Priscilla W. Chang, O.D.

Hometown: Oakland, CA

Degrees/School

• Bachelor of Science, Nutritional Sciences from the University of California Berkeley
• Doctor of Optometry, from the Illinois College of Optometry
• Residency training in Ocular Disease with an emphasis on refractive surgery and cornea and contact lenses, Georgia Eye Partners/Southern College of Optometry

Associations:

• American Optometric Association (AOA)
• American Public Health Association (APHA) Vision Care Section
• California Optometric Association (COA)
• Gold Key International Optometric Honor Society
• National Optometric Association (NOA)
• Ocular and Wellness Nutrition Society (OWNS)
• Volunteer Optometric Services to Humanity (VOSH)
• Scleral Lens Education Society

Personal hobbies:

• Hiking, travelling, dancing, learning, amateur baking, podcasting, and taking photos

Where did your interest in optometry come from? Do you have any personal stories relating to your interest in optometry?

• In college, I enjoyed perusing the local used bookstore for good reads and a book title caught my eye: 20/20 Is Not Enough: The New World of Vision. It was a 1991 book about the relationship between the eyes and the brain for functional vision and how just seeing 20/20 on an eye chart may not be adequate if there are underlying binocular vision issues, like poor reaction time, eye strain, and depth perception. It piqued my interest in the field because I grew up not getting preventative eye care nor wearing glasses and experienced ocular discomfort and fatigue with schoolwork that I brushed off as being normal. I was relieved to read that it was not normal and started asking myself how many others go undiagnosed because they or their parents have not prioritized getting an eye exam.
• Soon afterwards, I started volunteering as a retinal camera technician for EyePACS and screening local health clinic patients for diabetic retinopathy. I also volunteered as at low income housing site as a resource coordinator connecting low-income individuals with free eye care services. Through my experiences, I realized that optometry is a field where I can help others perform at their fullest potential every day and this was a very fulfilling mission to dedicate my career to.

Are there any industry specialties you have an interest in focusing on down the road?

• Yes, I really enjoy myopia control, dry eyes, and specialty contact lenses. I completed my residency training in refractive surgery and appreciate conversations about how to help patients become free of their glasses/contact lenses.

What does being part of EYEcenter mean to you?

• It means that I get to be a part of the personalized patient-centric team that cares for the visual health of the community. The EyeCenter family is full of compassionate, forward-thinking people who truly care about impacting people’s lives for the better.

What are you excited about in optometry during the years to come?

• The optometric profession is evolving at an accelerated pace with the changing healthcare landscape and innovations. I am optimistic about the innovations that are coming down the research and development pipeline in the realm of specialty contact lenses, eye drops, and novel treatment for existing problems.