Key takeaways
- Wills Eye is the Department of Ophthalmology for Thomas Jefferson University Hospital and Sidney Kimmel Medical College. It's at 840 Walnut St, Floor 10 (215-928-3000).
- Penn Medicine's Scheie Eye Institute has Philadelphia practices at the Perelman Center and Penn Medicine Rittenhouse (215-662-8100), plus one in Cherry Hill, NJ.
- Temple's department belongs to Temple University Hospital and the Lewis Katz School of Medicine. Check the directory for the campus where a doctor works.
- CHOP's Division of Ophthalmology is a pediatric practice for children of all ages.
All four are academic programs. Each is tied to a medical school or teaching hospital and trains future eye doctors alongside patient care. That doesn't make any one of them automatically right for you. A sensible starting point depends on:<br>- the patient's age<br>- your insurance<br>- where you live<br>- how you'll get there and back<br>- which kind of specialist you need
Addresses, phone numbers and descriptions come from each institution's own pages. They're linked in the text and listed at the end. We don't rank programs or doctors, and no institution has paid to appear. Details can change, so confirm with the practice before you go.
Wills Eye Hospital (Jefferson Health)
According to Jefferson's department page, Wills Eye is the Department of Ophthalmology for both Thomas Jefferson University Hospital and Sidney Kimmel Medical College. Wills Eye's own medical student elective page describes the same link to Sidney Kimmel Medical College at Thomas Jefferson University. It gives the hospital's official website as www.willseye.org.
Jefferson Health's location page lists Ophthalmology at Wills Eye Hospital at 840 Walnut Street, Floor 10, Philadelphia, PA 19107. The phone number is 215-928-3000. Jefferson describes the team as providing medical and surgical eye care in all eye specialties and for all types of eye disorders.
The listed address is on Floor 10 of 840 Walnut Street. Put the floor in your calendar entry so you aren't hunting for it on the day, especially if someone else is dropping you off.
Penn Medicine: Scheie Eye Institute
Penn Medicine's ophthalmology page says the Scheie Eye Institute is known for research and clinical care. Its treatment approaches range from gene and RNA therapy to molecular imaging. Penn's ophthalmology history page says Penn has worked in eye care, research and teaching for more than 145 years. It also says the ophthalmology department started Penn's first residency program in 1937.
| Practice | Address | Phone |
|---|---|---|
| Scheie Eye Institute Perelman | Perelman Center for Advanced Medicine, West Pavilion, 3rd Floor, 3400 Civic Center Blvd, Philadelphia, PA 19104 | 215-662-8100; online scheduling also offered |
| Scheie Eye Institute Rittenhouse | Penn Medicine Rittenhouse, Tuttleman Center, 2nd Floor, 1840 South Street, Philadelphia, PA 19146 | 215-662-8100 |
| Scheie Eye Institute South Jersey | 1940 State Highway 70E, Cherry Hill, NJ 08003 | See Penn Medicine's practice page |
The two Philadelphia practices share one phone number. When you call, say which location you want, and check that it appears in any appointment confirmation. The doctor you want may see patients at only one of them.
Planning to see a doctor at the Cherry Hill practice? A Pennsylvania license lookup won't cover New Jersey. Our verification guide explains how to approach this.
Temple University Hospital Department of Ophthalmology
According to the Lewis Katz School of Medicine residency page, Temple's Department of Ophthalmology belongs to Temple University Hospital and the Lewis Katz School of Medicine.
For patients, the most useful starting point is Temple Health's ophthalmology doctors and care team directory. It lists the department's physicians, including a Chief of Ophthalmology at Temple University Hospital – Jeanes Campus. Before you book, check which campus a given doctor sees patients at.
The American Medical Association's FREIDA residency listing gives the program's address as Suite 300, Kresge West, 3400 N Broad St. That is a training-program listing. Confirm the address for your own appointment with Temple Health.
Children's Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) Division of Ophthalmology
CHOP's Division of Ophthalmology cares for children of all ages with common and rare eye and vision problems. On its fellowship page, CHOP calls the division a comprehensive pediatric specialty practice for all eye and vision problems.
