About Us

ABOUT BELMONT EYE CENTER

The Belmont Eye Center is dedicated to setting the highest standards in the diagnosis and treatment of vision problems involving the cornea to protect and restore eyesight. The Belmont Eye Center coordinates and supports research and education in the field of ophthalmology and corneal surgery to establish new successful forms of treatments. Belmont Eye Center exemplifies the traditions that make New York University Langone Medical Center and Weill Cornell Medical College – New York-Presbyterian Hospital two of the most prestigious academic centers in the world, combining superior medical research, physician education, and patient care.

OUR PRINCIPLES

Our practice is dedicated to the specialized field of corneal surgery, including LASIK, PRK, No-Cut LASIK, and PK. Our greatest distinction continues to be the expertise and personal care our NYC laser eye surgery patients receive here in our office.

LASIK

ABOUT PRK

ABOUT NO-CUT LASIK

ACADEMIC INVOLVEMENT

Dr. Belmont is the Director of the Resident Refractive Surgical Education/Laser Vision Correction Program and a Clinical Associate Professor of Ophthalmology at New York University School of Medicine. She served as Director of the Cornea Service and Founding Director of the Laser Vision Correction Center at the Weill Medical College of Cornell University-New York Presbyterian Hospital from 1997 to 2007. She also has operating privileges at the two prestigious eye surgery hospitals in the city: New York Eye And Ear Infirmary and Manhattan Eye Ear and Throat Hospital. As a renowned Manhattan LASIK and cataracts surgeon, she leads a Corneal Surgery Fellowship program, and during the academic year, she has a Fellow with her to train and observe.

BIOGRAPHY

New York City Ophthalmologist Sandra Belmont, M.D., F.A.C.S.

Director, Resident Refractive Surgery/Laser Vision
Correction Program
Clinical Associate Professor of Ophthalmology
New York University School of Medicine.

Founding Director of the Cornell Laser Vision Center
– New York-Presbyterian Hospital

Dr. Sandra Belmont is one of the first surgeons in the U.S. that worked with the FDA protocols in the study of the excimer laser for the correction of nearsightedness, farsightedness, and astigmatism (PRK and LASIK). She is a fellowship-trained corneal specialist who completed her training under the preceptorship of Dr. Richard Troutman at Manhattan Eye Ear and Throat Hospital in 1983 and is the honored recipient of the 2004 Richard C. Troutman, M.D. Master Teacher Award in Ophthalmology for “her contributions in making laser vision correction the safe and popular procedure that it has become.” Dr. Belmont served as Founding Director of the Laser Vision Correction Center and Cornea Service at the Weill Medical College of Cornell University- New York-Presbyterian Hospital from 1997 to 2006 and is currently Director of the Resident Refractive Surgical Education/ Laser Vision Correction Program and a Clinical Associate Professor of Ophthalmology at New York University Langone Medical Center.

DR. BELMONT NYU LANGONE HEALTH

CELEBRITY RECOGNITION

Dr. Belmont’s laser vision correction treatment of NBC’s “Tonight Show” host Jimmy Fallon was web cast in 2009. She performed a presbyopia (reading vision) laser vision correction procedure on Regis Philbin which was widely televised on “Live with Regis and Kelly”. Her corneal transplant surgery on Mandy Patinkin was also televised for CBS. His experience prompted Mr. Patinkin to become a spokesperson for the Eye Bank for Sight Restoration to increase public awareness of the miraculous, sight restoring, cornea transplantation procedure. Dr. Belmont has performed tens of thousands of surgeries on a diverse patient population, from movie and television celebrities, leading surgeons, newscasters, and pilots, to members of the special service and armed forces. Her skills and experience have made her a clear choice for Doctors who wish to undergo laser vision correction. With her hands, she has improved and restored vision, helping her patients to lead fuller, more productive lives through restored sight and the miracle of refractive surgery.

In her highly competitive, one-year Corneal Fellowship Program, Dr. Belmont has trained and mentored 18 Cornea Fellows to date and counting. The Fellowship focuses on cornea transplantation surgery and laser vision correction. Doctor Belmont and her fellows have been involved in multiple national FDA trials. These include no-touch techniques to correct refractive errors including nearsightedness, astigmatism, farsightedness and presbyopia (the age-related inability to focus up close that leads to a need for reading glasses).

