CaptainMedical Corps
United States Navy
Ophthalmology Specialty Leader
Naval Medical Center San Diego

A native of Kentucky, CAPT Cason graduated from Emory University in Atlanta, Georgia, with a Bachelor of Science degree in biology. He completed medical school at George Washington University School of Medicine in 2000, internal medicine internship at Naval Medical Center Portsmouth, residency training in Ophthalmology at Naval Medical Center San Diego, and fellowship training in corneal and external ocular disease at the Doheny Eye Institute, University of Southern California.

He served as a flight surgeon for VAW-120 in Norfolk, VA, a training squadron for E-2 Hawkeyes and C-2 Greyhounds.  During his tenure as a flight surgeon he was elected the AIRLANT Flight Surgeon of the year and nominated for the Leuhrs Award.  After completion of his ophthalmology residency he was the sole ophthalmologist for Naval Hospital Guam.  During this time he served as the Director of Surgical Services and was responsible for numerous improvements to surgical efficiency including a lean six sigma project to improve patient care with the Veterans Administration Hospital in Hawaii.

In July of 2011, he returned to Naval Medical San Diego as a Staff Corneal Specialist and Refractive Surgeon.   In 2013, he was called upon to support Operation Enduring Freedom as the sole ophthalmologist at the Role 3 NATO Multinational Medical Unit, Kandahar, Afghanistan.  During Pacific Partnership 2016, he served as the Director of Surgical Services for a multinational cooperative humanitarian mission throughout Southeast Asia on the USNS Mercy.  He is currently the Ophthalmology Specialty Leader and Advisor to the Navy Surgeon General.  He is also the Program Director of the first refractive surgery program in the Department of Defense.  In this role, he coordinates joint refractive surgery research projects, including FDA studies, across all services in the DoD.  He is the recipient of the Meritorious Service Medal, three Navy Commendation Medals, two Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medals, and campaign awards.