Dr. Lauer is Director for OHSU Casey Eye Institute and Chair and Professor for the Department of Ophthalmology. He holds the Margaret Thiele-Petti and August Petti Endowed Chair. Dr. Lauer specializes in the care of patients with medical and surgical diseases of the retina and vitreous, and he is recognized internationally as a leading ocular gene therapy surgeon.

Dr. Lauer has served as ophthalmology residency program director, retina fellowship program director and head of the vitreoretinal division. He has served as investigator in clinical trials in the areas of ocular gene therapy, age-related macular degeneration, inherited retinal diseases, diabetic retinopathy, retinal vein occlusions, and retinopathy of prematurity. 

Dr. Lauer completed his undergraduate training at the University of Rochester followed by medical school and internship at University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center. He completed ophthalmology residency and vitreoretinal fellowship training at OHSU Casey Eye Institute. Dr. Lauer served as chair for the American Board of Ophthalmology and chair of its Continuing of Certification program. Dr. Lauer served as chair for the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education Review Committee for Ophthalmology.  He is a member of the Association of University Professors in Ophthalmology Board of Trustees. Presently, he serves as chair-elect for the OHSU Professional Board and co-Chair for the Quality Oversight Committee.