Cheif engineer aboard the Starship Enterprise-D. Born Blind in 2335 because of a birth defect, LaForge wore a remarkable device called a VISOR that permitted him to see with greater clarity than other humans could. Deordi LaForge came from a family of Starfleet officers. His mother, Silvia LaForge, was a command officer, captain of the U.S.S. Hera at the time of her death in 2370, and his father was an exbiologist. Geordi recalled that, even though he moved around a great deal, he considered his childhood a great adventure. LaForge did not recieve his VISOR until after his fifth birthday. Geordi was caught in a fire when he was five years old. He recalled how for a time after the incident it was extremely important for him to know where his parents were at all times. Geordi had a pet Circassian cat when he was eight. Possibly because his parents traveled so much when he was a child, Geordi had something of a knack for languages. One such language was Hahliian.
Geordi LaForge graduated from Starfleet Academy in 2357. One of LaForge's first Starfleet assignments was as shuttle pilot for the Jovian Run between Jupiter and Saturn. LaForge first met Captain Picard when LaForge piloted Picard's shuttle on Inspection tour. During the tour, Picard made an offhand remark about a minor inefficiency in the shuttle's engines, and LaForge subsequently stayed up all night to repair the problem. Picard was so impressed with the incident that he requested LaForge be assigned to the Enterprise-D in 2364. LaForge later served as an ensign on the U.S.S. Victory under the command of Captain Zimbata. One of Geordi's closet friends on that ship was Lieutenant Susanna Leijten. In 2362, both LaForge and Leijten participated in an away mission to planet Tarchannen III. It was later realized that all members of that away team were infected by an alien DNA strand that would, if unchecked, compel them to return to Tarchannen III, where they would be transformed into a native Tarchannen life-form. LaForge was saved from the transformation in 2367 by Leijten's actions and medical intervention by Enterprise-D CMO Crusher.
LaForge transferred to the Enterprise-D as flight controller(conn) in 2364. Geordi was promoted to full lieutenant and assigned as U.S.S. Enterprise-D cheif engineer the following year, just prior to stardate 42073.1. Although brilliantly proficient as a starship engineer, LaForge had difficulty building realationships with women. Perhaps as a result, Geordi developed an attachment to a holographic representation of Enterprise-D designer Leah Brahms. The real Dr. Brahms was outraged to learn of this simulation, noting that creating such a repica was an invasion of privacy. Brahms did eventually become friends with LaForge, although Geordi was disappointed to learn that Leahwas already married.