School of Optometry

University of California, Berkeley

This is an archived copy of the 2014-15 guide. To access the most recent version of the guide, please visit http://guide.berkeley.edu/.

Overview

The School of Optometry provides professional training in the art and science of vision care. Drawing upon the principles of anatomy, optics, physiology, and psychology, the four-year professional program leads to the degree of Doctor of Optometry, which qualifies one to take national and state board examinations.

Doctors of Optometry are health care professionals. Optometry is a primary health care profession that encompasses the prevention and remediation of disorders of the vision system through examination, diagnosis, treatment, and/or management of visual efficiency, eye health, and related systemic manifestations. Optometry graduates are able to diagnose patients with ocular disease or systemic diseases with ocular manifestations. Recent changes in optometry laws across the United States have expanded the scope of optometric practice, giving practitioners responsibility for nonsurgical pharmaceutical treatment of eye disorders and diseases.

Doctors of Optometry are educated in the sciences of anatomy, chemistry, physics, mathematics, neurology, bacteriology, microbiology, disease processes and detection, pharmacology, behavioral science, social science, public health, and many other related fields. The School provides four years of comprehensive training in vision care aimed at training primary eye care practitioners. The first year emphasizes advanced study of sciences which form the background of optometry, such as ocular anatomy, medical physiology and biochemistry, ocular pathology, physiology, microbiology and virology, neuroanatomy, the psychology of vision, vision science, geometric optics, ophthalmic optics, pharmacology, and theoretical and practical optics. The second and third years are devoted to the science of optometry and the acquisition of skills in examination procedures. Although clinic participation is involved in all four years, active responsibility for patient care begins in the spring preceding the third year. The fourth year is devoted to primary care practice of optometry and the detailed study of specialized areas, including contact lenses, binocular and infant vision, vision functions, ocular disease, vision of the elderly, and low vision.

Optometry offers a wide variety of interesting, challenging, and rewarding careers in private practice, in hospitals and other health organizations, and in public service. The education acquired at the School of Optometry provides today’s Doctors of Optometry with the knowledge and skills necessary to meet the challenges of providing vision care.

Optometric Residency Program

A one-year Optometric Residency program is available to Doctors of Optometry seeking advanced optometric training. Areas of clinical study include binocular vision, cornea and contact lens, low vision, ocular disease, pediatrics, and primary care. Successful completion of the program leads to the awarding of the Optometric Residency Certificate.

For further information about the Optometric Residency Program, please contact the Director of Residency Programs at the Tang Eye Center, 2222 Bancroft Way, Berkeley, CA 94720-2020; or send an e-mail to cwilmer@berkeley.edu .

Undergraduate Program

There is no undergraduate program offered by the School of Optometry.

Graduate Program

Optometry : OD

Visit School Website

Courses

Optometry

OPTOM 10 The Eye and Vision in a Changing Environment 2 Units

Course covers introduction to the basis of common sight-reducing visual disorders with major public health implications for society--e.g., myopia, cataracts, diabetic hypertensive eye disorders, developmental disorders (e.g., lazy eye), and environmentally induced disease and disorders (solar eye burns, cataracts). Major approaches to the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of common disorders will be addressed in terms of the biological and optical sciences underlying the treatment or prevention. Impact of eye care on society and health and care delivery will be reviewed.

OPTOM C10 The Eye and Vision in a Changing Environment 2 Units

Course covers introduction to the basis of common sight reducing visual disorders with major public health implications for society--e.g., myopia, cataracts, diabetic hypertensive eye disorders, developmental disorders (e.g., lazy eye), and environmentally induced disease and disorders (solar eye burns, cataracts). Major approaches to the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of common disorders will be addressed in terms of the biological and optical sciences underlying the treatment or prevention. Impact of eye care on society and health and care delivery will be reviewed.

OPTOM 39B Freshman/Sophomore Seminar 2 - 4 Units

Freshman and sophomore seminars offer lower division students the opportunity to explore an intellectual topic with a faculty member and a group of peers in a small-seminar setting. These seminars are offered in all campus departments; topics vary from department to department and from semester to semester. No prerequisities. Enrollment limits are set by the faculty, but the suggested limit is 25.

