Herbert Wertheim School of Optometry & Vision Science Alumni

Herbert Wertheim School of Optometry & Vision Science Alumni This is the page for alumni of the Herbert Wertheim School of Optometry & Vision Science.

Established in 1923, the University of California Berkeley School of Optometry is the second-oldest active university optometry program in the United States and has been committed to producing excellence in both academics and research. Providing superior-quality training programs and extensive clinic experience to its carefully-selected students, the UC Berkeley Optometry School maintains its high

technical standards while preparing students for successful careers in the field of optometry. In addition to offering this clinical training, the school’s world-class faculty are engaged in pioneering research in vision science, doing groundbreaking work to provide better primary vision care as well as improved diagnoses, treatments, and preventative care of vision disorders. Berkeley Optometry's alumni and faculty have served as presidents of national, state, and local organizations, testifying to the school's significant role in advancing the profession of optometry. The extensive network of alumni produced by Berkeley Optometry includes educators, private practice owners, researchers, and many other vision science professionals.

Please welcome Sophia Ibarguen and Effy Ren, who are joining the Vision Science PhD program this fall. Sophia received ...
09/01/2026

Please welcome Sophia Ibarguen and Effy Ren, who are joining the Vision Science PhD program this fall. Sophia received her undergraduate degree from UCLA, and previously worked at the National Eye Institute. She will be rotating with Dr. Karsten Gronert. Effy did her undergraduate work at UC Berkeley (Go Bears!), and received a master's degree from New York University. Before beginning the PhD program here at Berkeley, she worked at the Stanford School of Medicine. She will do her first rotation with Dr. David Whitney. Welcome Sophia and Effy -- we are so glad you are here!

Last week, we welcomed the Class of 2030 Doctor of Optometry and Vision Science PhD students to our school! Orientation ...
08/30/2026

Last week, we welcomed the Class of 2030 Doctor of Optometry and Vision Science PhD students to our school! Orientation sessions focused on transitioning to graduate education, learning about our school, cohort-building opportunities, and campus resources. On Monday, August 24, we hosted the White Coat Ceremony at the DoubleTree Berkeley Marina. Incoming OD students received their white coats from Dr. Lillian Wang, Associate Dean of Clinical Affairs, and Dr. Kuni Kanai, Clinic Director of Emeryville. This milestone symbolized the conclusion of New Student Orientation and the beginning of the optometric journey for the Class of 2030. Congratulations!

We’re excited to see our new students begin their journeys, and we also extend a warm welcome back to all returning students as we kick off another great year together!

The clinic hosted a Slit-Lamp and Ocular Emergencies Course and Workshop for Vituity Healthcare Solutions on Wednesday, ...
08/28/2026

The clinic hosted a Slit-Lamp and Ocular Emergencies Course and Workshop for Vituity Healthcare Solutions on Wednesday, August 12 at the Emeryville Eye Clinic. There were 15 attendees total who were nurse practitioners, physician assistants and physicians. The course consisted of a didactic lecture by Dr. Chris Wilmer covering the most common or critical eye conditions known to present to emergency rooms. The remaining part of the course was a 3 hour hands-on workshop (coordinated by Drs. Jeffrey Kong and Sam Lee) designed to give hands-on use of the slit-lamp biomicroscope to examine different ocular tissue. The topics of foreign body removal, pressure patching and ocular irrigation for chemical burns were also covered. Thanks to everyone who helped organize this important event!

The clinic in Emeryville is ready for additional patient care starting with the Fall I session! The second floor exam r...
08/26/2026

The clinic in Emeryville is ready for additional patient care starting with the Fall I session! The second floor exam rooms are now ready for primary care and Saturday appointments have been moved to Emeryville. Fine tuning and final commissioning of building systems is nearly complete, with all aspects of the building's operations are in place as clinicians, patient services staff, and the optometry facilities team shake out the bugs with the new building and implement new workflows developed during the summer sessions. The eyewear center sees more and more activity each day as the clinic continues to see more patients and customers come through. The IT and AV team have done an outstanding job of getting all the educational technology and conferencing systems set up with the academy exam rooms on the second floor to maximize interaction, collaboration, and learning. Starting August 24th, the exterior of the building will be repainted with a bold and simplified new color scheme and new donor letters will be installed once painting is complete by mid-September.

The 2026 Herbert Wertheim School of Optometry and Vision Science Alumni Reunion is less than one month away! Whether you...
08/25/2026

The 2026 Herbert Wertheim School of Optometry and Vision Science Alumni Reunion is less than one month away! Whether you are celebrating a milestone, hoping to reconnect with our community, or just want to share in some Berkeley pride, we hope to see you on September 19th!

