Daphne Chan

Daphne Chan, OD, FAAO, is a San Francisco native who is proud to serve as an alumni board member of the Herbert Wertheim School of Optometry and Vision Science. As a board member, her priorities are in increasing diversity and access to Berkeley Optometry, and reducing expenses for optometry students while maximizing their educational opportunities.

Daphne earned her bachelor’s degree in Public Health and a minor in Education at the University of California, Berkeley, and her Doctor of Optometry degree at the UC Berkeley School of Optometry. She completed a residency in primary care and specialty contact lenses at the George E. Wahlen Veterans Affairs Healthcare System in Salt Lake City. Upon residency graduation, she became a clinical instructor at the UC Berkeley School of Optometry.

In 2015, Daphne joined the University of California, San Francisco, Department of Ophthalmology, where she performs full-scope comprehensive optometry and provides pre- and post-op cataract surgery care. She also fits specialty bandage contact lenses on patients with K-Pro prosthetic corneas. She loves working with patients of all ages and getting to know their stories.

In addition to serving as the Associate Chief of Optometry at UCSF and volunteering on the department’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion committee, Daphne is also an Assistant Clinical Professor with the Department of Ophthalmology. She had the privilege of mentoring the first class of UCSF Optometry residents as one of their primary attendings, and individually trains all incoming Ophthalmology residents during their internship year (the year between medical school and ophthalmology residency) in core exam skills.

Daphne is a fellow of the American Academy of Optometry. She is also a member of the California Optometric Association and American Optometric Association, and has served as secretary of the San Francisco Optometric Society since 2017. She was awarded the COA Young Optometrist of the Year in 2021, which finally validated her goal of obtaining recognition for being youthful.

Daphne enjoys trying new foods, organizing events, watching Marvel movies, traveling, quoting and making references to the Harry Potter books, singing in the car, and spending time with friends and family, where she has gained the title of Favorite (and only) Auntie to her two nieces and one nephew. She talks shop with her optometrist dad (Alan Chan, OD ’72) and aspires to provide free eye care to people in developing countries.