OPTOM 84 Sophomore Seminar 1 or 2 Units

Sophomore seminars are small interactive courses offered by faculty members in departments all across the campus. Sophomore seminars offer opportunity for close, regular intellectual contact between faculty members and students in the crucial second year. The topics vary from department to department and semester to semester. Enrollment limited to 15 sophomores.

OPTOM 98 Directed Group Study 1 Unit

Directed group study for undergraduates interested in the field of optometry.

OPTOM 198 Directed Group Studies 1 - 4 Units

Directed group study for undergraduates interested in the field of Optometry.

OPTOM 200A Clinical Examination of the Visual System 2 Units

Fundamentals of the optometric examination. Case history, visual acuities, objective and subjective methods of determining refractive status. Basic examination of anterior ocular structures and the ocular fundus; perimetry.

OPTOM 200AL Clinical Examination of the Visual System 3 Units

Fundamentals of the optometric examination. Case history, visual acuities, objective and subjective methods of determining refractive status. Basic examination of anterior ocular structures and the ocular funds; perimetry.

OPTOM 200B Clinical Examination of the Visual System 2 Units

Classification and epidemiology of refractive errors, evaluation of accommodative and binocular status. Tonometry, advanced techniques of examining the posterior pole, evaluation of visual pathway function.

OPTOM 200BL Clinical Examination of the Visual System 3 Units

Classification and epidemiology of refractive errors, evaluation of accommodative and binocular status. Tonometry, advanced techniques of examining the posterior pole, evaluation of visual pathway function.

OPTOM 200C Clinical Examination of the Visual System 2 Units

Case analysis of refractive, accommodative, and binocular anomalies. Pediatric examination techniques. Advanced methods of examining the peripheral ocular fundus; anterior chamber angle evaluation.

OPTOM 200CL Clinical Examination of the Visual System 2 Units

Case analysis of refractive, accommodative, and binocular anomalies. Pediatric examination techniques. Advanced methods of examining the peripheral ocular funds; anterior angle evaluation.

OPTOM 200D Clinical Examination of the Visual System 2 Units

Modification of the exam sequence for specific patient needs. Evaluation and management of tear film disorders; analysis of vision with cataract. Patient management and professional communications; legal and ethical issues; managed care and optometry.

OPTOM 200DL Clinical Examination of the Visual System 2 Units

Modification of the exam sequence for specific patient needs. Evaluation and management of tear film disorders; analysis of vision with cataract. Patient management and professional communications; legal and ethical issues; managed care and optometry.

OPTOM 213 Evidence Based Optometry 1 Unit

Basic concepts in evidence based optometry including various clincal study designs, potential sources of bias in each design as well as development of a systematic approach to evaluate strength of evidence from published studies, to identify potential limitations and develop appreciation for the importane of evidence based practice as a practice philosphy.

OPTOM 222A Optics of Ophthalmic Lenses 4 Units

Optical and physical characteristics of ophthalmic lenses, to include spheric and aspherical surface of single and multifocal lens designs, and ophthalmic prisms. Lens power measurement methods, lens thickness power relationships and considerations in designing prescription eyewear. Characteristics of absorptive lenses, ophthalmic coatings, lens materials, and their role in ocular protection.

OPTOM 222B Advanced Clinical Optics 2 Units

Ophthalmic lens aberrations and minimization. Ophthalmic lens designs relating to anisometropia, aniseikonia, and high refractive errors. Optics of the eye, contact lens optics, and optical principles of low vision aids. Environmental vision and related ophthalmic standards.

OPTOM 226A Systemic Pharmacology 2.5 Units

Basic pharmacology, terminology, and concepts (both pharmacodynamic and pharmacokinetic) and pharmacotheraphy of medical conditions commonly encountered in clinical optometric practice (including cardiovascular disease, respiratory disease, diabetes, infection and inflammatory conditions, as well as central nervous system disorders).

OPTOM 226B Ocular Pharmacology 2.5 Units

Basic pharmacology, terminology, and concepts (both pharmacodynamic and pharmacokinetic) as applied to the eye and ophthalmic drugs, clinical prescribing issues including formulation, dosing and prescribing, and pharmacotherapy of anti-inflammatory, centrally acting, hormonal and other "specialist" systemic drugs.

