Name: Dr. Maria Patterson

Specialty: Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus, Ophthalmology

Qualification / Board Certification: MD — Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania; Board Certified by the American Board of Ophthalmology; recognized as a Castle Connolly Top Doctor

Affiliation(s): Ascension SE Wisconsin Hospital — Elmbrook Campus, Brookfield, WI; Aurora Medical Center — Summit, WI

Locations (City/State): Brookfield, WI; Milwaukee, WI

Languages Spoken: English, Greek (Modern)

Accepting New Patients: Yes

NPI Number: 1790785731

About the Doctor

Dr. Maria Patterson, MD is a highly distinguished, board-certified Pediatric Ophthalmologist and Strabismus Specialist whose 27-year career stands as a testament to her deep expertise, clinical excellence, and commitment to improving the visual health of children and adults with eye alignment disorders. She earned her Doctor of Medicine degree from the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania — consistently ranked among the top medical schools in the United States — providing her with an exceptional academic and clinical foundation that has informed every aspect of her specialized practice.

Following medical school, Dr. Patterson completed dual residency training in Ophthalmology at the University of Pennsylvania Health System and Internal Medicine at Abington Memorial Hospital. This combination of specialized ophthalmic training and internal medicine grounding equips her with a uniquely comprehensive perspective on eye health — one that recognizes the critical connections between ocular conditions and systemic diseases such as neurological and endocrinological disorders. Her dual training enables her to understand and address the broader medical context of her patients’ eye conditions, delivering truly integrated, whole-patient care.

Dr. Patterson has been recognized as a Castle Connolly Top Doctor — a prestigious honor awarded through peer nomination and reviewed by a physician-led research team — distinguishing her among the most respected ophthalmologists in the region. Her areas of specialized expertise include amblyopia, strabismus, pediatric ophthalmology, and genetic eye disorders, and her procedural capabilities include eye muscle surgery and tear duct procedures. Fluent in English and Modern Greek, she brings linguistic accessibility to a broader patient community throughout the Milwaukee metropolitan area. She practices across two locations — her primary office in Brookfield and a secondary location in Milwaukee — and is currently welcoming new patients at both.

Key Highlights:

• Over 27 years of experience in pediatric ophthalmology and strabismus
• Graduate of the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania
• Board-certified by the American Board of Ophthalmology
• Recognized as a Castle Connolly Top Doctor — peer-nominated distinction
• Dual residency training in Ophthalmology (UPenn) and Internal Medicine (Abington Memorial)
• Specializes in amblyopia, strabismus, genetic eye disorders, and pediatric ophthalmology
• Performs eye muscle surgery and tear duct procedures
• Bilingual — fluent in English and Modern Greek
• Two practice locations — Brookfield and Milwaukee, WI
• Currently accepting new patients
• NPI Number: 1790785731

Education & Training

Medical School: Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA — Doctor of Medicine (MD)

Residency: University of Pennsylvania Health System — Ophthalmology Residency Abington Memorial Hospital — Internal Medicine Residency (Abington Memorial Hospital Program)

Fellowship / Additional Training: Dr. Patterson’s subspecialty in Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus typically requires completion of a fellowship in Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus following general ophthalmology residency. Fellowship details are not publicly listed. Please contact her office at (262) 641-8181 for specific fellowship training information.

Board Certification: American Board of Ophthalmology — Ophthalmology

Medical Conditions Treated

As a Pediatric Ophthalmologist and Strabismus Specialist, Dr. Patterson diagnoses, manages, and treats a comprehensive range of ocular conditions affecting children and patients with eye alignment disorders. Conditions she commonly addresses include the following.

• Strabismus (eye misalignment — esotropia, exotropia, hypertropia)
• Lazy Eye (amblyopia — reduced vision from abnormal visual development)
• Amblyopia (all types — anisometropic, strabismic, deprivation)
• Vision Impairment in pediatric patients
• Eyelid Disorders (ptosis, eyelid malposition, and congenital eyelid abnormalities)
• Tear Duct Birth Defects (congenital nasolacrimal duct obstruction)
• Refractive errors in children (myopia, hyperopia, astigmatism)
• Pediatric cataracts and congenital lens disorders
• Pediatric glaucoma
• Nystagmus (involuntary eye movement)
• Genetic eye disorders and ocular manifestations of systemic disease
• Neurological conditions affecting eye alignment and movement
• Endocrinological disease-related ocular complications
• Post-surgical strabismus follow-up and management
• Eye trauma in pediatric patients

Medical Procedures Performed

Dr. Patterson performs a range of specialized surgical and clinical procedures for pediatric and strabismus patients. These include the following.

