"Dr. Riggins is my hero! His concern and skills went far beyond anything I expected. He just completed cataract surgery on both my eyes and I am in awe of my improved vision. Both he and the entire staff were phenomenal! I couldn't be happier with all they've done for me." -  

B. Smith

• Professional License, North Carolina (1999)
• Board Certified, Ophthalmology (1995)
• Board Certified, Optometry (1981)

Education and Training 

Undergraduate: 1973-1977  Mercer University, B.S., Macon, Georgia

Doctorates:   

• 1977-1981 University of Houston College of Optometry, O.D., Houston, Texas.
• 1984-1988 Uniformed Services University of Health Sciences, M.D., Bethesda, Maryland.
• Internship:  1988-1989 Walter Reed Army Medical Center, Washington, D.C.
• Residency:  1990-1993 Walter Reed Army Medical Center, Department of Ophthalmology, Washington, D.C.

Professional History  

• 1981-1984: Chief, Optometry, USAMEDDAC, Bremerhaven, Germany 
• 1989-1990: Director, Health Services, Ft. Dietrich, Maryland 
• 1992-1993: Chief Resident, Ophthalmology, Walter Reed Army Medical Center, Washington, D.C. 
• 1993-1999: Clinical Instructor of Surgery, UNC School of Medicine, Department of Ophthalmology, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 
• 1993-present Clinical Instructor of Surgery, Uniformed Services University of  Health Services, Bethesda, Maryland 
• 1993-1997: Chief of Ophthalmology, Womack Army Medical Center, Ft. Bragg, North Carolina 
• 1997-1999: Assistant Chief, Department of Surgery, Womack Army Medical Center, Ft.Bragg, NC 
• 1999-Present: Cape Fear Eye Associates, Fayetteville, North Carolina

Staff Privileges

• Cape Fear Valley Medical Center - Active Privileges 
• Highsmith Rainey Hospital - Active Privileges 
• Fayetteville Ambulatory Surgery Center -  Active Privileges

Professional Awards and Honors 

• 1992, 1998 Outstanding Clinical Instructor, Womack Army Medical Center, Ft. Bragg, North Carolina 
• 2014-The Order of the Long Leaf Pine

Professional Interests 

Cataract Surgery, Refractive Surgery, Strabismus/Muscle Surgery, Glaucoma Surgery, Neonatal Exams, Corneal Transplants, Oculoplastic Surgery

Professional Memberships 

• American Academy of Ophthalmology, Fellow 
• North Carolina Medical Society 
• American Society of Military Ophthalmologists 
• Cumberland County Medical Society 
• American Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgeons

Clinical Trial

• 1996 – Photorefractive Keratectomy for the treatment of refractive error in United States Army Service Members, Principal Investigator. 
• 2014 – Non-contact retinal imaging compared to indirect ophthalmoscopy for retinopathy of prematurity screening: infant safety profile - approved by the Institutional Review Boards at Cape Fear Valley and Duke University Health Systems and conformed to the requirements of the United States Health Insurance Portability and Privacy Act - Journal of Perinatology. Published - June 2018  

Publications

American Academy of Ophthalmology, ‘Ophthalmology Retina’- August 2018 issue: Evaluating a Portable, Noncontact Fundus Camera for Retinopathy of Prematurity Screening by Nonophthalmologist Health Care Workers - Published online: January 10, 2018

Non-contact retinal imaging compared to indirect ophthalmoscopy for retinopathy of prematurity screening: infant safety profile
S Grace Prakalapakorn, Sandra S Stinnett, Sharon F Freedman, David K Wallace, J Wayne Riggins, Keith J Gallaher
PMID: 29961763 PMCID: PMC6425275 DOI: 10.1038/s41372-018-0160-5 Epub 2018 Jul 2.

ROPtool analysis of plus and pre-plus disease in narrow-field images: a multi-image quadrant-level approach
Marguerite C Weinert, David K Wallace, Sharon F Freedman, J Wayne Riggins, Keith J Gallaher, S Grace Prakalapakorn
PMID: 32224288 PMCID: PMC8036168 DOI: 10.1016/j.jaapos.2020.01.010 Epub 2020 Mar 27.

Quantitatively comparing weekly changes in retinal vascular characteristics of eyes eventually treated versus not treated for retinopathy of prematurity
Gloria J Hong, Jagger C Koerner, Marguerite C Weinert, Sandra S Stinnett, Sharon F Freedman, David K Wallace, J Wayne Riggins, Keith J Gallaher, S Grace Prakalapakorn
PMID: 33621685 DOI: 10.1016/j.jaapos.2020.08.015 Epub 2021 Feb 20 - Article Link

Military Service 

Colonel Medical Corps U.S. Army Reserve (Retired).

Community Service 

• City of Fayetteville Historic Resources Commission: 1996-2001, 2002-2006; Chair Tricommission Infill Task Force (2006)
• City of Fayetteville Festival Park Task Force: September 2008 – February 2009
• City of Fayetteville Unified Development Ordinance Task Force: March 2008 – December 2010
• City of Fayetteville North Carolina Veterans Park Community Advisory Committee: 2007-2008
• Fayetteville State University Chancellor’s Advisory Committee: 2005-2006
• Trustee, Fayetteville State University, 2010-2013
• Trustee, Arts Council of Fayetteville/Sandhills Region; 2006-present, Chair 2010-2011
• Board of Directors, Fathers Foundation: 2005-2008
• Board of Directors, Methodist University Friends of Music: 2006-2008
• Board of Directors, Equality North Carolina: 2012-2016
• North Carolina Democratic Party: Delegate (alternate) 2008 Democratic National Convention;
• Delegate 2012 Democratic National Convention, Senior Executive Committee North Carolina Democratic Party
• Board of Directors North Carolina Justice Center 2015-Present
• Board of Directors American Civil Liberties Union of North Carolina (ACLU NC) 2015-Present
• North Carolina Commission for Public Health appointed by Governor Roy Cooper. 2017- Present
• Linear Park Corporation, City of Fayetteville, ad hoc member, June 2018-present
• UDO Task Force, City of Fayetteville, June 2018-present