Biography

David A. Berntsen, OD PhD is the Golden-Golden Professor of Optometry at the University of Houston College of Optometry where he teaches in the graduate and professional programs. He is the Chair of the Department of Clinical Sciences and conducts research on myopia, contact lenses, visual performance, and aberrations of the eye. He completed his Doctor of Optometry degree at the University of Houston and a Cornea and Contact Lens Advanced Practice Fellowship, MS, and PhD at The Ohio State University. He conducted the Study of Theories about Myopia Progression (STAMP), a two-year clinical trial evaluating theories of juvenile-onset myopia, and was the Principal Investigator of the University of Houston clinical site for the National Eye Institute-sponsored Bifocal Lenses In Nearsighted Kids (BLINK) Study and the BLINK2 Study, a multicenter study showing that multifocal contact lenses can slow myopia progression and that the effect is maintained after discontinuing the lenses. He is the Co-Study Chair for the National Eye Institute-funded Delaying the Onset of Nearsightedness Until Treatment (DONUT) Study, a multicenter clinical trial evaluating whether low-concentration atropine can delay the development of myopia in children. Dr. Berntsen serves on the American Academy of Optometry's Research Committee.