Overview
Dr. Joel Nelson is a Minnesota native who received his bachelor’s degree in biology and psychology from Gustavus Adolphus College before moving on to his medical training in Des Moines, Iowa. He then spent 4 years completing his ophthalmology training in Miami, FL at Nova Southeastern University. The last stop of his training was at the University of MN to specialize in the medical and surgical treatment of corneal disease. He is one of the only surgeons in Central Minnesota performing a variety of corneal transplant techniques, including PKP, DSEK, DMEK, and DALK. He has also been specially prepared to surgically manage intraocular lens dislocations using the intrascleral haptic fixation technique. In addition to corneal surgery, Dr. Nelson also has emphasis in his practice on the surgical treatment of cataracts and LASIK surgery. He is one of the few surgeons in the state certified to implant the new iStent Inject Micro-Bypass device for the management of glaucoma at the time of cataract surgery.
Beyond work, Joel enjoys spending time camping, hiking, and gardening with his young family.
Dr. Nelson is highly rated in 1 condition, according to our data. His top areas of expertise are Cataract, Neurotrophic Keratitis, Glaucoma, Adult-Onset Vitelliform Macular Dystrophy (AVMD), and Cataract Removal.
His clinical research consists of co-authoring 6 peer reviewed articles. MediFind looks at clinical research from the past 15 years.
Specialties
Licenses
Hospital Affiliations
Languages Spoken
Gender
Insurance
Accepted insurance can change. Please verify directly with the provider.
Accepted insurance plans:
- EPO
- HMO
- POS
- PPO
- EPO
- HMO
- POS
- PPO
- EPO
- HMO
- POS
- PPO
- EPO
- HMO
- PPO
- POS
- PPO
- HMO
- INDEMNITY
- POS
- PPO
- OTHER MANAGED MEDICAID
- EPO
- HMO
- PPO
- OTHER MEDICAID
- STATE MEDICAID
- INSURANCE PLAN
- MANAGED MEDICAID PLAN
- MEDICARE PDP
- INSURANCE PLAN
- MANAGED MEDICAID PLAN
- MEDICARE MAPD
- MEDICARE SNP
- HMO
- MANAGED MEDICAID PLAN
- MEDICARE MAPD
- HMO
- POS
- INSURANCE PLAN
- MANAGED MEDICAID PLAN
- MEDICARE MAPD
- MEDICARE PDP
- EPO
- HMO
- POS
- PPO
- EPO
- HMO
- INSURANCE PLAN
- MANAGED MEDICAID PLAN
- MEDICARE MAPD
- MEDICARE PDP
- MEDICARE SNP
- MEDICARE-MEDICAID PLAN
- OTHER MEDICARE
- OTHER MEDICARE PART D
Locations
2055 15th Street North, St. Cloud, MN 56303
Clinical Research
Clinical research consists of overseeing clinical studies of patients undergoing new treatments and therapies, and publishing articles in peer reviewed medical journals. Providers who actively participate in clinical research are generally at the forefront of the fields and aware of the most up-to-date advances in treatments for their patients.
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Frequently Asked Questions about Dr. Joel Nelson
How do I make an appointment with Dr. Joel Nelson?
You can book an appointment with Dr. Joel Nelson by calling their office at 320-251-1432. MediFind provides direct contact information so you can schedule visits, second opinions, or consultations without navigating third-party calendars.
Is Dr. Joel Nelson a top-rated expert for Cataract?
MediFind is an objective health platform that identifies experts based on real-world data. Dr. Joel Nelson is classified as an Advanced expert for Cataract, meaning they are among the top experts in the country for this condition. This ranking is based on their volume of patients, published research, and peer connections.
What conditions does Dr. Joel Nelson specialize in?
While Dr. Joel Nelson is a Ophthalmology, they have specific expertise in Cataract, Neurotrophic Keratitis, and Glaucoma. MediFind analyzes a doctor's articles and referral patterns to identify their specific areas of focus within Ophthalmology.
Does Dr. Joel Nelson participate in research or clinical trials?
Yes. Dr. Joel Nelson has published 6 articles and abstracts on conditions like Cataract. You can view a list of Dr. Joel Nelson's latest peer-reviewed publications and clinical trial participation on their profile to see if they are active in new treatments.
Does Dr. Joel Nelson accept my insurance?
Dr. Joel Nelson accepts most major insurance plans, including Aetna and Anthem BCBS. We recommend calling the office directly at 320-251-1432 to verify that your specific plan is currently accepted before your visit.
Areas of Expertise
MediFind evaluates expertise by pulling from factors such as number of articles a doctor has published in medical journals, participation in clinical trials, speaking at industry conferences, prescribing and referral patterns, and strength of connections with other experts in their field.
Learn more about MediFind’s expert tiers
- Advanced
- CataractDr. Nelson isAdvanced. Learn about Cataract.
- Experienced
- Adult-Onset Vitelliform Macular Dystrophy (AVMD)
- Age-Related Macular Degeneration (ARMD)Dr. Nelson isExperienced. Learn about Age-Related Macular Degeneration (ARMD).
- AstigmatismDr. Nelson isExperienced. Learn about Astigmatism.
- Cloudy CorneaDr. Nelson isExperienced. Learn about Cloudy Cornea.
- Cone DystrophyDr. Nelson isExperienced. Learn about Cone Dystrophy.
- Cone Rod Dystrophy Amelogenesis Imperfecta