The SEES Group and SouthEast Eye Specialists announce the addition of Dr. Maria Stephanie R. Jardeleza to our Chattanooga team of providers. Dr. Jardeleza is a board-certified ophthalmologist who is fellowship trained in clinical and surgical diseases of the vitreous and retina. Born in Manila, Philippines, Dr. Jardeleza has spent over 10 years completing her medical and surgical training in ophthalmology and vitreo-retinal surgery in the United States.
Dr. Jardeleza received her Bachelor of Science in Biology and her Medical Degree from the University of the Philippines. She furthered her prestigious accomplishments by completing an Ocular Pathology fellowship at the Wilmer Eye Institute Johns Hopkins Hospital Department of Ophthalmology. She underwent residency training in Ophthalmology at Boston University Medical Center, and pursued a highly competitive and rigorous clinical fellowship in Diseases and Surgery of the Retina and Vitreous at the Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary-Harvard Medical School program.
Dr. Jardeleza is the former Medical Director of Ophthalmology at the Texas Diabetes Institute (TDI). As the primary vitreo-retinal surgeon at the TDI, she performed hundreds of retinal laser, intravitreal injections, and complex diabetic vitrectomy surgeries. She simultaneously served as the Chief of the Retina Services at The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio (UTHSCSA) for 4 years and coordinated provision of retinal care for 3 clinical sites. Dr. Jardeleza also provided clinical care and primary coverage for vitreo-retinal emergencies at University Hospital-San Antonio, and is well-versed in the surgical management of ocular trauma and complex retinal detachments. She has been instrumental in introducing new and advanced surgical techniques in the treatment of retinal diseases during her tenure at UTHSCSA. She has trained Ophthalmology residents of UTHSCSA in medical and surgical management of retinal diseases, several of whom are now retina-trained subspecialists throughout the nation. She is an active clinician-scientist and an author of multiple journals and articles.
She transitioned into private practice in 2016 and joined one of the largest multispecialty groups in San Antonio. She continued to hone her clinical and surgical skills and became well-versed in optimizing clinical efficiency and performing vitreoretinal surgeries in both hospital and ASC settings.
Dr. Jardeleza was awarded the Clinical Excellence Award by the UTHSCSA Department of Ophthalmology in 2015. The S.A. Scene Journal named her one of San Antonio’s Best Doctors in 2013, 2014 and 2016, she was named in the same journal by her colleagues as one of 2021’s Best S.A. Female Doctors. The highlight of her accomplishments was being featured on the 2021 cover of San Antonio Magazine’s Top Doctors.
In her spare time, Dr. Jardeleza enjoys spending time with her family, reading, running for charity, attending barre classes, and exploring the food and barbecue scene in the city.