Ophthalmology Department at MEEI

The Infirmary offers a broad range of primary to tertiary ophthalmic services, such as eye exams, contact lens services, eyeglass exams, and cataract surgery. Primary adult ophthalmic care is provided for more than 20,000 patients each year through the Cataract Consultation and General Eye Service. Initial screening and diagnosis of many ophthalmic disorders, as well as pre- and post-operative management of cataract surgery patients, is provided by this service. Our pediatric service is busy with healthy children and patients with complicated eye disease.
If appropriate, patients are referred for tertiary care to other Infirmary ophthalmic subspecialty areas, such as retina, glaucoma, cornea, pediatrics, vision rehabilitation, neuro-ophthalmology, eye pathology, ocular oncology, immunology, and oculoplastics. The Infirmary is the only facility in the country that provides genetic analysis of retinoblastoma. Our physician specialists at Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary are board certified and perform a wide range of procedures, utilizing the latest technologies.

Ophthalmology Dept. clinical Services Comprehensive Ophthalmology and Cataract Consultation (COS)
Comprehensive Ophthalmology and Cataract Consultation (COS) is the primary location for general eye care at the Infirmary. Each patient has an individual primary care ophthalmologist who provides comprehensive eye care including prescription of eye glasses, routine annual eye exams, and management of a variety of medical eye problems including cataracts, glaucoma, diabetic eye diseases and macular degeneration. 

There are more than 25,000 patient visits each year to COS, which is located on the first floor of the Infirmary. The ophthalmic surgeons of the Comprehensive Ophthalmology Service perform a large number of state-of-the-art cataract surgeries, laser vision correction and other eye surgery as indicated. To book an appointment with our Comprehensive Ophthalmology Service, call 617-573-3202. 

Contact Lens Service
The Contact Lens Service provides knowledge and expertise in contact lens fittings, often successfully fitting patients who previously could not wear lenses. The service provides an extensive selection of contact lens options and has a wide knowledge of contact lens fitting methods, techniques, and newly available lens modalities.
 
Cornea
The Cornea Service provides comprehensive care to corneal and and anterior segment patients. The cornea specialists look after patients with complicated cataract problems, dry eye, corneal scarring from infection and degenerations, and corneal infections from contact lenses and other problems. Dr. Claes Dohlman has pioneered surgery with a keratoprosthesis for severe corneal injuries.
Click for information on the Dohlman Fellowship Society Award 
 
Emergency Eye Care
Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary provides New England's only 24-hour, 7 days-a-week dedicated eye emergency service. The Infirmary is a major referral center for eye trauma in the New England area, as well as providing other emergency assistance to patients whose regular ophthalmic provider is not readily available. The Infirmary’s emergency department provides eye care to patients seen in the Emergency Department at Mass.General Hospital (MGH) and reciprocal medical and surgical support is provided to the Infirmary by MGH. 

Eye Pathology
Eye Pathology is housed in the David G. Cogan Eye Pathology Laboratory - one of the three highest volume laboratories dedicated to eye pathology in the United States. Eye pathologists provide consultative services regarding the identification of ocular disease, as well as the presence of possible malignancy.

Glaucoma

The Glaucoma Service provides early diagnosis and treatment of diseases that can increase intraocular pressure, thereby causing damage to the optic nerve and to retinal nerve fibers. Staffed by several specialists, this service constitutes one of the region’s largest groups of experts in all aspects of the diagnosis and treatment of glaucoma.

Laser Vision Correction

The Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary is a major center for laser vision correction of refractive errors to make people less dependent upon glasses or contact lenses. The service's patients benefit from an on-line computerized corneal topography unit which provides keratometric and corneal surface measurements to enhance corneal evaluation. The Infirmary has state-of-the-art equipment for excimer laser photorefractive keratectomy (PRK) and laser in-situ keratomileusis (LASIK) at a number of convenient locations.

Low Vision/Vision Rehabilitation Center

A special group of patients - those with severe low vision who cannot be cured with surgery or medication - find support, treatment and low vision aids in the Low Vision/Vision Rehabilitation program. This service is available at MEEI locations in Boston and Stoneham.

As a provider of low vision services for more than 25 years, the Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary Vision Rehabilitation Center has helped more than 6,000 new patients in the last ten years. One of the first hospital-based programs with a comprehensive interdisciplinary approach to vision rehabilitation, the Infirmary's Vision Rehabilitation Center can help the vast majority of partially-sighted people learn to use their remaining visual capacity to its fullest and to be as independent as possible. The staff of the Vision Rehabilitation Center is a highly trained team of rehabilitation professionals, including ophthalmologists, optometrists, occupational therapists and clinical social workers. Volunteers support the library services and are available as escorts.

