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Cristina Fernandez, MD

Dr. Cristina Fernandez is a fellowship-trained, board-certified pediatric ophthalmologist. She has had extensive training in the surgical treatment of strabismus (eye misalignment) in both children and adults. She provides surgical and medical care for a variety of pediatric ophthalmologic conditions, including pediatric blocked tear ducts, amblyopia (lazy eye), childhood cataracts, dermoid cyst removal, eyelid droop repair as well as screening and treatment for Retinopathy of Prematurity in premature infants. She also conducts general pediatric ophthalmologic exams. 

Dr. Fernandez grew up in San Juan, Puerto Rico where she completed college and medical school. She graduated magna cum laude from the University of Puerto Rico with a degree in General Science. She received her medical degree from the University of Puerto Rico School of Medicine and was elected to Alpha Omega Alpha honor medical society. Dr. Fernandez did her internship at Municipal Hospital of San Juan, a training hospital in the University of Puerto Rico medical system and completed her ophthalmology residency in the Kresge Eye Institute, affiliated with Wayne State University in Detroit, Michigan. She completed a fellowship in the sub-specialty of pediatric ophthalmology and strabismus at the Texas Children’s Hospital, at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, Texas, which is one of the most well-regarded programs for pediatric ophthalmology training.  

Dr. Fernandez is a member of the American Academy of Ophthalmology as well as the American Association for Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus. She is a staff ophthalmologist at Joe DiMaggio Hospital and will be accepting patients at the Weston, Hollywood and Pembroke Pines offices. She is also fluent in both English and Spanish. 
 

Education

• University of Puerto Rico School of Medicine, San Juan, PR (M.D.)
• University of Puerto Rico, San Juan, PR (B.S. General Science)

Post Graduate Training

• Texas Children’s Hospital, Baylor College of Medicine; Houston, TX (Pediatric Ophthalmology Fellowship)
• Kresge Eye Institute, Wayne State University; Detroit, MI (Ophthalmology Residency)
• Municipal Hospital of San Juan, University of Puerto Rico; San Juan, PR (Transitional Year Internship)

Licensure and Board Certification

• State of Florida 
• State of Texas 

Memberships, Offices and Committee Appointments

• American Academy of Ophthalmology
• American Association of Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus  
• Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology 
• American Society for Cataract and Refractive Surgery 

Awards & Honors

• Lawrence L Stocker, MD Award Most Compassionate Resident Kresge Eye Institute
• Magna Cum Laude MD University of Puerto Rico, School of Medicine 
• Best Scientific Poster American Academy of Ophthalmology Category Computers and Information Technology
• Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Medical Society
• Honor Scholarship Award, University of Puerto Rico
• Magna Cum Laude, General Science
• College of Natural Science Dean’s List, University of Puerto Rico

Publications and Presentations

• Fernandez Ruiz MC, Go J, Bhatt AR. Characteristic radiologic findings in pediatric patients with adenoviral epidemic keratoconjunctivitis. ARVO Annual Meeting 2018. Honolulu, HI. 
• Fernandez Ruiz MC, Bahl RS, Paysse EA. What is amblyopia? A primary care physician’s perspective. AAPOS Annual Meeting 2018. Washington, DC. 
• Underrepresented medical students in Ophthalmology panel discussion. AAO Annual Meeting 2016. Chicago, IL. 
• Fernandez Ruiz, MC, Lillvis J, Bahl RS. The role of stereopsis and binocular fusion in the surgical treatment of intermittent exotropia. ARVO Annual Meeting 2016. Seattle, WA. Accepted for publication Journal of Clinical & Experimental Ophthalmology 2018. 
• Jardon J, Fernandez Ruiz MC, Garcia O, Serrano L. Comparison between iPhone applications and print Ishihara color plates. AAO Annual Meeting 2012. Chicago, IL. 
• Fernandez Bahamonde JL, Roman Rodriguez CF, Fernandez Ruiz MC. Central corneal thickness as a predictor of visual field loss in primary open angle glaucoma for a Hispanic population. Seminars in Ophthalmology. 2011, 26 (1), 28-32.