Frequently Asked Questions

Our office is open Monday through Friday. As our daily schedule is subject to change, please call to confirm office hours.

Yes, we welcome new patients.

We participate with most major health insurance plans. Please call our office staff at (973) 540-8814 for specific questions.
Many insurance companies will only cover specialist visits with a prior referral from your primary care physician. Prior to your visit, please check with your insurance company to determine whether a referral is required.

Our medical providers are available 24 hours a day in case of emergency. In case of an after hours emergency, call the office at (973) 540-8814 and follow the prompts to page a provider on call. Please be aware that after-hours calls are intended for urgent medical issues only. Referrals, appointment requests, glasses and contact lens prescriptions, and routine medication refills will not be addressed via pager. 

IN THE EVENT OF A LIFE THREATENING EMERGENCY, CALL 911 .

Dilation is required for all new pediatric patients and those returning for annual exams. We understand that this is usually the part of the exam that children are most nervous about, but please remember that it is extremely important. 

Dilation allows us to perform two of the most crucial parts of a child's eye exam.  First, dilation allows us to examine the health of the structures inside the eye, such as the optic nerve and retina.  Second, it allows us to perform a refraction.  A refraction is an important diagnostic procedure to determine the eye’s focusing power – whether your child has nearsightedness, farsightedness or astigmatism. In addition to telling us whether a child needs glasses, the refraction also helps the doctor diagnose risk factors for amblyopia ("lazy eye") and strabismus (eye misalignment).  It can even contribute to the diagnosis of other eye diseases such as congential glaucoma or certain retinal disorders.

The dilating eye drops are safe even for the youngest infants. Pupil dilation will generally last 24-48 hours.  After dilation, near vision will usually be blurry until the next day.  Children may also be mildly light sensitive.  Most children are able to return to school the same day.

For new patients and annual exams, please plan on being in our office for 60-90 minutes. We do our best to accommodate the needs of your child, and some children require more time than others depending on age and level of cooperation.

We do fit children, age 10 and older, for contact lenses. A first-time contact lens prescription will only be dispensed after a child has completed a contact lens fitting and training.  This training requires a separate appointment and cannot be done the same day as your routine office visit.  A contact lens training may be set up anytime within 6 months of your most recent refraction.

Please discuss with the doctor whether contact lenses are a good option for your child.

A pediatric ophthalmologist is a medical doctor (MD) specially trained in the diagnosis, management, and treatment of all eye diseases in children, as well as adult strabismus. They are highly trained to provide both medical and surgical care.  Pediatric ophthalmologists have completed at least 5 years of specialized training after completing 4 years of medical school.  Because they are medical doctors, they are trained to treat eye conditions in the context of any other health issues.

Pediatric ophthalmologists are experts at examining and treating children in a manner that makes children comfortable. Our office is designed to be child-friendly, and our staff is trained to help to make your child's experience as easy as possible.

All of our physicians operate at Morristown Medical Center.  Almost all surgeries are outpatient, unless there are extenuating medical circumstances.  We work only with board-certified, specialized pediatric anesthesiologists.