Dorothy Ma, OD, FAAO

WHERE I'M FROM

San Jose, CA

BEFORE VS

I completed my undergraduate studies at UCLA where I majored in Physiological Science and minored in Global Health. Afterward, I attended UC Berkeley and obtained my Doctor of Optometry degree in 2021. As an optometry student, I worked as a student research assistant at the Clinical Research Center (CRC) with Dr. Meng Lin and Dr. Thao Yeh. I also worked with Dr. Lin during the summer after my first year as a NEI T-35 Predoctoral Research Trainee. After graduating from optometry school, I completed a residency at the Veterans Affairs Palo Alto Health Care System in Ocular Disease/Geriatric Optometry/Low Vision Rehabilitation. After residency, I worked for a year at the VA and in the community health setting before returning to Berkeley to complete a one-year clinical research fellowship with Dr. Lin at the CRC, where I served as an investigator for studies pertaining to ocular surface disease and contact lenses.

MY GOALS

My goal for returning to Berkeley for further graduate education is to develop the skills to independently conduct research and analyze data for patient-oriented studies. In the future, I also hope to work as a clinician scientist and educator for optometry students.

MY RESEARCH

In a world where dry eye treatments are often expensive and inaccessible, I hope my research will contribute to a better understanding of the complex epidemiology of ocular surface disease/dry eye disease, which may help clinicians and patients to detect and mitigate the impact of disease earlier. One specific aspect I am interested in is the role of sex hormones and their alteration due to exposure to hormonal contraceptives (HC), and whether or not use of HC has any negative side effects on the ocular surface.

MY HOBBIES

Most of my free time goes toward spending time with friends, family, and my church community. But, as a homebody, I enjoy reading, playing games on the Nintendo Switch, and catching up on the latest tips on personal productivity. With the encouragement of my fellow CRC co-workers, I am also trying to enjoy running more!

MY PUBLICATIONS

Ma D, Ge Y., Molina A, et al. The Influence of Diurnal Variation and Demographics on Tear Aqueous Production Rate. Investigative Ophthalmology & Visual Science. 2024;65(7):6552-6552.