OPTOM 230A Graduate General Clinical Practice 2 - 6 Units

General optometric practice for four hours per week per credit hour, including optometric examination, dispensing, consultation, and subsequent vision care of patients, performed independently by graduate student clinicians.

OPTOM 230B Graduate General Clinical Practice 2 - 6 Units

General optometric practice for four hours per week per credit hour, including optometric examination, dispensing, consultation, and subsequent vision care of patients, performed independently by graduate student clinicians.

OPTOM 231A Graduate Specialty Clinics 2 - 8 Units

Clinical examination of patients in designated specialty clinics. More than one clinical specialty may be taken simultaneously.

OPTOM 231B Graduate Specialty Clinics 2 - 8 Units

Clinical examination of patients in designated specialty clinics. More than one clinical specialty may be taken simultaneously.

OPTOM 236A Systemic Disease and its Ocular Manifestations 3 Units

The pathophysiology, pharmacotherapy, and clinical management of systemic and ocular diseases will be discussed through a combination of lecture and problem-based learning approaches. Disease processes will be emphasized and include cellular injury and repair, inflammation, infection, degeneration, and neoplasia. Neurologic, cardiovascular, endocrine, pulmonary, and congenital disease and their relative ocular manifestations will be presented.

OPTOM 236B Systemic Disease and its Ocular Manifestations 3 Units

The pathophysiology, pharmacotherapy, and clinical management of systemic and ocular diseases will be discussed through a combination of lecture and problem-based learning approaches. Disease processes will be emphasized and include cellular injury and repair, inflammation, infection, degeneration, and neoplasia. Neurologic, cardiovascular, endocrine, pulmonary, and congenital disease and their relative ocular manifestations will be presented.

OPTOM 240 Diagnosis and Treatment of Sensory/Motor Anomalies 3 Units

Diagnosis and treatment of heterophoria, accommodative, vergence and oculomotor anomalies including sensory anomalies and amblyopia. Rationale and methods for treatment with lenses, prism, occlusion, and vision training. Design and implementation of treatment programs.

OPTOM 241 Advanced Management and Rehabilitation of Sensory/Motor Anomalies 3 Units

Advanced diagnosis, prognosis and treatment of strabismus, neurologic oculomotor disorders, amblyopia, and other associated sensory anomalies. Assessment and management of developmental and acquired visual perceptual disorders in relationship to learning disabilities. Design and implementation of treatment programs.

OPTOM 246 Diagnosis and Treatment of Anterior Segment Ocular Disease 4 Units

This course series consists of the pathophysiology, pharmacotherapy, and clinical management of systemic and ocular diseases through a combination of lecture and problem-based learning approaches. Disease processes will be emphasized and include cellular injury and repair, inflammation, infection, degeneration, and neoplasia. Neurologic, cardiovascular, endocrine, pulmonary, and congenital disease, and their relative ocular manifestations will be presented. The basic principles of pharmacology will be followed by overviews of drugs used to treat diseases of each system. The role of the optometrist in the health care system will be emphasized.

OPTOM 251 Low Vision 2.5 Units

Epidemiology and etiology of low vision. Optical principles of low vision aids. Optometric examination and treatment of the low vision patient. Interdisciplinary rehabilitation resources, counseling, and referral.

OPTOM 256 Diagnosis and Treatment of Posterior Segment Ocular Disease 4 Units

This course series consists of the pathophysiology, pharmacotherapy, and clinical management of systemic and ocular diseases through a combination of lecture and problem-based learning approaches. Disease processes will be emphasized and include cellular injury and repair, inflammation, infection, degeneration, and neoplasia. Neurologic, cardiovascular, endocrine, pulmonary, and congenital disease and their relative ocular manifestations will be presented. The basic principles of pharmacology will be followed by overviews of drugs used to treat diseases of each system. The role of the optometrist in the health care system will be emphasized.

OPTOM 260A Contact Lenses: Examination Principles and Practice 3 Units

Examination procedures and instrumentation used in monitoring the ocular response to contact lenses. Contact lens inspection, care, and handling. Physical and optical properties of contact lenses. Fitting contact lenses to the human eye, clinical implications. The Sarver Lecture series in Contact Lenses (12 hours on a Saturday and Sunday.)

