General Practitioners

• Pediatric Care
• Primary Care
  At OPTIMA Ophthalmic Medical Associates, we work with hundreds of primary care providers throughout Northern California who are experienced and skilled at the pre-operative workup and the post-operative management of cataract and LASIK refractive surgery patients. Quite frequently, patients prefer to receive both their pre-operative work-up and their post-operative care from their primary eye care providers because of either a long-standing relationship with their provider or because of the geographic convenience of not having to return to the surgeon for every post-operative visit. Another advantage of post-operative management by the primary eye care provider is the fact that a great majority of the post-operative examinations consist of the measurement of the eyes for residual nearsightedness, farsightedness, astigmatism, or the need for reading glasses. The primary eye care provider who is familiar with the patient’s lifestyle, as well as their individual visual needs best performs this skill.
• Family Practice

Ophthalmologists

• Glaucoma
  Eye pressure. There is commonly some fluctuation of the eye pressure following refractive lens replacement in the first few days or weeks following surgery. Rarely the pressure can remain elevated and result in the eye condition called “glaucoma.”
• Ophthalmology
  Dr. Mandel was trained at Oxford University in England and graduated with honors while receiving both a bachelor’s and master’s Degree. He then earned his medical degree from the prestigious UCLA School of Medicine before completing his ophthalmology residency at California Pacific Medical Center in San Francisco. Dr. Mandel then completed a corneal transplant fellowship at the University of Iowa under the direction of Jay H Krachmer, MD.
• Macular Degeneration
  Dr. Barez is Clinical Professor of Health Sciences at the University of California, Berkeley, where in addition to her clinical and teaching responsibilities, she conducts clinical research in developing new modalities for the early detection of diabetic retinopathy. She has published numerous scientific papers and has lectured extensively. She is a Fellow of the American Academy of Ophthalmology and a Diplomate of the American Board of Ophthalmology. Dr. Barez has a special interest and extensive experience in the treatment of diabetic retinopathy, macular degeneration and ocular vascular diseases.
• Laser Eye Surgery
  The LASIK alternative...PRK,...is known as a “surface procedure.”  The LASIK alternative procedure of choice is PRK. PRK is performed for patients who are not good candidates for the LASIK procedure and for the occasional patient who would otherwise be a good candidate for LASIK, but requests an alternative instead. The main indication for a LASIK-alternative procedure is a cornea which is too thin to safely undergo a LASIK flap, or a cornea with relatively normal thickness but which has a mildly abnormal configuration such that it may not be safe to perform LASIK. Additionally, some patients in high-risk occupations or with high-risk hobbies where they are likely to incur a physical eye injury with potential damage to the flap, may be better suited for PRK.
• Cataracts
  Correct focusing of images in the eye is determined by the focusing power of the cornea and the lens of the eye in relation to the length of the eye. Either the cornea or the lens or both can be changed to correct errors of focusing (called refractive errors) such as nearsightedness, farsightedness, or astigmatism. A “cataract” is a clouding of in the eye’s natural lens.
• Cataract Surgery
  The Light Adjustable Lens (LAL) is the first intraocular lens (IOL) whose power can be adjusted after cataract surgery. It is designed to improve how well you see without eyeglasses compared to a standard single focus lens implant.
• Eye Exam
  Dr. Mark Mandel will ask questions about your medical history and perform a thorough eye exam and specialized imaging of the eye designed to determine if the procedure is appropriate for your individual case.

Gynecologists

• Gynecology

Internists

• Internal Medicine
• Nephrology

Psychiatrists

• Psychiatry
• Anxiety

Endocrinologist

• Diabetes Care
• Diabetic Retinopathy
  Also, no IOL can compensate for having other issues with your eye health, such as glaucoma, macular degeneration, or diabetic retinopathy. Because the LAL does not have rings and does not split light, however, it still can be an appropriate choice for those with co-existing eye problems because it has outstanding optical quality.

Radiologist

• Ultrasound
  Before surgery we communicate with and obtain medical clearance from your primary care physician. During surgery you will be awake, but relaxed. Our anesthesiologist will be at your side. We perform this intricate surgery using a microscope, micro-surgical instruments, and, if the patient chooses, the LenSx femtosecond laser. We were the first site in California to utilize the Alcon Centurion Cataract System which employs the latest technology using ultrasound waves through a small incision to remove your cataract.
• Radiology

Surgeons

• Orthopedics
• Orthopedic Surgery
• Reconstructive Surgery
  Seanna Grob, MD, is an Orbit and Oculofacial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgeon. Her areas of interest include eyelid reconstruction after trauma, surgery, or cancer removal, disorders or malpositions of the eyelid, tearing and disorders of the lacrimal system, tumors and disorders of the orbit, and aesthetic eyelid and facial rejuvenation. Dr. Grob is from San Diego. After completing a Bachelor of Arts at the University of California, Berkeley, she received her medical degree from the University of California, San Diego. At medical school graduation, she received several awards including the Excellence in Ophthalmology Award, Stein Institute for Research on Aging (SIRA) Award, and the John and Lola Ross Award in the Science and Culture of Medicine. Her residency in ophthalmology was at Harvard Medical School. Upon invitation, she stayed on as the Chief Resident and the Director of the Ocular Trauma Service at Harvard Medical School/Massachusetts Eye and Ear. She then completed an intensive two-year American Society of Ophthalmic Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery (ASOPRS) fellowship in orbit and oculofacial plastic and reconstructive surgery at the University of California, Irvine and Kaiser Permanente South Bay and Orange County. During fellowship, she received a Heed Fellowship Award from the Society of the Heed Fellows. Dr. Grob is currently an Assistant Professor of Ophthalmology at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) and teaches at UCSF and UC Berkeley.

Plastic Surgeons

• Blepharoplasty
  Other factors that can contribute to a dry eye are poor blinking and not fully closing the eye at night, or a loose lower eyelid. Some patients do not fully blink. An “incomplete blink” will not allow the tears to lubricate the entire surface of the eye (like a defective windshield wiper), and can contribute significantly to the dry eye. Additionally, some people (especially after upper eyelid lifts/blepharoplasty) do not completely close the eye at night. This can dry out the lower part of the eye and cause considerable symptoms. Redundant conjunctiva (the white lining of the eye) also called conjunctivochalasis can also lead to symptoms of dry eyes. This can be easily repaired by a minor surgical procedure.

Dermatologists

• Dermatology