Ophthalmology (Eye Care)

Ensuring that Children See Well Throughout Their Lives

Children can experience a variety of eye problems that differ from those in adults. These problems often require special attention, as a child’s eyes and general vision are still developing until age 9. To ensure that children have good vision as they get older, it’s crucial to catch and treat potential eye problems early. When children receive prompt, effective eye care, it can make the difference between a lifetime of sight and a debilitating and isolating disability.

NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital’s pediatric ophthalmologists are highly skilled at diagnosing and treating children of all ages, from newborn babies to teenagers. These specialists are ophthalmologists with additional training in understanding and treating the eyes and developing visual systems of infants and children. In addition, because the surgical techniques involved in treating strabismus (muscle problems of the eyes) are best learned in a pediatric ophthalmology fellowship, these physicians often treat adult strabismus as well. Our child-friendly physicians and staff, the latest diagnostic equipment and surgical techniques, and state-of-the art facilities all help us in our mission to provide excellent care for your child.

• Comprehensive Diagnosis and Treatment: We provide a full range of diagnostic testing and eye and vision care for your child, including evaluations for failed vision screening and common conditions such as strabismus and amblyopia. We also care for children with less common conditions such as cataracts, glaucoma, retinopathy of prematurity, and retinal degenerations and genetic retinal disorders.
• Pioneering Therapies: Our ophthalmologists have pioneered the development of lasers, modern retinal surgery techniques, and glaucoma drugs. They are committed to seeking new and better methods of preventing vision loss and all eye disorders in children.
• Seamless Team Care: If your child has a complex eye problem that requires a team approach, we work collaboratively with other specialists throughout the hospital — including not only orthoptists and optometrists, but pediatric neurologists, endocrinologists, geneticists, rheumatologists, neuro-radiologists, otolaryngologists, and neonatologists — and provide continuity of care.
• Specialized Help for Kids with Low Vision: We work closely with Lighthouse Guild International, a nonprofit organization devoted to helping blind or vision-impaired children, especially those with multiple disabilities. The Lighthouse Guild provides these children with low-vision rehabilitation, mental health counseling, and educational programs.
• Groundbreaking Research: We are active participants in a federally funded study looking for genes involved in retinopathy of prematurity — the leading cause of blindness in infancy.