OPTOM 270B Eyecare Business and Professional Management I 2 Units

A review of the optometric profession and its opportunities. Debt management, goal setting, professional practice operations including accounting and finance, patient communications, fee calculation, scheduling, office systems flow and operations. Professional ethics, malpractice, and microeconomics as it affects the practice of optometry.

OPTOM 270C Eyecare Business and Professional Management II 2 Units

Entrepreneurship, financing alternatives, business loans, human resources, marketing, personal finance, business law as it affects optometry.

OPTOM 281A Graduate Clinical Rounds 1 - 3 Units

Presentation and discussion of the diagnosis, etiology, prognosis, and treatment of selected clinical cases.

OPTOM 281B Graduate Clinical Rounds 1 - 3 Units

Presentation and discussion of the diagnosis, etiology, prognosis, and treatment of selected clinical cases.

OPTOM 291A Optometry Research Project 1 Unit

Thesis research for optometry students. Presentation of research results.

OPTOM 291B Optometry Research Project 1 Unit

Thesis research for optometry students. Presentation of research results.

OPTOM 292A Graduate Optometry Seminar 1 - 3 Units

Graduate seminars on selected topics in clinical optometry.

OPTOM 292B Graduate Optometry Seminar 1 - 3 Units

Graduate seminars on selected topics in clinical optometry.

OPTOM 298A Independent or Group Studies 1 - 6 Units

Directed studies on a selected topic(s) within optometry.

OPTOM 298B Independent or Group Studies 1 - 6 Units

Directed studies on a selected topic(s) within optometry.

OPTOM 299A Graduate Optometry Research 2 - 4 Units

Directed research on a selected topic within clinical optometry.

OPTOM 299B Graduate Optometry Research 2 - 4 Units

Directed research on a selected topic within clinical optometry.

OPTOM 430A Optometry Clinics 4 Units

Clinical practice in examination techniques and interpretation of clinical data. Primary care optometric exams.

OPTOM 430B Optometry Clinics 9 Units

Examination of patients in a primary care setting, prescribing of optometric therapy, management of emergency procedures, and vision screenings of children and adults.

OPTOM 430C Optometry Clinics 9 Units

Examination of patients in a primary care setting, prescribing of optometric therapy, management of emergency procedures, and vision screenings of children and adults.

OPTOM 432 Introduction to Clinical Topics for the New Clinician 2 Units

This course emphasizes ocular conditions and diseases that are commonly encountered during patient care. The goal is to improve observational skills for new clinicians by presenting clinical information in a Grand Rounds format and to increase efficiency for comprehensive eye examinations by outlining alternative strategies for examining patients and analyzing clinical data.

OPTOM 435 Advanced Procedures in Ocular Disease Diagnosis 2 Units

Instrumentation, techniques, and principles for examination, diagnosis, and treatment of ocular disease. Introduction to optometric informatics related to ocular disease.

OPTOM 440A Advanced Optometry Clinic 2.5 Units

Optometric examination of patients in the primary care clinic performed independently by student clinicians under supervision of the clinical staff.

OPTOM 440B Advanced Optometry Clinic 9 Units

Examination of patients in a primary care setting. Diagnosis, prognosis, treatment, patient management and follow-up.

OPTOM 440C Advanced Optometry Clinic 9 Units

Examination of patients in a primary care setting. Diagnosis, prognosis, treatment, patient management and follow-up.

OPTOM 441A Specialty Clinics 2.5 Units

Examination, diagnosis, prognosis, treatment, and management of patients in the specialty clinics.

OPTOM 441B Specialty Clinics 7 Units

Examination, diagnosis, prognosis, treatment, and/or management of patients in specialty clinics; ocular disease, contact lenses, binocular vision, ophthalmic optics, and environmental and occupational vision.

OPTOM 441C Specialty Clinics 7 Units

Examination, diagnosis, prognosis, treatment, and/or management of patients in specialty clinics; ocular disease, contact lenses, binocular vision, ophthalmic optics, and environmental and occupational vision.

OPTOM 450A Grand Rounds and Seminar 2 Units

Presentation of clinical cases demonstrating basic and advanced optometric care, including diagnosis, treatment, and patient management.

