Director’s Message

Welcome to the UC Berkeley Herbert Wertheim School of Optometry and Vision Science!

It is an honor to serve as Associate Dean for Clinical Affairs and Director of Clinics for our School. Collectively, we are deeply committed to our patients and our community.

My approach to eye care is simple: start by listening. I believe the best care comes from truly understanding each patient’s concerns, goals, and daily life, and then working together to support not only clear vision, but overall health and well-being. Eye care should be accessible, preventive, and empowering, and that philosophy guides everything we do.

After completing a residency in pediatric optometry and head trauma rehabilitation, I developed a strong appreciation for the importance of specialized and rehabilitative vision care. Vision plays a critical role in how we learn, move, recover, and function every day. I am committed to providing care that is thoughtful, personalized, and responsive to each individual’s needs.

Here at UC Berkeley, we care for patients of all ages and backgrounds. Whether someone is coming in for a routine eye exam or requires management of a more complex vision or ocular health condition, our focus remains on high-quality, evidence-based care that supports lifelong visual health. We also offer specialty services not widely available elsewhere, allowing us to address complex or unique visual needs using advanced technology and innovative approaches.

What truly distinguishes our School is our people. Our clinical faculty include leaders in the field and internationally recognized experts, and we are fortunate to collaborate closely with Berkeley’s vision science researchers who are actively advancing solutions to some of the most challenging problems in eye and vision care. This close integration of research and clinical care ensures that our patients benefit directly from the latest developments in the field.

As a teaching clinic, education is central to our mission. We are proud to train future optometrists in an environment grounded in compassion, curiosity, and clinical excellence. Under the close supervision of experienced faculty clinicians, interns gain meaningful hands-on experience while delivering high-quality patient care. This educational model allows us to serve our patients while preparing the next generation of optometrists to serve their communities.

We are continuing to grow, offering exceptional care across all three of our clinics—our two Berkeley campus clinics as well as our newest location in Emeryville, California. This new clinic, part of the UC Berkeley Herbert Wertheim Centers of Excellence for Eye Care and Vision Health, enables us to meet increasing demand for the high-quality eye care we have been providing since 1923, when our School was founded.

Thank you for choosing UC Berkeley for your eye care. We look forward to working with you and supporting your vision and eye health for years to come.

Dr. Lillian Wang
Associate Dean of Clinical Affairs
Health Sciences Clinical Professor
Phone: (510) 642-0945
E-mail: liwang@berkeley.edu