A spokesperson for the American Academy of Ophthalmology, and recipient of the Academy’s Award for Distinguished Services, internationally recognized as a pre-eminent specialist, Dr. Belmont is a member of the AAO’s Refractive Surgery Interest Group, the International Society of Refractive Surgery’s oversight committee on Laser Vision Correction, and the Eye Bank for Sight Restoration’s Medical Advisory Board. She ranks among the select few Doctors that were first to establish laser vision correction in the U.S. Dr. Belmont has been prominently featured in, among others: The Today Show, ABC News, NBC, CBS, FOX, CNN, NY1, the Discovery Channel, the National Geographic Channel, Time Magazine, The New York Times, Parade Magazine, Eye World, Eye Net, and Ophthalmology Times.

Reasons To Choose Dr. Sandra Belmont

1. Experience:

Dr. Belmont served as the founding Director of the Cornell Laser Vision Correction Center, where she was selected for her contributions to the development and advancement of laser refractive surgery, LASIK, and PRK. She ranks among the first Doctors in the U.S. that worked with FDA protocols to study the Excimer Laser for laser vision correction.

2. Reputation:

As a top ophthalmologist and surgeon, Dr. Belmont has been the doctor of choice for celebrities around the world who could choose any surgeon, most recently Jimmy Fallon, Regis Philbin, and Mandy Patinkin. As Director of her own Corneal Fellowship Program for over twenty years, she was an instructor for many of New York’s other LASIK surgeons. Through her guidance, doctors she has trained are preserving and restoring eyesight to thousands of patients throughout the world.

3. The Doctors Doctor:

Considered one of New York’s best LASIK surgeons, Dr. Belmont’s experience, reputation and attention to detail have made her a go-to choice for doctors who know how to choose a LASIK, Bladeless LASIK or PRK surgeon. The very scientists and engineers that were involved in the development of the excimer laser for laser refractive surgery choose Dr. Belmont for the treatment of their own friends and family.

“The reason I Chose Dr. Belmont to perform laser vision correction on my son is because she is by far the most meticulous; a direct consequence of her training as a cornea transplant surgeon, where attention to detail is paramount. As a co-inventor of the excimer laser I had the opportunity to observe and interview all the other laser vision surgeons in NYC.”

– Dr. James Wynne

4. Academic Affiliations:

Dr. Belmont is a Clinical Associate Professor of Ophthalmology and Director of the Resident Refractive Surgical Education Program at New York University School of Medicine. She also operates at both of the city’s finest eye specialty hospitals: Manhattan Eye, Ear, and Throat Hospital and the New York Eye and Ear Infirmary. To learn more about these renowned institutions, please visit their websites below.

5. Fellowship Trained Corneal Surgeon:

Dr. Sandra Belmont is one of the first surgeons in the U.S. that worked with the FDA protocols in the study of the excimer laser for the correction of nearsightedness, farsightedness and astigmatism (PRK and LASIK). She is a fellowship trained corneal specialist who completed her training under the preceptorship of the great Dr. Richard Troutman at Manhattan Eye Ear and Throat Hospital in 1983 and is the honored recipient of the 2004 Richard C. Troutman, M.D. Master Teacher Award in Ophthalmology for “her contributions in making laser vision correction the safe and popular procedure that it has become.” Dr. Belmont served as Founding Director of the Laser Vision Correction Center and Cornea Service at the Weill Medical College of Cornell University- New York Presbyterian Hospital from 1997 to 2006 and is currently Director of the Resident Refractive Surgical Education/ Laser Vision Correction Program and a Clinical Associate Professor of Ophthalmology at New York University Langone Medical Center. When considering how to choose a LASIK surgeon, patients are best served in having it done by a doctor that specializes in cornea. Who’s better to answer the question “can my vision be improved with LASIK?”

6. Personalized Care And Accessibility:

Dr. Belmont offers concierge service to all of her laser vision patients. She is available 24/7 to address any of their concerns. She personally evaluates each patient pre-operatively to structure a customized surgical plan, performs all of the surgery herself, and follows her patients for 24 months post-operatively.

7. Chosen By Luminaries Worldwide:

For the same reasons cited above, heads of state and patients from all corners of the world travel to Dr. Belmont’s NYC LASIK practice for evaluation, surgery and treatment of diseases and injury of the eye.

8. Professionalism And Integrity:

Doctor Belmont is fiercely committed to her patients, she states that: “I don’t believe that laser vision correction should be treated as just another commodity. Patients are followed up at my New York City practice for LASIK post op care and PRK post op care for 24 months after treatment to provide the highest quality care.”

9. Recognition By Her Peers:

Doctor Belmont is an honored recipient of the Richard C. Troutman Master Teacher Award for her contributions in making laser vision correction the safe, effective and popular procedure that it has become.

