Dr. Leonard B. Nelson

Pediatric Ophthalmology, Adult Motility
Strabismus and Nystagmus

Dr. Nelson received a B.A. in Biology from Columbia University in New York and his Medical Degree from Harvard Medical School in Boston. He completed his Surgical Internship at The Fifth Harvard Surgical Service at New England Deaconess Hospital in Boston and his Ophthalmology Residency at New York University, Bellevue Hospital Medical Center in New York City. He went on to complete a one-year Fellowship in Pediatric Ophthalmology at The Children’s Hospital National Medical Center of George Washington University Medical Center in Washington, DC, and a one-year Fellowship in Ocular Genetics at the Wilmer Eye Institute of Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, Maryland. He obtained his M.B.A. at St. Joseph’s University in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Dr. Nelson became a Diplomat of the American Board of Ophthalmology in 1981. He is an Associate Professor of Ophthalmology and Pediatrics at Jefferson Medical College in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and attending surgeon at Wills Eye Hospital. He is the Director of the Wills Eye Strabismus Center and the Co-Director of The Pediatric Ophthalmology Department at Wills Eye Hospital in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He is the co-editor of the Journal of Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus and has authored over 362 publications and 15 textbooks in pediatric ophthalmology. He belongs to numerous societies including the American Association of Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus and The American Academy of Ophthalmology. He was also listed as a Top Doctor in Ophthalmology in 2010, 2011, 2012, and 2013 in Philadelphia Magazine and Best Doctors in the US. He was the principle investigator of a major grant study on Nystagmus Surgery and is presently the principle investigator on a collaborative national study on the effects of low dose atropine on the progression of myopia.

Vision Health

Education



Undergraduate

Columbia University
New York
B.A.
1968-1972



Medical Degree

Harvard Medical School
Boston, Massachusetts
1972-1976



Transitional Internship Program

Fifth Harvard Surgical Service
New England Deaconess Hospital
Boston, Massachusetts
1976-1977



Residency Program

New York University
Bellevue Hospital Medical Center, New York
1977-1980



Fellowship Program

Pediatric Ophthalmology
The Children’s Hospital National Medical Center of George Washington University Medical Center
Washington, DC
1980-1981

Wilmer Eye Institute of Johns Hopkins University
Baltimore, Maryland
1981-1982



Honors & Distinctions

MBA, St. Joseph’s University
Philadelphia., Pennsylvania
1995-2000

★★★★★

“It is no longer a huge effort to focus and I am not seeing double anymore. Thank you so much for correcting what was becoming a major problem for me! It is so nice to feel ‘normal’ again.”

Patrice Pompa
(regarding Leonard Nelson, MD)

★★★★★

“We are contacting you because we want to thank Wills Eye, Ophthalmic Partners, and especially Dr. Leonard Nelson and his team for all of their wonderful work with our daughter, Alyza.

This past weekend we had our daughter Alyza photographed and when we received the proofs from our photographer and were comparing them to the last set of photographs of her taken just a week before her surgery in March, we almost cried tears of joy!

Dr. Nelson and the staff completed the eye muscle surgery on our little baby, and we will admit we were nervous about doing the surgery at all. However, because of the high regard we have for Dr. Nelson and his experience, we put our trust in him. Thank God for his guidance in her care. When we look at Alyza’s beautiful blue eyes in these photographs, we know we made the right decision.

Thank you for all you have done.”