• Eye Muscle Surgery (strabismus surgery to correct misalignment of the eyes)
• Tear Duct Procedure (probing, irrigation, and surgical correction of tear duct obstruction)
• Comprehensive pediatric eye examination and visual acuity assessment
• Amblyopia treatment (patching therapy, atropine penalization, optical correction)
• Refractive error evaluation and spectacle or contact lens prescription in children
• Prism lens evaluation and fitting for strabismus management
• Eyelid disorder evaluation and surgical management (ptosis repair)
• Extraocular muscle examination and assessment for neurological or systemic causes
• Pre-operative and post-operative strabismus surgery evaluation
• Genetic and syndromic eye disorder assessment
• Pediatric intraocular pressure measurement and glaucoma screening
• Visual field testing and optic nerve evaluation in children

Services Offered

Dr. Maria Patterson provides a comprehensive and highly specialized range of pediatric ophthalmology and strabismus services for children and adults across the greater Milwaukee metropolitan area. With 27 years of specialized clinical experience and training from one of the nation’s premier medical institutions, she delivers exceptional surgical and medical eye care grounded in the latest evidence and technical expertise.

Comprehensive Pediatric Eye Examinations: Dr. Patterson conducts thorough eye evaluations for children of all ages, from infants and toddlers to teenagers. These examinations assess visual acuity, eye alignment, refractive error, ocular health, and visual development milestones. Early detection of conditions such as amblyopia and strabismus is critical to preventing permanent vision loss, and Dr. Patterson’s evaluations are designed to identify problems at the earliest possible stage when treatment is most effective.

Amblyopia Diagnosis and Treatment: Amblyopia — commonly known as lazy eye — is one of the most common causes of vision loss in children and is a primary focus of Dr. Patterson’s clinical practice. She provides comprehensive evaluation to identify the underlying cause of amblyopia and develops individualized treatment plans that may include corrective lenses, patching of the stronger eye, atropine eye drops, or a combination of therapies. Her goal is to stimulate the development of the affected eye and maximize visual potential before the critical period of visual development closes.

Strabismus Evaluation and Surgical Management: Strabismus — the misalignment of the eyes — is Dr. Patterson’s central surgical specialty. She performs detailed assessments of eye alignment in all positions of gaze, evaluates the impact of strabismus on visual development and binocular vision, and develops individualized treatment plans that may include corrective lenses, prisms, vision therapy, or surgical correction of the extraocular muscles. Eye muscle surgery is performed with precision and skill accumulated over more than 27 years of subspecialty practice, with careful pre-operative planning and thorough post-operative follow-up to optimize outcomes.

Tear Duct Procedures: For children born with congenital nasolacrimal duct obstruction — a common cause of persistent tearing and eye discharge in infants — Dr. Patterson provides both conservative management and surgical intervention when needed. Tear duct probing, irrigation, and balloon catheter dilation are among the procedures she performs to restore normal tear drainage and prevent recurrent infections.

Genetic and Systemic Eye Disorder Care: Dr. Patterson’s expertise encompasses ocular manifestations of genetic syndromes and systemic diseases. She evaluates patients with conditions such as Down syndrome, neurofibromatosis, thyroid eye disease, and other disorders that can affect visual function and ocular anatomy, providing both direct care and coordinated management with relevant subspecialists.

Eyelid Disorder Management: Dr. Patterson evaluates and manages pediatric eyelid conditions including ptosis (drooping eyelid), which can obstruct vision and cause amblyopia in young children. She provides surgical correction of eyelid malposition when clinically indicated, with careful attention to both functional and cosmetic outcomes.

Telehealth and Scheduling: Patients interested in telehealth appointment options are encouraged to contact Dr. Patterson’s office directly at (262) 641-8181 to confirm availability and scheduling.

Services at a Glance:

• Comprehensive pediatric eye examinations (all ages, including infants)
• Amblyopia (lazy eye) diagnosis and treatment
• Strabismus evaluation and eye muscle surgery
• Tear duct probing and surgical correction
• Eyelid disorder evaluation and ptosis surgery
• Refractive error assessment and optical correction in children
• Pediatric glaucoma and cataract evaluation
• Genetic and syndromic eye disorder assessment
• Neurological and endocrinological eye complication management
• Pre-operative and post-operative strabismus surgery care
• Prism lens evaluation and fitting
• Visual acuity and visual development monitoring
• Nystagmus evaluation and management
• Bilingual consultations in English and Modern Greek
• Telehealth consultations (contact office for availability)

Accepted Insurance Plans

• Medicare
• UnitedHealthcare
• Aetna / CVS Health (formerly Aetna)
• Cigna
• Elevance Health Inc. (formerly Anthem)
• Affinity Health System
• Dean Health Plan
• Exceedent
• Express Scripts
• Health Payment System (HPS)
• All Other Third Party Plans (contact office to verify)

Please call (262) 641-8181 before your appointment to confirm that your specific insurance plan and network are accepted. This list is regularly updated but is not a guarantee of coverage.

Practice Locations

Location 1 — Primary Practice Address: 17000 W North Ave, Suite 102E, Brookfield, WI 53005

Phone: (262) 641-8181

Location 2 — Secondary Practice Address: 3223 S 103rd St, Milwaukee, WI 53227

Phone: Call main office — (262) 641-8181

Hospital Affiliations

• Ascension SE Wisconsin Hospital — Elmbrook Campus — Brookfield, WI (Admitting privileges)
• Aurora Medical Center — Summit — Summit, WI (Admitting privileges)