & Refractive Surgery
- Cornea Surgery
- Corneal Cross-Linking
Elliot Perlman, M.D., is a board-certified ophthalmologist specializing in corneal diseases, cataracts, and refractive surgery at The Rhode Island Eye Institute. He graduated Magna Cum Laude from Brown University, where he also earned a Master of Science in Medical Science, before receiving his medical degree from Harvard Medical School. Dr. Perlman completed an internal medicine internship at Jackson Memorial Hospital — a University of Miami affiliate — followed by his ophthalmology residency at Yale University School of Medicine and his fellowship in cornea and external disease at Baylor College of Medicine and the University of Texas in Houston. With over 45 years of corneal surgery experience and performing refractive surgery since 1994, Dr. Perlman holds the distinction of being Rhode Island's first ophthalmologist to offer FDA-approved corneal cross-linking therapy for progressive keratoconus and corneal ectasia.
Fellowship
Corneal and External Disease, Baylor College of Medicine
residency
Yale University School of Medicine
internship
University of Miami Affiliated Hospitals
medical school
Harvard Medical School
undergraduate
Brown University
graduate school
Brown University, Masters in medical science
Professional Excellence
Throughout his distinguished career, Dr. Perlman has combined pioneering clinical expertise with transformative leadership in organized ophthalmology. As Director of the Corneal Service at Rhode Island Hospital and Brown Medical School, and Clinical Associate Professor of Surgery at Brown University, he has taught generations of medical students and ophthalmology residents while maintaining full-time staff privileges at Rhode Island Hospital, Miriam Hospital, and Nantucket Hospital. He specializes in the surgical and medical treatment of corneal and anterior segment disease — including keratoconus, Fuchs' dystrophy, corneal ulcerations, ocular surface disorders, and dry eye — and has authored and co-authored numerous original medical publications while presenting extensively throughout the Northeast.
I've dedicated my career to helping patients preserve and restore their vision through expert corneal care and refractive surgery. There's nothing more fulfilling than using cutting-edge techniques to improve someone's quality of life and give them clearer sight for the future.
Elliot Perlman, M.D., MD
Welcoming Patients At
Language
- English
A Legacy of Leadership at NEOS
Dr. Perlman is one of the most recognized figures in New England ophthalmology through his decades of service to the New England Ophthalmological Society (NEOS) — the oldest medical society in the United States, with 700 members across New England. He served as Program Committee Member (1993–1997), Public Education Committee Chair (1999–2003), Website Committee Chair (2003–2005), NEOS President (2007–2008), and continues as IT Committee Chairperson. A visionary in the society's digital transformation, Dr. Perlman designed and coded the first NEOS website, pioneered interactive audience response systems before smartphones existed, and led the organization's migration to a modernized digital platform. In recognition of his extraordinary contributions, he received the prestigious NEOS Distinguished Achievement Award in 2024 — an honor bestowed on select ophthalmologists since 1950. Dr. Perlman resides in Providence with his wife Deb.
Recognition By Peers and Patients
Past President
Chair, IT Committee, New England Ophthalmological Society
Miriam Hospital
Nantucket Hospital
Rhode Island Hospital
American Board of Ophthalmology
Patients
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