What does a Neuro-ophthalmologist do?
Neuro-ophthalmologists diagnose and manage visual symptoms related to the optic nerve, visual pathways in the brain, and eye movement abnormalities. Management often involves collaboration with multiple specialists such as Neurologists, Ophthalmologists, Rheumatologists, Endocrinologists, Dermatologists, and Neurosurgeons.
CONDITIONS TREATED:
- Concussion and related visual disturbances
- Cranial nerve palsies
- Demyelinating diseases (MS, NMOSD, MOGAD)
- Dizziness and vertigo
- Double vision
- Eye movement abnormalities
- Giant cell arteritis
- Headache disorders
- Idiopathic intracranial hypertension
- Intracranial/pituitary lesions
- Nonarteritic Ischemic Optic Neuropathy (NAION)
- Ocular migraine/visual aura
- Optic nerve abnormalities
- Stroke and related visual disturbances
- Vision loss
- Visual snow
And more...
SERVICES OFFERED:
- Please note - commercial insurance is NOT accepted for the consultation fee
- Tele-Neuro-ophthalmology visits in 17+ states
- Office visits are available on a limited case by case basis exclusively at 245 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY
TELEMEDICINE & Neuro-OPHTHALMOLOGY
IS IT POSSIBLE?
PARTNERS IN CARE
PARTNERS IN CARE
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Tele-Neuro-ophthalmology was successfully used by top medical centers—including Columbia, Cornell, Emory, Indiana, NYU Langone, and Stanford. It is highly effective when clinical experience guides the process. Many patients do not have access to Neuro-ophthalmologists locally and our aim is to bridge that gap in care!
PARTNERS IN CARE
PARTNERS IN CARE
PARTNERS IN CARE
Before your Tele-Neuro-op visit, it is important to first see an Ophthalmologist or Optometrist. Some parts of the eye exam—like checking your pupils—are limited during a telemedicine visit. This is accounted for in the clinical decision making process, and careful review of findings from your eye doctor ahead of your appointment makes your virtual visit as thorough and helpful as possible.
TECHNOLOGY
PARTNERS IN CARE
TECHNOLOGY
Many medical tests—such as blood work, CT and MRI—are designed to be reviewed remotely. At ACCESS NEURO-OP, we use a secure electronic medical record (EMR) system to access your health information, order tests, and prescribe medications safely and efficiently. You will also have access to a private messaging portal, allowing you to communicate securely and upload documents.
TELE-NEURO-OPHTHALMOLOGY COVERED STATES
The patient must be located in one of the following states at the time of the Tele-Neuro-ophthalmology visit.
- Alaska
- Arizona
- California - coming soon
- Florida
- Georgia
- Illinois - coming soon
- Indiana
- Iowa
- Kentucky
- Louisiana
- Michigan
- New Hampshire
- New Jersey
- New Mexico
- New York
- North Carolina
- Ohio
- Pennsylvania - coming soon
- South Carolina
- South Dakota
- Texas
- Virginia
- Wyoming - coming soon
PRACTICES, HOSPITALS, ACADEMIA, & INDUSTRY
ACCESS NEURO-OP provides Tele-Neuro-ophthalmology solutions for a variety of practices (neurology, neurosurgery, ophthalmology, optometry), hospitals, academia, and industry.
SERVICES
For practices and hospitals without access to timely in-person Neuro-ophthalmic care, we offer:
• Expedited Tele-Neuro-ophthalmology consultations
• Clinician to clinician consultations (e-Consults)
• Expert remote clinical guidance
• Reading room for ophthalmology devices such as virtual goggles, visual fields, fundus cameras, and others
For practices and hospitals with Neuro-ophthalmology on site, we offer:
• Telemedicine support to improve wait-lists
• e-Consults to minimize delays in care
• Temporary coverage during vacation or hiring gaps
For academia and industry, we offer:
• Timely expert review of results (fundus photos, eye movement recordings, pupillometry, optical coherence tomography (OCT), and others)
• Independent analysis of ocular testing for research and trials
Please email info@accessneuroop.com to discuss custom solutions for your facility.
MEET OUR FOUNDER
DR. CINTHI PILLAI
Dr. Cinthi Pillai is passionate about quality patient care and has 17+ years of experience in outpatient, inpatient, and telemedicine settings. She is a pioneer in Tele-Neuro-ophthalmology and the first Neuro-ophthalmologist in the United States to provide independent multi-state coverage. She founded ACCESS NEURO-OP to address the national shortage of Neuro-ophthalmologists by bringing subspecialty care to underserved populations, as well as underserved regions.
Her connection with visual neuroscience began in college as a student at New York University where she majored in Neural Science and was selected to conduct research in the laboratory of Dr. Torsten N. Wiesel, Nobel laureate, and Dr. Judith Hirsch at Rockefeller University. She went on to earn her medical degree from Newcastle University in England where she completed an in-depth analysis of the structure, strengths and weaknesses of public versus private health care systems. This experience sparked her passion, as a future Neuro-ophthalmologist, to expand access to subspecialty care.
Dr. Pillai completed her neurology residency at Albert Einstein College of Medicine/Montefiore Medical Center where she cared for a wide range of patients from diverse and underserved communities.
She then completed a Neuro-ophthalmology fellowship at Harvard Medical School - Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary. Prior to founding ACCESS NEURO-OP, Dr. Pillai served as a key faculty member at New York University Langone School of Medicine for over seven years. During her tenure, she was a core contributor to the team that elevated the Neurology Department to #1 in the USA (Best Hospitals for Neurology & Neurosurgery US News Ranking 2022, 2023, 2024). She is currently Associate Professor of Neurology at Mount Sinai School of Medicine and Director of Tele-Ophthalmology at Bronxcare Health System. She is actively involved in resident education and mentors physicians making career changes.
Dr. Pillai has designed and conducted numerous clinical trials, published and lectured. She is thankful to have had the mentorship of world leaders in Neuro-ophthalmology and related fields throughout her career. On a personal level, having faced a critical illness herself, Dr. Pillai brings a unique perspective to patient care - deeply understanding both the vulnerability of being a patient and the responsibility of delivering compassionate, comprehensive patient care.
MISSION
There is a national shortage of Neuro-ophthalmology trained physicians, and many patients can not travel to obtain evaluations. Our mission is to broaden access to Neuro-ophthalmology - when you need it, where you need it.
SERVICES
• Direct patient care via telemedicine (17+ States)
• Remote Neuro-Ophthalmology solutions for Neurology, Neurosurgery, Ophthalmology, and Optometry practices (17+ States)
• Remote analysis of ocular test results for industry and institutions
• Office visits (NYC only) with Dr. Pillai are offered on a case by case basis - please contact us for additional information.
POLICIES
While ACCESS NEURO-OP does not participate in commercial insurance, Dr. Pillai is committed to expanding access to Neuro-ophthalmic care. Our fee for telemedicine consultation is lower than the national reimbursement average - please email info@accessneuroop.com for additional information.