The division chief is Gil Binenbaum, MD, MSCE, who is also on the Penn ophthalmology faculty. CHOP announced that he followed Monte Mills, who was chief for 21 years. We mention this as context on how the division is led, not as a recommendation of any doctor.
We haven't yet verified CHOP's ophthalmology addresses and phone numbers for this guide. Start from the division page to find locations and contact details.
All four train doctors
Each program has a training role:<br>- Wills Eye offers a medical student elective.<br>- Penn's ophthalmology department started Penn's first residency program in 1937.<br>- Temple runs an ophthalmology residency.<br>- CHOP has an ophthalmology fellowship.<br><br>If you want to know who will be involved in your care at a visit, it's reasonable to ask when you book.
Choosing where to start, without a ranking
| If this applies to you | Consider | Then check |
|---|---|---|
| The patient is a child | CHOP's division is a pediatric practice | Scheduling and any age limits, directly with CHOP |
| You were referred to a specific center | Asking the referring clinician why that center | Whether your plan covers that location |
| You need a particular subspecialist | Asking each center whether that subspecialist sees patients at your preferred location | The doctor's license and board certification |
| You live in South Jersey | Penn lists a Scheie practice in Cherry Hill, NJ | New Jersey licensing for doctors there |
| You may not be able to drive after a dilated exam | Comparing the addresses with how you'll get home | A transit route or a ride, arranged before the day |
For coverage, referrals and getting home, see insurance, referrals and your first visit. To check a doctor's credentials, see how to choose and verify an ophthalmologist.
Frequently asked questions
Is Wills Eye Hospital part of Jefferson?
Jefferson's department page says Wills Eye is the Department of Ophthalmology for both Thomas Jefferson University Hospital and Sidney Kimmel Medical College. Jefferson Health lists the location at 840 Walnut Street, Floor 10, phone 215-928-3000.
Where is Penn's Scheie Eye Institute?
Penn Medicine lists two Scheie practices in Philadelphia, both reachable at 215-662-8100: the Perelman Center for Advanced Medicine at 3400 Civic Center Blvd and Penn Medicine Rittenhouse at 1840 South Street. There is also a South Jersey practice in Cherry Hill, NJ.
Where is Temple's ophthalmology department?
The department belongs to Temple University Hospital and the Lewis Katz School of Medicine, and its residency program is listed at 3400 N Broad St. For appointments, use Temple Health's doctor directory to find the right campus.
Who does CHOP's Division of Ophthalmology treat?
CHOP says the division cares for children of all ages with common and rare eye and vision problems. Ask CHOP directly about age limits or moving to adult care.
Which Philadelphia eye hospital is the best?
This guide doesn't rank hospitals or doctors. The right starting point depends on age, insurance, location, travel and the kind of specialist you need. The questions table on this page can help you narrow it down.
Do I need a referral to book at one of these centers?
That depends on your insurance plan, not on the center. See our guide to insurance, referrals and your first visit.
Sources
- Ophthalmology – Wills Eye Hospital — Jefferson Health
- Department of Ophthalmology — Thomas Jefferson University
- Medical Student Elective — Wills Eye Hospital
- Ophthalmology — Penn Medicine
- Scheie Eye Institute Perelman — Penn Medicine
- Scheie Eye Institute Rittenhouse — Penn Medicine
- Scheie Eye Institute South Jersey — Penn Medicine
- Ophthalmology history — Penn Medicine
- Ophthalmology residency program — Lewis Katz School of Medicine at Temple University
- Ophthalmology doctors and care team — Temple Health
- Ophthalmology residency program listing — American Medical Association (FREIDA)
- Division of Ophthalmology — Children's Hospital of Philadelphia
- Ophthalmology Fellowship — Children's Hospital of Philadelphia
- Gil Binenbaum, MD, MSCE — Children's Hospital of Philadelphia
- Children's Hospital of Philadelphia appoints new ophthalmology division chief — Children's Hospital of Philadelphia