Neuro-Ophthalmology

The Neuro-ophthalmology Service provides regular and emergency evaluation of a wide variety of diseases that cause visual loss. In particular we specialize in the diagnosis of diseases of the retina, optic nerve and brain that reduce vision as well as diseases that cause double vision. Our neuro-ophthalmologists work closely with the neurologists and neurosurgeons of MGH, and provide consultation service to MGH inpatients on a daily basis.

Our neuro-ophthalmologists have evaluated large numbers of patients with optic neuritis, ischemic optic neuropathy, brain tumors involving the optic nerves or chiasm, strokes that cause visual loss or double vision, transient monocular blindness, migraine with visual symptoms, myasthenia gravis, multiple sclerosis, mitochondrial disease, and muscular disease that affects the eye. We also specialize in evaluating patients who have unexplained visual loss.

Oculoplastic and Cosmetic Surgery

The The Oculoplastic Service focuses upon the many disorders of the eyelids, orbit, and lacrimal drainage system. Our expertise includes reconstructive and cosmetic eyelid surgery, laser surgery, orbital tumors and inflammations (i.e. thyroid eye disease), removal of eyes (i.e. enucleation), and traumatic lacerations and fractures. Oculoplastics (ophthalmic plastics) is a unique specialty that relies on a surgeon's technical and artistic skill and ability. Ophthalmic plastic surgeons are qualified to perform aesthetic and reconstructive procedures in and around the delicate eye structure.

Ophthalmology - Oncology (Cancer)

The The Ophthalmic Oncology Service provides consultations to patients and their referring physicians on a wide range of tumors and tumor-simulating inflammatory disorders of the eyelids, conjunctiva, cornea, uvea, retina, optic nerve, orbital soft tissues, lacrimal glands, lacrimal sacs, and disorders of the surrounding compartments (sinuses and intracranial cavities). In addition to a complex and sophisticated clinical examination, patients may have ancillary diagnostic studies, including computed tomography, magnetic resonance imaging, immersion ultrasonography, ultrasound biomicroscopy, doppler ultrasound, and fluorescein angiography.

Previous biopsy material will be evaluated on all patients where this material exists, including glass slides, electron microscopy, and immunohistochemistry. Recommendations are made with respect to treatment, including further biopsy, wide local excision, radical surgery, chemotherapy, or radiotherapy. The Service functions in intimate teamwork with the Retina Service and the Oculo-Plastics Service.

Optical Services

The MEEI Optical Service offers a full range of comprehensive optical services from routine to highly specialized eyewear. At MEEI Optical, we are committed to excellence by providing outstanding patient service and quality products. Our highly trained, licensed and skilled opticians have extensive experience filling difficult and unusual prescriptions while working closely with doctors from many of our specialty ophthalmology services. We also accept patients with eyeglass prescriptions from doctors outside of the Infirmary. Our pricing is extremely competitive, and we offer many pricing options depending on the needs and desires of the patient. Our handicap accessible dispensary is located on the first floor of the Infirmary, above the lobby entrance, and directly across the hall from Comprehensive Ophthalmology.

Pediatrics/Ocular Motility

The Pediatrics/Ocular Motility Service assesses and diagnoses infant and child vision, as well as assists patients in the management of common childhood vision disorders. A full-time Director of the Pediatric Service now complements the four other members of the Pediatric staff. Ocular motility services are also provided to evaluate abnormalities in extraocular movements and their effect on vision as well as on appearance.Such services are available for both children and adults.

Retina

The Retina Service represents the major consultative facility in New England for diseases of the retina and vitreous. Our seven retinal specialists see patients with common retinal conditions and are also world experts in age related macular degeneration, choroidal melanoma, diabetic retinopathy and complicated retinal detachment. We provide services such as fluorescein angiography, optical coherence tomography, ultrasonography, electroretinogram ("ERG") testing, laser treatment (including photodynamic therapy) vitroeretinal surgery, and immunologic diagnosis and follow-up therapy for retina patients.

In cooperation with Harvard Medical School and the Massachusetts General Hospital, the Retina Service provides proton beam irradiation therapy for certain malignant eye tumors to arrest the development of such tumors and prevent removal of the patient's eye whenever possible. This treatment is available in the United States only through the Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary and one other facility in California.

Uveitis/Ocular Immunology
The Uveitis/Ocular Immunology Service provides diagnostic and therapeutic care to patients with inflammatory eye disease. Patients are referred from throughout the United States for surgical and drug treatment of infectious diseases and immunologic ocular inflammation.

Other Ophthalmic Services
In addition to the many services provided at the Infirmary, our ophthalmic staff provides coverage for all inpatient eye consultations at the Massachusetts General Hospital. In affiliation with the Lions Club International, physicians from the Comprehensive Ophthalmology Service provide community vision screening programs on the average of four times per year.