Dr. David Berntsen – Notable Alumnus

David BerntsenDavid A. Berntsen, OD, PhD, FAAO completed his Doctor of Optometry degree in 2002 at the University of Houston College of Optometry (UHCO). He completed a Cornea and Contact Lens Advanced Practice Fellowship (2004) and a PhD in Vision Science (2009) at The Ohio State University College of Optometry. During his studies, he was a two-time recipient of an American Optometric Foundation William C. Ezell Fellowship. His research interests include juvenile-onset myopia, contact lenses, and optical aberrations of the eye. Notably, Dr. Berntsen conducted the Study of Theories about Myopia Progression (STAMP), a two-year clinical trial evaluating theories of juvenile-onset myopia progression, which found evidence for an association between peripheral myopic defocus and slowed myopia progression in children. He has also conducted multiple adult and pediatric studies involving contact lenses and higher-order aberrations of the eye.

In 2010, Dr. Berntsen joined the UHCO faculty as an Assistant Professor, and his laboratory there continues to investigate juvenile-onset myopia and contact lenses. Dr. Berntsen teaches in both the professional and graduate programs and has mentored several NEI-supported professional students interested in a research career. He also volunteers as the UHCO faculty-student liaison to the American Academy of Optometry and as the advisor for the UHCO student chapter of the American Academy of Optometry. Dr. Berntsen lives in Houston, TX with his wife Monique (an OSU College of Nursing alumna) and their two children (Ella and Reed).