About Our College | Faculty Directory

Dr. Matt Kauffman received his Bachelor’s of Science degree in Biology from Southwestern University in Georgetown, Texas. He attended the University of Houston College of Optometry (UHCO), where he earned his Doctor of Optometry. Afterwards, Dr. Kauffman completed a Residency in Cornea and Contact Lenses at the University of Missouri St. Louis College of Optometry.

Upon completion of his residency, Dr. Kauffman returned to Houston, Texas and worked in a private practice fitting specialty contact lenses. He was also adjunct clinical faculty at the University of Houston College of Optometry.

Dr. Kauffman later joined UHCO as a full-time visiting assistant professor. He enjoys teaching in the Cornea and Contact Lens Service and performing research in the Visual Optics Institute. He also lectures and publishes on the topics of specialty contact lenses and corneal disease.

He is a fellow in the American Academy of Optometry and the Scleral Lens Society, and a member of the American Optometric Association and Texas Optometric Association.

Dr. Lucy Kehinde attended the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign where she earned her B.S. in Integrative Biology with a minor in Chemistry in 2005. She then went on to earn her Ph.D. in Vision Sciences in 2009 and O.D. Degree in 2013 from the University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Optometry in Birmingham, AL. Following the professional program, she completed a Primary Care residency with an emphasis in cornea and contact lens in 2014 at Indiana University School of Optometry in Bloomington, IN.

Dr. Kehinde is now a Therapeutic Optometrist and Optometric Glaucoma Specialist in Houston, TX. After working in private and commercial practice settings, she joined the faculty at University of Houston College of Optometry as Assistant Clinical Professor in 2015, where she serves as a laboratory instructor and attending in Family Practice Service, Dry Eye Center, and Cornea and Contact Lens Service.

Dr. Julianne R. Knowles received her bachelor’s degree in Visual Science from Ferris State University in Big Rapids, Michigan in 1999. She received her Doctor of Optometry degree from the Michigan College of Optometry in 2001 and completed her externships in Houston, Texas. Upon graduation, she served as a Commissioned Officer in the United States Navy at the Naval Medical Center in San Diego, California where she provided optometric care to US Carrier Battle groups, Navy and Marine Corp pilots, and Navy SEAL teams. Dr. Knowles moved back to Houston with her family to pursue working in a private practice that dedicated eye care to military veterans and NASA astronauts. Having grown up in a family of educators, Dr. Knowles made a natural transition to academia at the University of Houston in 2006.

As a Therapeutic Doctor of Optometry, Dr. Knowles is licensed to diagnose and treat ocular disease. She is certified by the Texas Optometry Board to practice as a Glaucoma Specialist. As a clinical assistant professor, she is involved in direct patient care and the supervision of optometric students and residents

Dr. Knowles is a member of the Texas Optometric Association, the American Optometric Association and the American Academy of Optometry.

Dr. Zanna Kruoch graduated from the University of Houston, College of Optometry with a Doctorate of Optometry in 2009.  She continued on to pursue a residency specializing in cornea and specialty contact lenses at the Illinois College of Optometry with completion in 2010.  Currently, Dr. Kruoch is clinical faculty for a Dallas-based indigent community clinic called Cedar Springs Eye Care where she works with 4th year extern students.  Dr. Kruoch is also a Fellow of the American Acacdemy of Optometry.  Her clinical interests include specialty contact lens and ocular disease.