Hello! My name is Shital Mani and I am a staff Optometrist at Monmouth Eye Care. My family and I emigrated from India in the 1980s. 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 had 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 the Pennsylvania College of Optometry in 2003 and completed residency training in Ocular Disease at the State University of New York (SUNY) College of Optometry in Manhattan. At the end of my residency training, 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. Since 2009, I have also served as the Director of Residency Programs for the College’s affiliated residency programs which span from upstate New York to Central Florida. I am currently an Associate Professor and Director of Off-Campus Residency Programs at Salus/Drexel University.
I am a fellow of the American Academy of Optometry, and I have lectured and published extensively on topics encompassing ocular disease and residency education.
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 very passionate about providing patient centered eye care, utilizing evidence-based medicine and shared decision making, to ensure that patients who are under my care receive the best possible treatment available.
Special Interests
Since 2020, I have worked very closely with Hematology/Oncology specialists at Memorial Sloan Kettering (MSK) Middletown in treating patients with various types of cancers who have ocular adverse reactions secondary to their cancer medication. I have also lectured locally and nationally on the treatment and management of cancers such as multiple myeloma, melanoma, and lymphomas that can have a negative impact on the patient’s visual and overall health.
I have been an educator for over 20 years and one of my other passion projects as an educator is to provide mentorship and guidance to residents completing their optometry training to consider a career in academia. I serve on several national committees such as the Future Faculty Program to ensure that today’s trainees become tomorrow’s leaders in eyecare!
I look forward to meeting you!
Shital Mani, OD, FAAO
Staff Optometrist
Monmouth Eye Care
Tinton Falls, New Jersey