10. Affordability:

A surgeon that is lauded by peers and patients alike, offering the most up-to-date LASIK technology, custom LASIK and custom PRK, you may ask ‘how much will my LASIK procedure cost?’ The price is very affordable and highly competitive. It factors in 24 months of post-operative care and all other ancillary fees. No-interest financing options are also available.

LEARN ABOUT CARECREDIT

AFFILIATIONS

Sandra Belmont, M.D, F.A.C.S.
Director, Resident Refractive Surgical Education/ Laser Vision Correction Program and Clinical Associate Professor of Ophthalmology at New York University Langone Medical Center.

Dr. Belmont is the Founding Director of the Laser Vision Correction Center at Weill Cornell Medical Center – New York Presbyterian Hospital and served there as Director of the Corneal Service and Associate Professor of Clinical Ophthalmology from 1997 through 2007. Dr. Belmont also has privileges at Lenox Hill Hospital, Manhattan Eye Ear and Throat Hospital and The New York Eye and Ear Infirmary.

New York University Langone Medical Center. 550 First Avenue (bet. 32nd and 33rd St.) -New York University Langone Medical Center is acknowledged as one of the nation’s premier centers of excellence in health care, biomedical research, and medical education. It is well established as a source of groundbreaking discoveries and innovations that have on several occasions led to the Nobel Prize. The schools basic and clinical scientists conduct dynamic interdisciplinary research addressing the entire range of 21st century biomedical science.

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Lenox Hill Hospital is ranked among the nation’s top hospitals by U.S. News and World Report. The hospital is home to the Lenox Hill Heart and Vascular Institute (LHHVI) of New York, a national leader in cardiovascular care. The institute is renowned for the establishment of one of the first cardiac catherization laboratories in the city. The first angioplasty and angiograms in the U.S. were also performed here. The hospital’s Orthopedic Surgery Department is also considered among the best in the U.S. The Department’s Nicholas Institute of Sports Medicine and Athletic Trauma (NISMAT) is the first hospital-based center in the U.S. dedicated solely to the study of sports medicine.

Manhattan Eye Ear and Throat Hospital is Lenox Hill’s subsidiary. Established in 1869, the hospital is internationally recognized as a premier academic institution for post-graduate training and instruction to clinicians and physicians in ophthalmology, otolaryngology and plastic surgery. Particular milestones include establishing: the first allergy clinic in the U.S. in 1916; the first diagnostic treatment of glaucoma and the first eye bank in 1944; the first small incision phacoemulsification cataract extraction in 1967; the first nasal center in 1989; first excimer laser vision correction trials in 1990; and first laser procedure for cataract extraction in 1993. Manhattan Eye Ear and Throat Hospital is also at the forefront for advancement of photodynamic therapy for macular degeneration, use of ultrasound sonography and angiography for diagnosis in ophthalmology, oculoplastic surgery and laser vision correction.

The New York Eye and Ear Infirmary is the oldest specialty hospital in the western hemisphere (established in 1820) and a regular in U.S.News and World Reports “America’s Best Hospitals.” Its Departments of Ophthalmology and Otolaryngology are ranked among the best in the country for their high quality of patient care, graduate and continuing medical education, scientific research and their commitment to excellence.

Weill Cornell Medical Center – New York Presbyterian Hospital was founded in 1898 and is affiliated with what is now the New York Presbyterian Hospital since 1927. Weill Medical College of Cornell University is among the top-ranked clinical and medical research centers in the country. In addition to offering degrees in medicine, Weill Cornell also has PhD programs in biomedical research and education at the Weill Graduate School of Medical Sciences, and with neighboring Rockefeller University and the Sloan-Kettering Institute, has established a joint MD-PhD program for students to intensify their pursuit of Weill Cornell’s triple mission of education, research and patient care.

OUR LOCATION

Dr. Belmont is proud of her reputation as one of the leading LASIK surgeons in New York. Dr. Belmont treats all patients of Belmont Eye Center with the utmost attentiveness and dedication, an approach that helps reduce patients’ anxiety and deliver highly rewarding vision correction results. Belmont Eye Center office is conveniently located in New York City between Park and Lexington Avenue.

The Belmont Eye Center is located at:

Belmont Eye Center
121 E 61st St
New York, NY 10065
212-486-2020

To get to us by subway, take the number 4, 5, 6, or the N, R, or W
to 59th Street and Lexington Avenue,
or take the F train to Lexington and 63rd Street.

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