Meet Our Doctors
Dr. Robert Schultze
Ophthalmologist
Dr. Robert Schultze is a regional pioneer in the field of ophthalmology and has been appointed Professor of Ophthalmology and Director of Cornea, Cataract, and Refractive Surgery at the Albany Medical Center Department of Ophthalmology. He has been perennially recognized as a “Top Doctor” by the Consumer Research Council of America as well as by Castle Connolly and Hudson Valley Magazine.
Dr. Schultze also serves as Ophthalmology Residency Program Director, Director of Medical Student Education in Ophthalmology, and Director of the Cornea Fellowship Program at Albany Medical College. He is Medical Director and a founding partner of his medical practice, Cornea Consultants of Albany, and also serves as Medical Director of TLC Laser Eye Center as well as the Lions Eye Bank at Albany. Dr. Schultze is recognized as a leading authority on cornea and refractive surgery and has been selected as one of only 50 U.S. surgeons to serve as a VISX and an Intralase Trainer (proctoring other surgeons on the use of the lasers).
As a result of his dedication to ophthalmology, Dr. Schultze has been recognized with a “Best of Show” award from the American Academy of Ophthalmology as well as a “First Place” from the American Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgery for his video productions demonstrating his techniques in advanced corneal surgery. He has also been awarded a “Best Paper of Session” award for his research and is a recipient of the American Academy of Ophthalmology’s Honor Award and Senior Honor Award for service to the organization. The ophthalmology residents selected Dr. Schultze as the 2013 recipient of the Golden Apple Teaching Award and he has been awarded “Professional of the Year” by the Northeastern Association of the Blind at Albany.
Dr. Robert Eden
Ophthalmologist
A Phi Beta Kappa graduate of Union College in 1999, Dr. Eden received his medical degree from Albany Medical College in 2002. He completed an internship at St. Elizabeth’s Medical Center (Boston, MA) and residency at the Nassau University Medical Center (East Meadow, NY) before returning to the Capital District for fellowship training in corneal and refractive surgery at Cornea Consultants of Albany in 2007.
During the subsequent two years, Dr. Eden maintained a busy practice in Queens, NY, where he served on staff at Flushing Hospital Medical Center, Caritas Medical Centers and The New Parkway Hospital. He also operated at Laser One (New York, NY) and at the MacKool Eye Institute (Astoria, NY) where he performed cornea, cataract and laser vision correction surgery.
Dr. Eden returns to Albany as a board-certified, fellowship-trained cornea, cataract and refractive surgery specialist. His practice focuses on state-of-the-art medical and surgical treatment of eye diseases, from dry eye to artificial cornea. He has experience in routine, as well as complex, cataract surgery including placement of the latest intraocular lenses to reduce spectacle dependence, traditional and partial thickness corneal transplantation (DSAEK), and refractive surgery from LASIK to phakic IOL.
Dr. Gina Ciarmiello
Optometrist Dr. Ciarmiello graduated from the University at Albany with a Bachelor of Science in Human Biology in 2009. She then graduated from the Pennsylvania College of Optometry at Salus University with honors and as a member of the Beta Sigma Kappa Honor Society. After graduating, she spent a few years in private practice optometry, performing comprehensive eye examinations along with treating ocular diseases. Before coming to Cornea Consultants, she was the Clinical Director at TLC Laser Eye Centers, where she worked with Dr. Schultze and Dr. Eden on both straightforward and complex LASIK cases. Now that she is with Cornea Consultants, she continues to enjoy performing LASIK evaluations as well as practicing full-scope optometry including routine eye care. She has experience with the diagnosis and management of dry eye disease, macular degeneration, glaucoma as well as diabetic eye disease.
Dr. Ciarmiello is a member of the American Optometric Association and the New York State Optometric Association, where she is part of the Young Advocate Committee.
