Ophthalmology was organized as a separate department in 1974. Growth under the directorship of its current Chairman, Dr.Robert D'Amico, has been steady and substantial. Currently there are a total of nine residents.  The program enjoys an excellent reputation and competes with the five medical school based programs in New York City for its candidates. Approximately 400 applications are received for the three training slots each year. Seventy-six applicants are selected for the interview, and the top 35 are ranked and forwarded to the San Francisco Matching Program. Our match is usually made within our first 15 choices. The depar tment has always and continues to enjoy both a strong clinical and academic reputation both locally and nationally.

Medical students from New York Medical College rotate through our department for one week.  First year residents from other residency programs such as Radiology, Neurology, Medicine and Transitional, choose to do a one-month rotation in which they gain experience performing eye examinations and learn how to use different ophthalmic equipment.

Dr. D'Amico initiated affiliations with St. Vincent's Hospital-Staten Island. The addition of this affiliation has allowed the department to pass the critical mass program size necessary to develop a competitive residency program without additional economic burden on St. Vincent's Hospital.  As well as shouldering some of the financial responsibilities of the program, this affiliation will occasionally refer patients to St. Vincent's Manhattan.

Dr. Ruth Stoddard Long joined the staff in 1971 and instituted Retina Services and Fluorescein Angiographic Laboratory.  She was the first ophthalmologist in the United States to use Cobalt 60 Scleral Plaques in the treatment of choroidal melanoma and hemangioma.  Dr. Long published extensively in her field.  Today, Dr. Daniel F. Rosberger, Dr. John Woo and Dr. John Khadem work very closely with the residents staffing the retina clinics, handling challenging surgical procedures in the operating room and teaching Fluorescein Angiography.

In 1973 Dr. Sidney Fox, a surgeon of international renown, joined the staff and founded the Oculoplastic Service. His publications and textbooks are still used in training and reference in this field. Dr. Maureen A. Relland, the present Chief of the Oculoplastic Service gained her expertise under the direction of Dr. Fox.  Currently, Dr. Joseph A. Eviatar Co-director of the service, and Dr. Debra Kroll play an active role in the Oculoplastic Service and are dedicated to teaching the residents.

In 1974, Dr. G. Peter Halberg came to St. Vincent's Hospital and organized the Glaucoma Clinic and Contact Lens service.  He has a distinguished record in ophthalmic research and education and has published and lectured widely. He was a member of the American Glaucoma Society and Chairman of the International Contact Lens Council of Ophthalmology.  He organized several major international ophthalmology conferences at St. Vincent's Hospital.  Dr. Kevin Stewart, a graduate of the program, now staffs the Glaucoma clinic every week.  He finished his Glaucoma fellowship at the Manhattan Eye, Ear and Throat Hospital and also serves as Assistant Director of the Glaucoma Clinic at the New York Eye and Ear Infirmary.  He was recently distinguished with the 'Resident Teacher of the Year' award at that institution.

The department is particularly proud of the fact that many former residents are now active members of the attending staff:  Drs. Maureen A. Relland, Carmen Guberina, Denise Sanfilippo, Roman Dworecki, Deborah Blenk, R. Christine Melton, Floyd Warren, Connie DiMari, Donna Esposito, Thomas Chang, Anne Marie McVeigh, Mark Fromer, John Woo, Patrick So, Albert Zazzali and Kevin Stewart. 

The dedication, energy and enthusiasm of the attending staff have proven to be a continuing source of strength for the department as well as the medical center. They have formed strong bonds with St. Vincent's and their practices will continue to grow with the institution. 

The department has impressive depth in the subspecialties of ophthalmology, offering clinics for corneal and retinal diseases, glaucoma, pediatric ophthalmology and strabismus problems, ophthalmic plastic surgery, neuro-ophthalmology and contact lens problems.

The Eye Clinic located in the O'Toole Medical Services Building has an area of 3,000 square feet to house its diagnostic and therapeutic equipment. The ophthalmology suite located on the fifth floor of the Cronin building of the main hospital is available for inpatient examination and treatment and also to provide consultative services for other departments. It is fully equipped with slit-lamps, B-scan, a YAG and Argon laser, and a microscope for minor procedures.