Comprehensive Pediatric Ophthalmology Services at UCLA Stein Eye Institute

Families seeking expert and compassionate care for their children's eye health in Southern California can confidently turn to the UCLA Stein Eye Institute. The institute's board-certified pediatric ophthalmologists and dedicated care team specialize in diagnosing and treating a wide range of childhood eye conditions, from vision development concerns to complex disorders such as strabismus. As leading pediatric eye doctors in Los Angeles, they combine advanced diagnostic technology with a child-friendly approach to ensure accurate evaluation and comfortable treatment.

A Legacy of Excellence

For over half a century, UCLA has been a hub for dynamic individuals and groundbreaking ideas. The Stein Eye Institute, established in 1966, stands as a testament to this tradition. Founded by ophthalmologist, businessman, and philanthropist Jules Stein, MD, and Bradley R. Straatsma, MD, JD, the institute's founding director, the Stein Eye Institute was built on a bold plan for preventing blindness through comprehensive programs for patient care, vision-science research, education and training of the next generation of physicians, and eye health outreach both local and global.

Under the leadership of Bartly J. Mondino, MD, director and chairman since 1994, a broad agenda of program building and expansion has been implemented. This includes the opening of the first Stein Eye Center in Santa Monica in 2012, the historic affiliation with the Doheny Eye Institute in 2013, and the opening of the Edie & Lew Wasserman Building in 2014, a landmark research and patient-care facility with a state-of-the-art outpatient surgical center.

The institute's philosophy about patient care has remained constant for 50 years: care is both the primary goal and the ultimate expression of the institute's research and education. Patient care has expanded and flourished since the institute was founded; from 23,000 patient visits in the first full year, the institute now treats more than 1,000 patients a day at the Westwood vision-science campus, and hundreds more at UCLA-affiliated hospitals and vision care centers across Southern California.

The Enduring Impact of Dr. Leonard Apt

The legacy of Dr. Leonard Apt, a beloved and pioneering Bruin, is deeply intertwined with the UCLA Stein Eye Institute. Dr. Apt dedicated his career to preventing blindness in young patients and co-founded the Center to Prevent Childhood Blindness. His commitment to children's eyesight continues through a generous bequest from the Leonard Apt Trust, which has donated over $15 million to the UCLA Stein Eye Institute since his passing in 2013.

Dr. Joseph Demer, chief of the pediatric ophthalmology and strabismus division established by Dr. Apt, aptly stated, "Dr. Apt's philanthropy will create a living and enduring monument in the form of vast numbers of children who will enjoy the gift of sight in California and throughout the world."

Comprehensive Care for a Range of Conditions

The UCLA Health specialists in pediatric ophthalmology and strabismus provide comprehensive care for a full range of eye problems in children, delivered by experienced pediatric ophthalmologists and kids eye doctors. They also treat children and adults with conditions that affect eye alignment and eye movement.

Pediatric Eye Conditions Treated

The institute's specialists treat a wide range of conditions affecting eye alignment and vision, including:

Amblyopia (lazy eye): Decreased eyesight due to improper eye development early in life, often causing the appearance of a wandering eye or eyes that don’t work in tandem.
Diplopia (double vision): Seeing two images when there’s only one.
Nystagmus: Involuntary eye movements, sometimes called “dancing eyes,” often in repetitive side-to-side or up-and-down patterns.
Optic neuritis: Inflammation of the optic nerve, which sends visual information from the eye to the brain.
Retinopathy of prematurity: An eye disease in premature babies resulting from irregular blood vessel development in the retina, the layer of tissue at the back of the eye.
Strabismus (misaligned or crossed eyes): Eyes that point in different directions, often due to health problems that affect eye muscles or surrounding ligaments.

