Overview
Dr. Amy Schefler is a board-certified ocular oncologist and vitreoretinal surgeon at Retina Consultants of Texas. She has a special expertise in eye cancer, a rare subspecialty within ophthalmology. Dr. Schefler is an Associate Professor of Clinical Ophthalmology at Weill Cornell Medical College/Houston Methodist Hospital and the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, and serves as the principal mentor for training in eye tumors for the medical students, residents, and fellows at these institutions. Since being recruited to Houston in 2012, along with her physician team colleagues in radiation oncology, medical oncology, pediatric oncology, pediatric oncology, ophthalmic pathology, and basic science research, she has built one of the busiest eye cancer centers in the nation.
Dr. Schefler is the recipient of numerous awards in ophthalmology, including a Heed Ophthalmic Award, a Society of Heed Fellows Award, an American Academy of Ophthalmology Achievement Award, and the Ronald G. Michels Fellowship Foundation Award, the nation’s highest honor for a retina surgery fellow.
“Dr. Schefler goes above and beyond to explain the procedure and any other questions. Her staff and office take patient care to the next level. I could not ask for a better doctor or staff.”B.M.
Meet Amy C. Schefler, M.D.
Locations
Skills and Specialties
Dr. Schefler’s focus is on the many cancerous conditions which occur within the eye, both benign and malignant. Just some of the most common conditions she treats in children and adults are: retinoblastoma, choroidal nevus, choroidal melanoma, choroidal hemangioma, choroidal metastasis, leukemia and lymphoma.
Dr. Schefler is a renowned researcher in eye cancer, and has published over 70 peer-reviewed publications, 18 book chapters, and given over 90 national and international meeting presentations. In addition, she serves as a reviewer for 20 major ophthalmic journals. She participates in all of the major currently enrolling multicenter clinical trials in eye cancer in the U.S., including Aura, COOG2, trials in radiation retinopathy, and trials in retinoblastoma.
Education and Training
Dr. Schefler graduated cum laude from Yale University with Highest Distinction in Behavioral Neuroscience. She received her medical degree from Cornell University with honors and was awarded the Dean’s Research Award and the Edward Norton Prize (presented to the student with the best performance entering the field of ophthalmology). Dr. Schefler completed a one-year pre-residency fellowship with ocular oncologist David Abramson, M.D. at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center and spent time learning from world-renowned ocular oncologists Carol and Jerry Shields, M.D. at Wills Eye Institute. Dr. Schefler then completed her ophthalmology residency, vitreoretinal surgery fellowship, and ocular oncology fellowship at Bascom Palmer Eye Institute, the top-rated eye hospital in the country.
Following her fellowship, Dr. Schefler served on the Bascom Palmer faculty as chief resident and co-director of Ocular Trauma, followed by two years on the faculty performing vitreoretinal surgery and ocular oncology surgery.