OPTOM 450B Grand Rounds and Seminar 2 Units

Presentation of clinical cases demonstrating basic and advanced optometric care, including diagnosis, treatment, and patient management.

OPTOM 452 Current Concepts in Ocular Disease 1 Unit

Recent advances in the detection, diagnosis, and management of ocular disease.

OPTOM 490A Optometric Spanish - Beginner Level I 1 Unit

This course provides an introduction to Spanish in its uses in a clinical optometry setting with the Spanish-speaking patient. Basic vocabulary and grammar acquisition and skill building exercises will help the practitioner perform conversations and procedures in simple but accurate and clear communications. The sounds and structures of Spanish, including the present tense and some other verbs will be covered. All materials will be taught and practiced in relation to their practical application in a clinical setting.

OPTOM 490B Optometric Spanish - Intermediate Level II 1 Unit

This course provides vocabulary and grammar acquisition and skill building for the intermediate to advanced Spanish student who works with Spanish-speaking patients in the field of optometry. Emphasis is on practical, hands-on application of the materials: patient interviewing, doing various aspects of the eye exam, taking a history, and giving diagnostic, treatment, and follow-through information to the patient, with appropriate cultural sensitivity, taking into consideration the socio-cultural background of the patient. The goal is accurate and sophisticated communication.

OPTOM 499 Supervised Independent Study 1 - 12 Units

Independent study under control of Associate Dean for Student Affairs.

Faculty

Professors

Ian L. Bailey, Professor. Low vision, visual ergonomics, clinical optics, optometry.
Research Profile

Martin S. Banks, Professor. Stereopsis, virtual reality, optometry, multisensory interactions, self-motion perception, vision, depth perception, displays, picture perception, visual ergonomics.
Research Profile

Shirin Barez, Professor.

Dennis S Burger, Professor.

Thomas Callan, Professor.

Stephen R. Chun, Professor.

Robert B. Di Martino, Professor. Ocular disease and ocular therapeutic pharmacology, electronic instructional technology.
Research Profile

Robert E. Dister, Od, Professor.

John Gerard Flannery, PhD, Professor. Neurobiology, optometry, vision science, cell and molecular biology of the retina in normal and diseased states.
Research Profile

Suzanne M J Fleiszig, Professor. Immunology, eye, microbiology, infectious disease, corneal physiology, tear film physiology, bacterial pathogenesis, contact lenses, pseudomonas aeruginosa, epithelial cell biology, innate immunity.
Research Profile

Xiaohua Gong, Professor. Optometry, vision science, eye development and diseases, lens development.
Research Profile

Robert B. Greer, Professor.

Gunilla Haegerstrom-Portnoy, Professor. Optometry, vision science, clinical psychophysics, color vision and color vision defects, vision and aging, children's vision, achromatopsia, electrodiagnostics.
Research Profile

Patsy Harvey, Professor.

Pia Hoenig, Professor.

Carl H. Jacobsen, Professor.

Stanley A. Klein, Professor. Optometry, vision science, spatial vision modeling, psychophysical methods and vision test design, corneal topography and contact lens design, source localization of evoked potentials, fMRI, amblyopia.
Research Profile

Dennis M. Levi, Professor. Optometry, vision science, pattern vision, abnormal visual development.
Research Profile

Bruno A. Olshausen, Professor. Visual perception, computational neuroscience, computational vision.
Research Profile

Deborah Ann Orel-Bixler, Professor. Optometry, vision science, visual abilities in infants, children and special-needs population, visual evoked potentials, vision screening, photorefraction.
Research Profile

Austin John Roorda, Professor. Adaptive optics, eye, vision, ophthalmoscopy, scanning laser ophthalmoscope, ophthalmology.
Research Profile

Donald S Sarver, Professor.

A. Lee Scaief, Professor.

Lawrence S. Thal, MBA Od, Professor.

Richard C. Van Sluyters, PhD Od, Professor. Optometry, vision science, Mammalian developmental visual neurobiology.
Research Profile

Wayne Verdon, Professor. Optometry, clinical electrophysiology, color vision.
Research Profile

Christine F Wildsoet, PhD, Professor. Optometry, vision science, myopia, refractive errors, accommodation, aberrations, eye growth, ocular therapeutics, optical myopia control, pharmacological myopia control, ocular tissue engineering, ocular stem cells.
Research Profile

Associate Professors

Charles Bailey, Associate Professor.

