Doctors & Staff
Meet the experienced and friendly doctors and staff who make The Gardens Eye Care the leading provider of vision care products and services in Forest Hills.
Dr. Rita Ellent
- Diplomate, American Board of Optometry
- Fellow, American Academy of Optometry
- Board Certified in the Treatment and Management of Ocular Disease
- Serves on the Board of Directors, Optometric Society of the City of New York
Dr. Rita Ellent graduated from New York University with a Bachelor of Science degree in Management and Organizational Behavior and completed her Optometric training at the State University of New York, State College of Optometry. Dr. Ellent performed internships at the Brooklyn Veteran Affairs Hospital, the Vision Therapy and Pediatrics Department at the University Optometric Center as well as at the Beth Israel Pediatric Ophthalmology Department.
Upon graduation, she was awarded a Residency position in Ocular Disease and Glaucoma, and served as Assistant Clinical Instructor in Primary Care at the State University of New York State College of Optometry. After completion of her Residency, Dr. Ellent was the first optometrist to be invited to join the Department of Ophthalmology at Maimonides Medical Center, providing care in the outpatient clinic, emergency room and in the hospital bedside setting. Dr. Ellent served as Director of Contact Lens and Low Vision Services at Medical and Surgical Eyesite in Brooklyn. She has served as Principal Investigator and Research Coordinator in clinical research studies. Dr. Ellent has published in scientific as well as clinical publications and has lectured in the area of ocular disease. Dr. Ellent has been voted “America’s Top Optometrist” for five years by the Research Council of America.
In 2013, Dr. Rita Ellent obtained Diplomate status from the American Board of Optometry. She was among the first 700 of the 40,000 Optometric Physicians nationwide to achieve this prestigious national status. Dr. Ellent is also an active member of the New York State Optometric Association and the American Optometric Association.
Dr. Ellent maintains a strong interest in practicing family optometric care, and specializes in the diagnosis and management of ocular disease. Through her commitment to excellence in patient care she strives to educate her patients regarding their vision and eye health, providing solutions and preventative care throughout their lives.
When Dr. Ellent is not treating patients, she enjoys spending her free time with her husband and 2 children, traveling, hiking, cooking, painting and exploring the diverse cultural activities of New York City.