James Richard Townley III, MD

Dr. James Townley is a board-certified ophthalmologist who received his medical degree from Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences in Bethesda, Maryland.

Dr. Townley joined Mountain View Eye Center in 2025, where he specializes in cataract, cornea, and refractive surgery. He earned his ophthalmology degree while serving in the US Air Force. Before joining Mountain View Eye Center, he served as Air Force Refractive Surgery Consultant to the Surgeon General. He also served as Chief of Ophthalmology and Refractive Surgery at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson (JBER) from 2018 to 2025.

Dr. Townley lives in Eagle River and enjoys hunting, fishing, and experiencing everything Alaska with his family.

Education and Training

• Willamette University; BA
• Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, Maryland; MD
• Dayton Area Graduate Medical Education Community Dayton, OH; General Surgery Internship
• San Antonio Uniformed Services Health Education Consortium, San Antonio, TX; Ophthalmology Residency
• Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary, Harvard, Boston, MA; Chief Cornea Fellow/ Assistant Professor

Previous Experience

Dr. Townley has 20 years of clinical ophthalmology experience. He previously served as Chief of Ophthalmology at Bagram Air Base, Afghanistan, and Chief of Cornea and Refractive Surgery at JBSA Lackland Air Force Base. He was Air Force Refractive Surgery Consultant to the Surgeon General from 2018 to 2024 and has been the Chief of Ophthalmology and Refractive Surgery at JBER since 2018. He has planned and served on multiple humanitarian cataract surgery missions across Central and South America, and in Alaska. 

Professional Memberships

• American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO)
• American Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgeons (ASCRS)
• Society of Military Ophthalmologists