Ann Ostrovsky, MD

Growing up in Saint Petersburg, Russia, I was a so-called “wild child.” I fell off nearly every tree and lamppost I climbed. By the time I was 9 years old, I was well known by all of the doctors in the local emergency department. I have wanted to be a doctor ever since I can remember.

I fell in love with ophthalmology in medical school. I was impressed by the amazing surgical results we achieved for patients, and I liked that ophthalmologists could develop long-term relationships with patients. In addition, I am an avid photographer, and I discovered striking similarities between photography and ophthalmology. A camera works like the eye: The aperture is the pupil and the film is the retina. The images we see are imprinted in our memories.

At the NYU Langone Eye Center, doctors in every subspecialty care for patients with eye conditions ranging from the simple to the complex. I perform cataract surgery, in which the eye’s cloudy lens is removed and replaced with a clear one. I also treat people who have corneal ulcers, which can cause redness, pain and tearing, and glaucoma. Open-angle glaucoma, the most common type, may not cause any symptoms early in the disease, but later, a person may slowly experience vision loss. As the director of the Keratoconus Program, I use the latest imaging techniques to diagnose keratoconus, which occurs when the cornea’s shape changes, increasing the risk of blindness. I perform a procedure called corneal collagen cross-linking, in which ultraviolet light and eye drops are used to prevent the condition from progressing.

About one third of my practice is devoted to treating adults and children who have Down syndrome. People with Down syndrome have an increased risk of developing keratoconus and other eye conditions, and many of my patients are referred to me from NYU Langone’s Down Syndrome Program. In collaboration with our pediatric ophthalmologist, I screen patients with Down syndrome for keratoconus and other associated eye conditions. I also educate my patients about ways they can help prevent existing eye conditions from getting worse. I work closely with each patient and their family members to determine the best medical or surgical treatment option.

There are many treatments for eye conditions, and there is not always one “right” choice. I take the time to explain all treatment options to my patients and help them make a decision.

In addition to caring for patients, I am dedicated to resident education and have been teaching clinical and surgical ophthalmology residents since 2014. I am also actively involved in keratoconus research. In 2018, I hosted the first national conference on keratoconus at NYU Langone.