JENNIFER CASTILLO, OD

Optometrist & Owner


Dr. Jennifer Castillo (formerly Dr. Khem) is a therapeutic and glaucoma certified optometrist (TLG). She completed her undergraduate studies at the University of Texas at Austin where she earned her Bachelor of Science degree in Biology graduating with highest honors, a university honor awarded to only the top 4% of her college. She was inducted into The Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi, an invitation only membership awarded to the top 7.5% of her class. She earned her Doctor of Optometry degree from the University of California, Berkeley School of Optometry where she graduated with the highest distinction of Clinical Honors, an award given by the Dean of Clinical Affairs to student clinicians demonstrating outstanding clinical knowledge and ability. She was also inducted into the prestigious Beta Sigma Kappa International Optometric Honor Society, an invitation only membership awarded to those with high academic achievement.

Her clinical training involved an internship in primary care and traumatic brain injury rehabilitation at the world–renowned, Walter Reed National Military Medical Center and the National Intrepid Center of Excellence in Washington D.C. Further training included clinical internships in primary care, advanced contact lens, pediatric care, geriatric care, low vision, binocular and vision therapy, co-management in LASIK, refractive, cataract, oculoplastic and retinal surgeries at hospitals and offices in Berkeley, Oakland, Portland, New Jersey, and New York.   

Dr. Castillo pursued additional and optional clinical training by completing a residency in Ocular Disease & Pathology and Geriatric Care at the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Hudson Valley Health Care System in New York. 

She formerly served as an Adjunct Clinical Instructor at the State University of New York College of Optometry and as a consultant optometrist on dry eye for pharmaceutical company, Allergan. During her tenure, she lectured continuing education courses and presented case reports at national optometric meetings. She currently continues the educational part of her career as she remains apart of the SUNY College of Optometry Mentorship Program and enjoys mentoring anyone interested in the field of Optometry. 

She has dedicated her career to providing a patient-centered, elevated level of eye care to her patients and is entirely committed and passionate about helping her patients improve their quality of life through vision and has developed a special interest in scleral lenses used to fit numerous corneal disorders such as keratoconus, irregular astigmatism, post-surgical ectasia, corneal scarring, ocular surface disease and other corneal irregularities as well as an interest in prosthetic contact lenses and myopia control.

She holds memberships in the American Optometric Association, California Optometric Association, American Academy of Orthokeratology and Myopia Control, Scleral Lens Education Society and the Tear & Film Ocular Surface Society. 

She is a native Texan from a small town outside of Fort Worth but has since made Los Angeles her home and enjoys figure skating, RV camping and traveling to Kauai with her family.

Education

University of California, Berkeley School of Optometry | Berkeley, CA
Doctor of Optometry

University of Texas at Austin | Austin, TX
Bachelor of Science in Biology


Residency

Department of Veteran Affairs Hudson Valley Healthcare System | Hudson Valley, NY
Primary Care & Ocular Disease Residency

State University of New York College of Optometry | New York, NY
Adjunct Resident Clinical Instructor


Certifications

California Board of Optometry Glaucoma Certification

Diagnostic and Therapeutic Pharmaceutical Agents Certified

Lacrimal Irrigation and Dilation Certified

Latitude Scleral Lens & sMap 3D Scleral Topography

Zenlens Scleral Lens

Synergeyes Hybrid Lens

Paragon Corneal Refractive Therapy


EXTERNSHIPS

Walter Reed National Military Medical Center | Washington D.C.
Primary Care & LASIK Refractive Comanagement

National Intrepid Center of Excellence | Washington D.C.
Binocular Function & Traumatic Brain Injury

VA Los Angeles Ambulatory Care Center | Los Angeles, CA
Primary Care, Geriatric Eye Care & Ocular Disease

VA Portland Hillsboro Community-based Outpatient Clinic | Portland, OR
Primary Care, Geriatric Eye Care & Ocular Disease

Omni Eye Services | Iselin, NJ & New York, NY
Ocular Disease & Surgical Comanagement

Highland Hospital | Oakland, CA
Primary Care, Ocular Disease & Ocular Trauma

Marin Community Center Optometry Clinic | Marin, CA
Primary Care & Pediatric Eye Care

University Health Services Tang Center | Berkeley, CA
Primary Care & Contact Lens


Academic Honors

Clinical Honors Distinction at UC Berkeley School of Optometry

Beta Sigma Kappa: International Optometric Society

HOYA Vision Care Grant and Scholarship Program Award

The Jimmy and Lillian Low Optometry Scholarship Fund

Berkeley Optometry Service Award

College of Optometrists in Vision Development Travel Grant

UC Berkeley School of Optometry: Optometry Student of the Month

UC Berkeley School of Optometry Departmental Award

Highest Honors at University of Texas at Austin

Phi Kappa Phi Award at the University of Texas at Austin

President’s Achievement Scholarship at the University of Texas at Austin


Presentations

Managing Postoperative Uveitis and Inflammation | New York, NY
COPE Continuing Education Course

Managing Glaucoma and Postoperative Uveitis in a Steroid Responder | New York, NY
Case Report

Vitreopapillary traction | New York, NY
Poster Presentation

Non-surgical Vitreolysis of Vitreomacular Traction | New York, NY
Poster Presentation


Affiliations

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