In addition to these specific conditions, the specialists also address general eye problems in children, such as:

Blocked tear duct: A partial or full blockage in the eye’s tear drainage system.
Cellulitis: A bacterial skin infection occurring on the eyelid or around the eye.
Chalazion: Also called “styes,” painful red bumps that grow in the eyelid.
Conjunctivitis (pink eye): Inflammation or infection of the thin clear tissue (conjunctiva) that lines the inside of the eyelid.
Epiphora (childhood tearing): Excessively watery eyes, often occurring in babies.
Ptosis (drooping eyelid): Irregular sagging of the upper eyelid.

Treatment Options

UCLA Stein Eye Institute offers a variety of treatment options, both surgical and non-surgical, tailored to each child's specific needs.

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Non-Surgical Treatments:

Corrective lenses: Eyeglasses or contact lenses to improve vision.
Eye drops: Medicated eye drops to treat allergies, infection, inflammation, and other problems.
Injections: Medication injected directly into the eye to treat retinopathy of prematurity by blocking blood vessel overgrowth.
Laser therapy: Light energy to treat retinopathy of prematurity by removing unhealthy tissue around the retina.
Patches: Eye patch worn over one eye to strengthen eyesight in the other, often used to treat amblyopia or eye misalignment.
Prismatic lenses: Specially designed eyeglasses with a prism to bend light before it reaches the retina, used to treat double vision.

Surgical Treatments:

Cataract surgery in children: Removal of the cloudy lens (cataract) and, when appropriate, replacement with an artificial lens to improve vision.
Corneal neurotization (nerve transplant): Redirecting forehead nerves or using nerve grafts from other parts of the body to restore sensation in the cornea.
Corneal transplantation: Removal of damaged or diseased portions of the cornea and replacement with donated corneal tissue.
Strabismus surgery: Tightening or loosening certain eye muscles to correct eye misalignment.

Expertise in Strabismus Treatment

The UCLA Stein Eye Institute is particularly renowned for its expertise in treating all types of eye misalignment in adults and children. Their specialists possess years of experience, enabling them to care for patients with the most complex needs, such as those who develop strabismus after retinal detachment surgery and complicated sinus surgery. They provide complete care using the latest advanced techniques, many pioneered by their ophthalmic surgeons.

A Child-Friendly Approach

Recognizing the unique needs of young patients, the UCLA Stein Eye Institute has created a child-friendly environment. Every aspect of the department is tailored to children, with features such as playhouses in the waiting room, movies, stuffed animals, and toy puppets in exam rooms, a lactation and diapering room, and half-size toilets in the restrooms. These details ensure that every family feels welcomed and knows that the institute specializes in pediatric care, while also providing a comfortable setting for adults.

Research and Innovation

UCLA Stein Eye Institute is at the forefront of research and innovation in pediatric ophthalmology. Their specialists participate in research that brings new opportunities and treatments to patients. For example, they developed special imaging techniques in partnership with the National Institutes of Health, leading to the discovery of new features of eye muscles and other eye socket structures, as well as new conditions like sagging eye syndrome.

Multiple research grants from the National Eye Institute support the institute's laboratory and clinical research. The physicians regularly provide expert consultation to scientific and medical journals, and to private and governmental research funding organizations both nationally and internationally.

Training and Teaching

The UCLA Stein Eye Institute is a major center for teaching, both nationally and internationally. Their faculty lecture regularly at international medical meetings and serve as visiting professors at major medical centers worldwide. They also contribute as authors to medical textbooks, often describing discoveries made at UCLA Health. This educational focus ensures that the faculty remain at the leading edge of knowledge and best practices.

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Recognition and Rankings

The UCLA Stein Eye Institute has consistently earned recognition as one of the best ophthalmology programs in the nation by U.S. News & World Report and Ophthalmology Times. This recognition reflects the institute's commitment to excellence in patient care, research, and education.

Access to Comprehensive Vision Care

Combined, UCLA Stein Eye Institute, Stein Eye Center, Doheny Eye Center UCLA, and UCLA-affiliated hospitals provide patients across Southern California with access to the finest vision care.

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