About Me

Hi, my name is Ponphen, but all my patients call me Pon. Welcome to my Kaiser Permanente Web page. I have had the privilege of working at Kaiser Permanente as an optometrist for over 20 years and would like to share more about myself as your personal optometrist.

Biography

My father started an optical business in Thailand, and it has been our family business ever since. I started off as a contact lens technician for my uncle, who is an ophthalmologist. I knew that optometry was the career path I wanted to pursue. After I graduated from Pacific University College of Optometry in Oregon, I moved to California to complete my rehabilitative optometry residency at the VA outpatient in downtown Los Angeles. Shortly after that, I completed the UC Berkeley School of Optometry ocular therapeutics course at the UCLA Jules Stein Eye Institute, and in 2013 I became a glaucoma-certified doctor at Southern California College of Optometry.

About my practice

As a Kaiser Permanente optometrist, I not only strive to improve the quality of members’ lives through their vision, but also through their health. Many chronic and even life-threatening diseases can be seen in and affect the eyes. As a result, I am a strong advocate for preventive care, primary care, and health education, and integrate this approach in my care.

How I thrive

Health is holistic, and this has always been my underlying philosophy as an optometrist and in my own personal life. I practice meditation and enjoy taking walks and eating a healthy, well-balanced diet—my favorite meals often have lots of vegetables. Making sure to take care of not only the body but also the mind and spirit is key to living an enriching and enjoyable life.