Dr. Efren Gonzalez, MD

Practice: Boston Children's Hospital

Location: Boston, Massachusetts

Website: https://www.childrenshospital.org/

Phone: 617-355-6401

Dr. Efren Gonzalez is a pediatric and adult vitreoretinal surgeon, pediatric and adult ocular oncologist, and pediatric ophthalmologist and strabismus surgeon. He is the Director of the Ocular Oncology Service at Boston Children's Hospital and Assistant Professor at Harvard Medical School.

Dr. Gonzalez treats various oncological and retinal conditions, including intraocular tumors such as retinoblastoma, choroidal melanoma, ocular lymphoma, and tumors of the lids, eye surface, iris, ciliary body, retina, and orbit. As a retinal specialist, he treats retinopathy of prematurity, familial exudative vitreoretinopathy, Norrie disease, Coats' Disease, Von Hippel Lindau syndrome, persistent fetal vasculature, congenital retinoschisis, traumatic macular hole, open globe injuries, and all forms of retinal detachment.

Dr. Gonzalez serves as an expert for the Department of Ophthalmology for Boston Children's Hospital Precision Medicine Service.

Dr. Gonzalez received his MD with honors from the Universidad Autonoma de Nuevo Leon in Monterrey, Nuevo Leon, Mexico. He completed two ophthalmology residency programs, three clinical fellowships (in Vitreoretinal Surgery, Ocular Oncology, and Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus), and two research fellowships.

Medical School
Universidad Autonoma de Nuevo Leon
2002, Monterrey, Nuevo Leon, Mexico
Residency
Hospital Universitario
2008, Monterrey, Nuevo Leon, Mexico
Residency
Boston Medical Center
2017, Boston, MA
Fellowship
Valley Retina Institute
2010, McAllen, TX
Fellowship
Princess Margaret Hospital / Hospital for Sick Kids / University of Toronto
2011, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Fellowship
Boston Children's Hospital
2014, Boston, MA
Dr. Gonzalez treats various oncological and retinal conditions, including intraocular tumors such as retinoblastoma, choroidal melanoma, ocular lymphoma, and tumors of the lids, eye surface, iris, ciliary body, retina, and orbit. As a retinal specialist, he treats retinopathy of prematurity, familial exudative vitreoretinopathy, Norrie disease, Coats' Disease, Von Hippel Lindau syndrome, persistent fetal vasculature, congenital retinoschisis, traumatic macular hole, open globe injuries, and all forms of retinal detachment.

FAQ

At the Jack McGovern Coats’ Disease Foundation, we are often contacted by anxious parents or patients who are seeking information after receiving a diagnosis of Coats’ Disease. The questions below are provided as a resource to assist you as you and your doctor decide the best approach for treatment. These questions do not constitute any form of medical advice or diagnosis. Each patient is unique. An experienced retinal specialist who has examined the patient is the best source of information for diagnosis and treatment. We always recommend getting a second opinion.

Questions to Ask Your Doctor (Download PDF)

Ahead of any treatments or procedures, it is important to ask yourself and the doctor the following questions:
- How do you know that this is Coats’ Disease?
- Has your doctor treated other patients with Coats’ Disease?
- Have you sought a second opinion? If not, please consult our Doctor Directory for knowledgeable doctors in your area.
- What Stage of Coats’ Disease is he/she in?
- Will his/her vision get worse over time?
- Will the eye have pain?
- Will his/her eye start to turn out? Is muscle corrective surgery an option?
- Are cataracts likely?
- How likely is glaucoma? (due to retinal detachment)
- Is there calcification?
- What is the anticipated disease progression?
- Is there a thorough vision exam available?
- Where is the vision affected? (central/peripheral/distance)
- Does he/she have depth perception? (3D visibility)
- What about the non-Coats’ eye?
- To what extent is his/her vision affected?
- Will we be able to use this as a baseline to measure progress/decline?