As we continue to highlight our alumni celebrating milestone reunions, we turn to the class of 1976, our Silver Bears! This class joins the ranks of our alumni who are commemorating 50 years of impacting the field of optometry and vision science, helping lead our profession with their dedication, care, and passion.

To hear from this class, we turn to Dr. Karen Kronick-Springer! Below, Dr. Kronick-Springer shares her reflections on her experience as an Opto Bear.

We are delighted to announce that Susana Chung, OD, PhD, FAAO, FARVO, is the new Chair of our Vision Science program. As...
08/22/2026

We are delighted to announce that Susana Chung, OD, PhD, FAAO, FARVO, is the new Chair of our Vision Science program. As many of you already know, Dr. Chung, a professor of optometry and vision science, is interested in how the visual system works in people with normal vision and people with uncorrectable subnormal vision. Dr. Chung is currently an ARVO Trustee, a member of the American Academy of Optometry’s Research Committee, and a member of the editorial boards of Vision Research, Journal of Vision, and Optometry and Vision Science. She also serves regularly on several NIH’s study sections. Congratulations Dr. Chung!

Thank you to the VS Executive Committee for their essential role in the selection process, and of course, to Susana for graciously agreeing to lead our program for the next three years! A big thank you too to Dr. Michael Silver for his leadership in the VS Program this past year!

Dorothy Ma, OD, FAAO, has been awarded the 2026 Stan Yamane Family Contact Lens Ezell Fellowship. Dorothy is mentored by...
08/19/2026

Dorothy Ma, OD, FAAO, has been awarded the 2026 Stan Yamane Family Contact Lens Ezell Fellowship. Dorothy is mentored by Professor Meng C. Lin. As a third year PhD candidate, her research is focused on investigating factors that influence tear aqueous production and the impact of hormonal birth control on the Meibomian glands and ocular surface. Her long-term goal is to become an independent clinician-scientist that can integrate clinical, laboratory, and computational methods to advance translational research of the ocular surface and elucidate risk factors for ocular surface diseases. She is grateful to the American Academy of Optometry for their recognition and support for emerging clinician-scientists in vision science.

Last month, seven of our optometry students participated in the China-US Ophthalmology & Optometry Summer Program in Wen...
08/17/2026

Last month, seven of our optometry students participated in the China-US Ophthalmology & Optometry Summer Program in Wenzhou, China. The program is a 10-day long immersive academic and cultural exchange designed to foster cross-cultural understanding and professional growth in eye care. Sponsored by Wenzhou Medical University (WMU), the program combines clinical observation, skills-based learning, institutional visits, and rich cultural experiences. Students gained first-hand exposure to ophthalmology and optometry education and clinical practice in China while deepening their understanding of Chinese medical culture and global perspectives on vision health. Students from UC Berkeley, NECO, ICO, and SUNY participated in the program. They were eligible to apply for this summer program after completing a 10-Week Online Medical Mandarin course through SUNY Optometry.

Pictured from left to right are:

Andrew Cheng, Class of 2029
Joseph Hsing, Class of 2029
Vince Tan, Class of 2029
Jessica Sun, Class of 2029
Erin Lee, Class of 2029
Benjamin Zietz, Class of 2028
Margaret Park, Class of 2028

Thank you to the Wenzhou Medical University staff and volunteers for making our students feel welcomed and for organizing an incredible week!

Click the link below for a news article about the exchange (in Chinese), which features additional photos.
https://mp.weixin.qq.com/s/EvpKEwtw1QeUJa3BF0ogRw

As we continue to prepare for the upcoming Alumni Reunion Celebration on September 19th, we turn to those celebrating mi...
08/14/2026

As we continue to prepare for the upcoming Alumni Reunion Celebration on September 19th, we turn to those celebrating milestone reunion years to hear more about what being a Berkeley educated optometrist means to them.

Our first Reunion Alumni Spotlight brings us to Dr. Andrew Mick as he and his fellow classmates from the class of 2001 celebrate their 25th Reunion from the UC Berkeley Herbert Wertheim School of Optometry and Vision Science.

Can Psychedelics Protect the Aging Brain? A first-of-its-kind study from Michael Silver and the UC Berkeley Center for t...
08/14/2026

Can Psychedelics Protect the Aging Brain?

A first-of-its-kind study from Michael Silver and the UC Berkeley Center for the Science of Psychedelics is investigating whether psychedelics can help promote healthy aging. In the study, researchers use functional MRI, paired with other mental assessments, to measure the brain activity of older adults before and after a psychedelic experience. In the re-enactment shown in the photo above, a volunteer demonstrates what a study participant might experience after taking a dose of psilocybin, a compound found in psychedelic mushrooms, at the research lab in Berkeley.

Photo by Brandon Sánchez Mejia/UC Berkeley

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