University Eye Institute | Our Services

Karen Fern received her Doctor of Optometry from Pacific University College of Optometry and completed a residency in pediatric optometry at the University of Houston College of Optometry. She is a fellow in the American Academy of Optometry and a member of the American Optometric Association and the Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology. Dr. Fern's teaching includes the areas of pediatric optometry and binocular vision and involves both classroom and clinical attending. She serves as Director of Residency Programs and Director of the Pediatric and Binocular Vision Service. Dr. Fern's research interests include vision development, binocular vision, myopia, and quality of life instruments. She was the recipient of the American Academy of Optometry Garland Clay in 1987 recognizing her outstanding publication in the Journal of Optometry and Physiological Optics. 

Dr. Kassaundra Johnston received her Doctor of Optometry degree from the University of Houston College of Optometry (UHCO). After graduation, she stayed at UHCO to complete a residency in Neuro-optometric Rehabilitation. Dr. Johnston is currently a Clinical Assistant Professor at UHCO where she attends in Pediatrics clinic (primary and specialty), Brain Injury Vision Assessment & Rehabilitation Service, and Non-invasive Objective Visual Assessment (NOVA) Service. In her first year as faculty, Dr. Johnston successfully expanded the UHCO Pediatrics service to include a new clinic, for which she is the Director, called SNAPS (Special Needs Adult and Pediatric Service) that specializes in examining teen and adult special needs populations. She is also credentialed at The Institute for Rehabilitation and Research (TIRR Memorial Hermann Hospital) and Houston Methodist Hospital, inpatient neuro-rehabilitation hospitals, where she works with current residents to see inpatients for functional visual assessments. She is currently the Director of the Brain Injury Vision Rehabilitation Residency at UHCO. Dr. Johnston is a Fellow of the American Academy of Optometry and is a member of the American Optometric Association. She lectures for continuing education programs as well as teaches in both classroom and clinical settings.

Dr. Manny received her OD and PhD from the University of Houston, College of Optometry. She has been teaching in the clinic and classroom since 1981. Prior to earning her PhD she worked part-time in a private practice. Her clinical expertise is pediatric eye care with an emphasis on children under the age of 6 years and those with special needs. As a clinician scientist she has served as the principal investigator for a variety of multi-center clinical studies funded by the National Eye Institute as well as industry. These studies included clinical trials looking at the development, progression and treatment strategies for nearsightedness (myopia) (COMET, COMET2, ACHIEVE, CLIP), large collaborative observational studies of myopia (CLEERE, COSMICC), and collaborations with the Pediatric Eye Disease Investigator network (PEDIG) studying different treatment options for amblyopia and strabismus. Other research interests include improving screening methods used to identify infants and preschool children with vision problems or at risk for vision problems. She is a fellow of the American Academy of Optometry, and serving as a Vice chair of PEDIG (2014-2016).