Frank G Balestrery, Associate Professor.

Lu Chen, Associate Professor. Mechanisms of synapse formation during development, synapse modification in plasticity, protein composition of the synapse, glutamate receptor.
Research Profile

Susana T Chung, Associate Professor. Optometry, low vision, vision science, pattern vision, reading.
Research Profile

John C. Corzine, Associate Professor.

Darlene T. N. Fong, Associate Professor.

Karsten Gronert, PhD, Associate Professor. Mass spectrometry, inflammation, lipid mediators, wound healing, resolution, omega-3 fatty acids, leukocytes, ocular inflammatory diseases, diet, angiogenesis, lipidomics.
Research Profile

Maziar Haririfar, O.D., Associate Professor.

Jeffrey Ko, Od, Associate Professor.

George K Lee, Associate Professor.

Meng Lin, Associate Professor. Contact lenses, vision, clinical trials (phase I - Phase IV), clinical trial designs, tear film, biomedical devices, ocular surface.
Research Profile

Nancy Mcnamara, Associate Professor.

Randall Ray Mcpherran, Associate Professor.

Anne Mika Moy, Associate Professor.

Glen Ozawa, Associate Professor.

Paul H Peng, Associate Professor.

Michael Andrew Silver, PhD, Associate Professor. Cognitive neuroscience, pharmacology, learning, attention, visual perception, neuroimaging.
Research Profile

Meredith Whiteside, Associate Professor.

Barry C. Winston, Associate Professor.

Assistant Professors

Karen Chester, Assistant Professor.

Marlena A Chu, Assistant Professor.

Jorge Anthony Cuadros Od PhD, Assistant Professor.

Sarah N G Fisher, Assistant Professor.

Sara L Frane, Assistant Professor.

Cheslyn M Gan, Assistant Professor.

Kenneth S Gee, Assistant Professor.

Harry Miguel Green, Assistant Professor.

Daniel Marc Harvitt, Assistant Professor.

Michelle J Hoff, Assistant Professor.

Kuniyoshi Kanai, Assistant Professor. Optomery, primary eye care, ocular disease, contact lens.
Research Profile

Nicholas G Kerry, Assistant Professor.

Cindy Yumi Sakai Kim, Assistant Professor.

Debora Mingjai Lee, Od, Assistant Professor.

Scott Eunjohn Lee, Assistant Professor.

Garley Cheng Leon, Assistant Professor.

Mira Lim, Assistant Professor.

Yue Liu, Od, Assistant Professor. Epidemiology, optometry, vision science, myopia, refractive errors, accommodation, eye growth, contact lens, optical myopia control, pharmacological myopia control, aberration, bifocal, emmetropization, multifocal, orthokeratology, pediatric vision exam, RGP, clinical trials.
Research Profile

Robert W. Melrose, Assistant Professor.

Anousheh Mortazavi, Assistant Professor.

Jeffrey Joseph Schultz, Assistant Professor.

Jennifer Yuka Seino, Od, Assistant Professor.

Mary Ann C. Shui, Assistant Professor.

Kelvin K. Tang, Assistant Professor.

Kathy Tran, Assistant Professor.

Lillian Ing-Ling Wang, Assistant Professor.

Tonya Watson, PhD, Assistant Professor.

Brian Wolff, Od, Assistant Professor.

Walter Andrew Wong, Assistant Professor.

Patrick H Woodring, Assistant Professor.

Contact Information

School of Optometry

Visit School Website

Dean

Dennis M. Levi, OD, PhD

Phone: 510-642-3414

dlevi@berkeley.edu

Associate Dean and Head Graduate Adviser

Richard C. Van Sluyters, OD, PhD

Phone: 510-642-1235

rcvs@berkeley.edu

Assistant Dean for Admissions, Student Affairs, and Career Services

Sharon Joyce

Phone: 510-642-9537

sharon_joyce@berkeley.edu

Associate Director of Admissions and Student Affairs

Heather Iwata

Phone: 510-642-9537

hiwata@berkeley.edu

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