Welcome to Jamaica Hospital Medical Center’s Pediatric Ophthalmology Center. We thank you for considering our team of highly trained pediatric eye specialists to care for your child’s vision.
A healthy vision is essential for children’s educational and physical development. If a child has an uncorrected vision problem, it can affect their ability to learn or delay development.
It isn’t always easy to tell if children are having vision problems and younger children are often unable to verbalize symptoms they may be experiencing; as a result of this, eye problems often go undiagnosed or untreated. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, reports that 1 in 4 preschool-aged children in the United States has undiagnosed or untreated vision problems. Therefore, it is recommended that children receive their first comprehensive eye exam by the age of one and routine care visits thereafter.
Comprehensive eye examinations are more thorough than vision screenings and are conducted by pediatric ophthalmologists (Medical and surgical doctors who specialize in diagnosing, treating, and managing eye problems common in children).
In addition to scheduling routine comprehensive eye examinations to maintain vision health, parents are encouraged to pay attention to signs and symptoms of eye disorders that require the care of an ophthalmologist. These include:
- Headaches
- Excessive blinking
- Squinting
- Difficulty reading
- Wandering eyes
- Crossing eyes
- Sensitivity to light
- Redness in the eyes
- Swelling of the eyes
- Bulging of the eyes
- Watery eyes
- Complaints of double or blurred vision
Pediatric ophthalmologists at Jamaica Hospital are highly skilled in recognizing signs and symptoms that are critical in diagnosing eye disorders in children of all ages, ranging from newborns to young adults.
Our experts utilize their vast knowledge and experience in meeting the unique needs of children to determine the best course of treatment for a wide variety of conditions, including:
- Amblyopia (Lazy eye)
- Blocked tear ducts
- Chemical exposure
- Corneal abrasion
- Double vision
- Droopy eyelids
- Eye problems associated with thyroid disorders
- Eye screening for juvenile diabetics
- Refractive error (nearsightedness, farsightedness, and astigmatism)
- Retinopathy of Prematurity
- Strabismus (crossed eyes, wandering eyes)
- Styes
- Trauma
- Conjunctivitis
- Retinopathy of prematurity (ROP)
Treatments and services provided by our pediatric eye specialists include:
- Atropine treatment for Myopia
- Comprehensive Eye Exam
- Chalazion Excision
- Dermoid Cyst Excision
- Exam under anesthesia (if needed)
- Evaluation for glasses
- Eyelid Lesion removal
- Nasal lacrimal duct procedures
- Pediatric and Adult Strabismus Surgery
Our team delivers careful and compassionate care in our newly constructed pediatric ophthalmology center, equipped with the latest medical technology. Each member of our staff takes pride in providing a welcoming and comfortable environment for your child.
Meet Our Team
May Chan Ho, Orthoptist
May Chan-Ho, originally from Brooklyn, NY, is a certified Orthoptist who completed her Orthoptic training in 2020. She graduated from her Orthoptic fellowship as the inaugural student at the Boston Orthoptic Fellowship Program, a joint collaboration with Boston Children’s Hospital and Tufts Medical Center. She is certified by the American Orthoptic Council and is a member of the American Association for Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus.
She has a clinical interest in treating amblyopia in children and providing orthoptic treatment to non-surgical strabismus patients.
Cristina Scelfo, M.D
Dr. Christina Scelfo was born and raised in Queens, NY. She completed her undergraduate education at Fordham University in the Bronx where she graduated Summa Cum Laude with her B.S. in Biology and English. She then joined the inaugural class of the Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell where she was inducted into Alpha Omega Alpha and graduated in 2015. She completed her Transitional Year Internship at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center before moving to Boston for residency at Boston Medical Center where she also served as Chief Resident. Most recently, Dr. Scelfo completed a fellowship in Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus at Boston Children’s Hospital/Harvard Medical School. She prides herself in creating a warm environment for children to feel comfortable during their exams and is happy to welcome adults with strabismus into the office as well!
Rebecca Weiss, M.D
Dr. Rebecca Weiss is a board-certified ophthalmologist, fellowship trained in pediatric ophthalmology and strabismus. She attended medical school at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine. After finishing an ophthalmology residency at Montefiore Medical Center, Dr. Weiss went on to complete a fellowship in pediatric ophthalmology and strabismus at the New York Eye and Ear Infirmary of Mount Sinai. She is a member of the American Academy of Ophthalmology and the American Association for Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus.
Dr. Weiss is dedicated to her patients and their visual and ocular health. She specializes in diagnosing and treating conditions such as: amblyopia, nasolacrimal duct obstruction, refractive error (including using low-dose atropine for myopia progression), and the medical and surgical management of pediatric and adult strabismus.
