EyeCare Consultants of NJ (Edison)

Jai G. Parekh, MD, MBA, FAAO, (“DrJ”), is the co-founder of EyeCare Consultants of NJ (ECC-NJ), a well-established practice of over 50 years. Dr. Parekh also serves as the Chief of Cornea and External Diseases and the Medical Director of the Research Institute at St. Joseph’s Health System, NJ.

As a board-certified anterior segment eye surgeon, Dr. Parekh is a pioneer in the field of ophthalmology including cataract, corneal, and minimally invasive glaucoma surgery. He founded the Center for Ocular Surface Excellence of New Jersey (COSE-NJ), dedicated to treating a range of ocular surface diseases, and the Center for Interventional Glaucoma (CIG-NJ), focused on minimally invasive laser and surgical treatments. Dr. Parekh is a Clinical Associate Professor of Ophthalmology at the Icahn School of Medicine of Mt. Sinai in New York and actively participates on the Cornea Service at the New York Eye-Ear Infirmary; where he also completed his fellowship a few decades ago.

One of his many passions is teaching and mentoring colleagues as well as residents/fellows in training. He completed his undergraduate and medical school training, with honors, through Boston University’s Early Selection to Medical School Program; after fully training with Chief Residency in Internal Medicine at the Lahey-Hitchcock Clinic (affiliated with many medical schools including Tufts University School of Medicine), DrJ returned to the Boston University School of Medicine to train in Ophthalmology at some of the best hospitals in the nation, including Boston City Hospital and The Children’s Hospital of Boston. Years later, he formally learned the tools of management/leadership at The Fuqua School of Business, Duke University, where he also traveled with “Coach K & The Blue Devils Basketball Team” for the Ambassador Games in Dubai/China.

Not only is Dr. Parekh committed to providing exceptional eye care, he is also dedicated to innovation in the field. He has been named to the prestigious Ocular Surgery News (OSN) Premier Surgeon 300 Innovators in Refractive Cataract Surgery (top 300 cataract eye surgeons in the USA) and has been recognized as one of the “Best Doctors of NJ” multiple times, including 2019-2023. He has traveled the world to educate and exchange ideas with other leaders in the fields of ocular surface and surgery. DrJ is also a medical philanthropist, serving on the Boards of The Glaucoma Foundation, The Lighthouse Guild, and St. Joseph’s Health.

Swati J. Parekh, MD, FAAO, is a highly skilled and well-rounded ophthalmologist who co-founded EyeCare Consultants of NJ (ECC-NJ) with her husband, Dr. Jai G. Parekh. She serves as Chair of the Department of Ophthalmology at St. Joseph’s Health System in NJ since 2015; and has also been honored as one of the “Best Doctors of NJ” for multiple years, including 2019-2023.

A board-certified ophthalmologist, Dr. Swati has decades of experience in comprehensive and surgical ophthalmology. She is a proud alumna of the 7-year combined medical program at Boston University and New Jersey Medical School, where she graduated with honors. She further honed her skills through her residency and chief year at the Boston University School of Medicine, where she trained at renowned institutions such as Boston City Hospital, The Children’s Hospital of Boston, and the Boston VA Medical Center. As a Clinical Assistant Professor of Ophthalmology at New York Medical College, Dr. Swati is dedicated to training medical students and residents in a variety of specialties, including primary care and emergency medicine. Her areas of expertise include women’s eye health, population health, diabetic retinopathy, glaucoma, ocular surface, and minimal interventional glaucoma and cataract surgery.

Patient-care with full education throughout the journey is a top focus for Dr. Swati. Fluent in English, Gujarati, Hindi, and Spanish, Dr. Swati has been recognized with the “Lifetime Achievement Award” in Ophthalmology from Women in Ophthalmology (WIO). When she’s not providing expert eye care, she enjoys spending time with her three children and two dogs.

Payal Patel, OD, FAAO, is a board-certified optometrist. She received her Bachelor of Arts degree in Genetics from Rutgers University (New Brunswick) in 2015. She then obtained her Doctorate of Optometry from Midwestern University, Arizona College of Optometry. She holds a fellowship from the American Academy of Optometry and is an active member of the American Optometric Association.

After graduation, Dr. Patel joined EyeCare Consultants of NJ, where she practices the full-scope of medical eye care including the treatment and management of ocular diseases, pediatric eye exams, fitting contact lenses, and collaborative perioperative surgical care. She has also contributed as a co-author of several clinical publications, with the ECCNJ team, that were presented at prestigious organizational meetings such as the Association of Research in Vision and Ophthalmology (ARVO), Women in Ophthalmology (WIO) and Retina World Congress (RWC). The research examined the role of digital technology in managing ocular diseases.

Dr. Patel prioritizes building strong relationships with her patients and ensuring they understand their diagnosis and treatment plan. In her free time, Dr. Patel enjoys cooking, dancing, traveling, taking care of her fur baby, Sophie, and spending time with friends and family.

Paul Guerriero, MD, FAAO, a board-certified retinologist, graduated with honors from Queens College (CUNY). Dr. Guerriero received his medical degree from Downstate Medical Center and gained extensive clinical and surgical experience at the world renowned New York Eye and Ear Infirmary.

Dr. Guerriero brings decades of extensive experience in Medical and Surgical Retina to ECC-NJ. His major professional interests are in the areas of macular degeneration and diabetic retinopathy. He has exceptional clinical skills and utilizes the newest proven treatments for macular degeneration.