Erik M. Happ, MD, FACS
Facial Aesthetics, Cosmetic & Reconstructive Eyelid & Orbital Surgery
Erik M. Happ, MD, FACS has joined the Facial Cosmetic & Reconstructive Surgery team at Carolina Eyecare Physicians as an Oculoplastic Surgeon. Dr. Happ has already established an impressive career and is recognized nationally as a leader in the field of Oculoplastic & Orbital surgery. Upon graduation from Hahnemann University, Dr. Happ embarked on a path of excellence beginning with his internship in General Surgery at “the President’s Hospital”, the National Naval Medical Center in Bethesda, MD. He then entered active duty service as a US Naval Flight surgeon garnering multiple awards including the prestigious Navy Commendation Medal and participating in multiple deployments around the world. One of Dr. Happ’s proudest moments was being selected by NASA to provide launch medical support for two Space Shuttle missions, STS 98 and STS 106.
After honorable discharge from the Navy, Dr. Happ continued his training in Ophthalmology at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Eye and Ear Institute where he served as the chief resident and was presented with the Jay G. Lynn Award as the most outstanding resident. He then trained under the internationally known, John S. Kennerdell, MD in Neuro-ophthalmic, Oculoplastic, and Orbital Surgery at the Allegheny General Hospital campus of Drexel University School of Medicine in Pittsburgh.
After taking a brief private practice position in Bainbridge Island, Washington, Dr. Happ was offered the opportunity to replace his mentor, Dr. Kennerdell back in Pittsburgh at Allegheny General Hospital. His career has been marked by several innovations in orbital and neuro-ophthalmic surgery culminating in the development of a trans-orbital approach to the skull base to treat aneurysms and tumors. A natural leader, Dr. Happ was named the Director of Neuro-ophthalmic trauma followed by being named the Department Chairman and System-wide division director of Ophthalmology for Allegheny Health Network.
Dr. Happ has always excelled in the area of functional and cosmetic oculoplastics and has pivoted his career in this direction, having started his own solo private practice and stepped away from academic medicine for the last several years. He performs a broad range of surgeries and treatments such as blepharoplasty, ptosis repair, entropion, and ectropion repair, dacryocystorhinostomy, functional botulinum toxin for blepharospasms and management of thyroid eye disease. He is also well versed in facial aesthetics and performs facial cosmetic surgery as well as injections of both Botox and dermal fillers and skin resurfacing procedures.
Dr. Happ enthusiastically accepted the position at Carolina Eyecare Physicians and is poised to provide state-of-the-art facial plastic surgical care in the Charleston area.
Locations Served: Mt. Pleasant, North Charleston
