Hello! My name is Shital Mani and I am a staff Optometrist at Monmouth Eye Care. My family and I emigrated from India when I was twelve years old. Having come from a family of attorneys, judges, and accountants, it was quite a surprise when I chose the path of medicine. Nonetheless, higher education was greatly valued in our family and I was fortunate to have a great support system.
Optometrist Best Professional Decision
I first became interested in vision development when I was given the opportunity in my sophomore year to be a work study student for two scientists in the Vision Research Laboratory at Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey. This experience led me to pursue a career in Optometry, which has been the best professional decision of my life as I absolutely love what I do.
I graduated from Rutgers College with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Biology and entered the Pennsylvania College of Optometry in 1999. After graduating from optometry school in 2003, I did a one-year residency in Ocular Disease at the State University of New York (SUNY) College of Optometry in Manhattan. At the end of the residency year, I married my college sweetheart who was finishing his medical schooling at Dartmouth, and we moved to Boston (aka Red Sox nation) shortly thereafter.
Academic Professor of Optometry
I have always had an interest in academia and joined the New England College of Optometry in Boston as a full-time clinical assistant professor in 2004. During this time, I also served as Director of Eye Care Services at the South Boston Community Health Center, a multi-disciplinary health care facility for the medically underserved population, in South Boston. During my time there, I was fortunate to receive the Carroll Martus Award for excellence in clinical teaching at the New England College of Optometry.
The New England winters were too frigid for us so we decided to move to the city of brotherly love, Philadelphia, in 2008. While my husband was completing a 3-year fellowship at the University of Pennsylvania in Neurophysiology and Epilepsy, I accepted a position at my alma mater, The Pennsylvania College of Optometry, as Assistant Clinical Professor. Since 2009, I have also served as the Director of Residency Programs for the College’s affiliated residency programs which span from northern NJ to Baltimore, MD.
Joined Monmouth Eye Care 2014
In 2011, we started a family and decided to move closer to both sides of the family. We are settled in East Brunswick, NJ where my husband grew up. We have two beautiful girls and thoroughly enjoy parenthood. I joined Monmouth Eye Care in July of 2014. I am excited to be working with such a talented doctor as Dr. MacDonald and his great support staff. Aside from primary care optometry and ocular disease, my special interests include specialty contact lens fits for patients with corneal conditions such as keratoconus.
I am also fluent in both Hindi and Gujarati.
I look forward to meeting you!
Shital Mani, O.D.
Staff Optometrist
Monmouth Eye Care
Tinton Falls, New Jersey
