Eric A. Lichtenstein, MD Concierge Pediatric Ophthalmologist | Queens, New York

Name: The Pediatric Eye Center
Telephone: (929) 588-8570
Rating: 4.8

Dr. Eric A. Lichtenstein is a board-certified, fellowship-trained pediatric ophthalmologist with more than 25 years of exclusive focus on children's eye health and complex strabismus care. He founded PediatricEyeMD in 2001—the first dedicated pediatric ophthalmology practice in Queens—bringing subspecialty care that previously required travel to Manhattan directly to the communities of New York City.

In 2025, he founded The Pediatric Eye Center to provide concierge-level care for families who visit out-of-network, are uninsured, or want to receive non-covered specialty services like myopia management.

His work reflects a belief shared by many discerning families when it comes to a child's vision: experience, precision, and thoughtful decision-making matter above all else.

A Robust Professional Resume

After earning his BA from NYU in 1990 (magna cum laude), Dr. Lichtenstein earned his medical degree from Albany Medical College in 1994. He then matched at the highly competitive Ophthalmology residency at the New York Eye & Ear Infirmary (NYEEI), completing general ophthalmology training in 1998.

In 1999, he graduated from the world-renowned Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus Fellowship at Indiana University / Riley Children's Hospital — a program internationally recognized for its surgical rigor and academic excellence and known for producing leaders in the field. Since completing his fellowship, he has practiced exclusively as a pediatric eye specialist.

Dr. Lichtenstein's judgment is informed not only by volume and longevity, but by teaching and leadership. For more than a decade following his fellowship, he served as a surgical instructor in strabismus at the NYEEI, mentoring ophthalmology residents in the operating room, and as an Attending on the NYEEI Anterior Segment Trauma Service.

Nationally, he has been elected to leadership roles within the American Association for Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus (AAPOS)—including service on its Board of Directors and as Secretary-Treasurer from 2019 to 2022—and has served on multiple AAPOS committees for over two decades.

Meet the Doctor

A Care Model That Works for Your Family

Dr. Lichtenstein wants expert pediatric eye care to be accessible and personalized, so he structured the practice to meet families where they are with two distinct divisions operating as one cohesive entity under his clinical management. Whatever path you take, you'll experience the same warmth, attention, and clinical excellence that define his approach.

The Pediatric Eye Center

As our direct-pay division, patients receive concierge-level care with Dr. Lichtenstein himself
Visits are unhurried, access to the surgeon is direct, and every medical decision is guided solely by what is best for the child, not by insurance constraints or institutional incentives
This pathway is ideal for families who are out-of-network or seeking specialized services, like myopia management, that insurance may not cover

PediatricEyeMD

Our insurance-based division is designed to reduce out-of-pocket costs for families using in-network benefits
Patients receive expert diagnostics and treatment in a child-friendly setting, all while staying within their insurance plan

Professional Credentials

Dr. Lichtenstein is:

An American Board of Ophthalmology Diplomate
A member of the American Association for Pediatric Ophthalmology & Strabismus
A Specialty Fellow of the American Academy of Pediatrics.

A Heart for Children’s Wellbeing

Parents often describe Dr. Lichtenstein's manner as calm, direct, and reassuring. Children experience care that is respectful, age-appropriate, and thoughtfully paced. He has an innate ability to build rapport with young patients, and his calming manner helps ease anxiety for kids and parents alike. Many families regard him as a trusted professional partner, someone who keeps their child's best interests at heart, visit after visit.

Over time, his practice has become a trusted destination for families seeking clarity in diagnosis, candor in recommendations, and meticulous surgical outcomes, particularly in challenging or high-stakes cases.

For families accustomed to excellence in every domain, Dr. Lichtenstein offers something increasingly rare in modern medicine: seasoned expertise, personal accountability, and care that answers only to the patient.

To schedule an appointment with Dr. Lichtenstein, call us at (929) 588-8570.

"I created PedsEyeVIP for families who want pediatric eye care delivered without compromise—without rushing, and without external pressures influencing medical decisions.

Children’s vision problems are often nuanced, time‑sensitive, and emotionally charged for parents. They deserve careful listening, clear thinking, and solutions shaped by experience rather than rules written by third parties.

In this setting, I work directly with families, take the time needed to truly understand each child, and make decisions based solely on what will serve that child best—today and long‑term.

This is the way I practice when nothing stands between the patient and my clinical judgment."

—Eric A. Lichtenstein, MD