The Glaucomfleckens are a groundbreaking medical comedy duo that blend sharp satire with heartfelt storytelling, led by real-life ophthalmologist-comedian Dr. Will Flanary (aka Doctor Glaucomflecken) and inspirational co-survivorship speaker Kristin Flanary (aka Lady Glaucomflecken). Through viral videos, a hit podcast, and national touring off-broadway stage act, they and their brand offer a rare, resonant mix of humor, education, and emotional truth that resonates across the healthcare world and beyond.

The Glaucomfleckens

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Dr. Will Flanary is an ophthalmologist and part time comedian who moonlights in his free time as "Dr. Glaucomflecken," a social media personality who creates medical-themed comedy shorts across all of social media. He got his start in comedy as an 18-year-old performing stand up in his hometown of Houston, TX. He later decided to embark on the much easier route of becoming a doctor.
In his 3rd year of med school, he was diagnosed with testicular cancer. His experience as a patient and as a med student kicked off his interest in medical comedy, using humor as a coping mechanism. After successful surgery and 4 years of med school, Will attended residency in ophthalmology. Unfortunately, cancer found him again 3 years later, and he once again turned to comedy - this time, starting an account on Twitter. He called himself "Dr. Glaucomflecken" because it is clearly the funniest word in the field of ophthalmology. Death came calling one more time in May 2020, when his heart stopped in his sleep. His life was saved by his intrepid wife and her timely CPR.
Initially used as a creative outlet to cope with these health challenges, Will’s comedy has evolved over time to incorporate biting satire of the US healthcare system, academic publishing, and interpersonal conflicts pervasive in the medical system. He is a frequent keynote speaker who encourages medical audiences to embrace humor in everyday life.
When the pandemic hit, his jokes and videos acted as a welcome reprieve from the horrors of working in healthcare. He expanded his comedy repertoire to short skits incorporating a wide range of characters who worked at a fictional hospital called "Glaucomflecken General."
Dr. Glaucomflecken has now amassed over 2.5 million fans, collaborated with the US Surgeon General, gave the Yale Medical School commencement address in 2022, and has given dozens of talks across the world.
Professional & Academic Credentials
- Board-Certified Ophthalmologist, Licensed in Oregon
  - Secretariat Award: The American Academy of Ophthalmology
  - 40 Under 40 Award: Ophthalmology Management
  - Portland’s Top Doctors
- Residency: University of Iowa Hospitals & Clinics Ophthalmology Department
- MD: Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth College
- BS: Texas Tech University, Cell & Molecular Biology

Kristin Flanary, MA was formally trained in cognitive neuroscience and social psychology and now works in marketing and communications. She and her ophthalmologist husband, Dr. Will Flanary, met in college at Texas Tech University before both earning advanced degrees at Dartmouth College.
Kristin is best known internationally as her social media alter ego, ”‘Lady Glaucomflecken,” where she shares wisdom and misadventures with her 65,000+ followers. Her stories come from her unique perspective of the healthcare system. She has been a patient, "married to medicine" through the entire medical training journey and beyond, a lay responder and CPR provider to her husband, and a caregiver and "co-survivor" of his two cancer occurrences and a sudden cardiac arrest.
In May 2020, Kristin woke up in the middle of the night to her otherwise healthy 34-year-old husband having a sudden cardiac arrest in his sleep. Their 8- and 5-year-old daughters were asleep in the next room while Kristin worked with a 911 dispatcher to guide paramedics to their home. While help was en route, she gave cardinal directions to the master bedroom, shared the garage code, and asked for the paramedics to shut the children’s bedroom door while simultaneously performing 10 minutes of CPR. Despite out-of-hospital cardiac arrests having a mere 10% survival rate, these efforts and the help of the Intensive Care Unit kept Will’s brain and body intact. He was conscious, healthy, and back to his normal self the very next day — a feat that is nearly unheard of.
Aside from her full-time career in communications and marketing, Kristin is the co-founder of Glaucomflecken LLC. Her work advocates for caregivers and “co-survivors,” CPR and AED use, physician families, adolescents and young adults affected by cancer, and sudden cardiac arrest survivorship. She guest stars in Dr. Glaucomflecken videos as the OBGYN at Glaucomflecken General Hospital. Kristin serves as Co-Patient Editor for the Journal of Cardiac Failure, writes editorials for medical journals, and co-hosts the “Knock Knock, Hi” medical comedy podcast. She has been awarded an EMS Cardiac Arrest Save Challenge Coin (2020), the Citizen CPR Foundation’s 40 Under 40 award (2021) and the American Heart Association’s Resuscitation Champion Award (2022).
Professional & Academic Credentials
- Co-founder of Glaucomflecken LLC
  - American Heart Association’s Resuscitation Champion Award (2022)
  - Citizen CPR Foundation’s 40 Under 40 Award (2021)
  - EMS Cardiac Arrest Save Challenge Coin (2020)
- 10+ years working in higher education, marketing, and communications
- MA: Dartmouth College (Psychological and Brain Sciences department; specialized in cognitive neuroscience and social psychology
- BA: Texas Tech University (Psychology & Spanish)