Bao Chau T. Vu, OD is a compassionate and detail-oriented optometrist committed to delivering high-quality, patient-centered eye care. A graduate of the UC Berkeley School of Optometry, Dr. Vu completed her residency in Ocular Disease, Neuro-Optometry, and Brain Injury Vision Rehabilitation at the VA Palo Alto Health Care System. Her advanced training includes managing complex ocular disorders, caring for post-operative patients, and providing integrated vision rehabilitation for individuals recovering from traumatic and acquired brain injuries.

Throughout her clinical education, Dr. Vu trained across diverse healthcare environments, delivering care to patients of all ages and backgrounds. She has extensive experience diagnosing and managing ocular disease, including diabetic eye disease, glaucoma, retinal disorders, and anterior segment inflammation. Her pediatric rotation at Stanford Medicine Children’s Health and uveitis rotation at the UCSF Proctor Foundation further strengthened her versatility as a clinician.

Passionate about education and clinical excellence, Dr. Vu has presented at journal clubs, grand rounds, and national meetings. She has also contributed to multiple research projects, including NIH-funded work and peer-reviewed academic publications. She is a proud member of the American Optometric Association and the California Optometric Association.

Outside of the clinic, Dr. Vu enjoys hiking, traveling, and both playing and watching e-sports, embracing activities that keep her energized, curious, and engaged with her community.

EDUCATION

2020 – 2024 Doctor of Optometry, University of California, Berkeley School of Optometry
2015 – 2019 Bachelor of Science, Biochemistry and Cell Biology, University of California, San Diego

RESIDENCY TRAINING

CLINICAL TRAINING

• Marin Community Clinic – San Rafael/Novato, CA
  Primary eye care, urgent care management, ocular inflammation and injur

• West Oakland Health Center – Oakland, CA
  Comprehensive care for diverse patient populations with complex systemic comorbidities

• Stanford Medicine Children’s Health / Byers Eye Institute – Palo Alto, CA
  Pediatric optometry, special needs care, strabismus, amblyopia, hereditary ocular disorders

• UCSF Francis I. Proctor Foundation – San Francisco, CA
  Anterior/intermediate/posterior uveitis, corneal disease, inflammatory ocular conditions
  

• VA Portland Health Care System – Vancouver, WA
  Primary care optometry, diabetic retinopathy, glaucoma, macular disease

• UC Berkeley Herbert Wertheim School of Optometry – Berkeley, CA
  Rotations in ocular disease, pre/post-op refractive care, binocular vision, sports & concussion care, specialty contact lens, low vision, pediatrics

• UC San Diego Shiley EyeMobile for Children – San Diego, CA
  Pediatric screenings and vision care for underserved communities
  
  

WORK EXPERIENCE

• Vision Therapist – Rising Star Optometry (San Francisco, CA)
  Experience in binocular vision therapy, oculomotor rehabilitation, and visual processing training

• Teaching Assistant – UC Berkeley School of Optometry
  Courses: Anatomy & Physiology of the Eye, Clinical Examination of the Visual System

• Optometric Assistant – Irvine Optometry
  Patient care, diagnostics, insurance, contact lens training

• Academic Tutor – C2 Education
  Tutoring in math, science, and standardized test preparation
  
  

RESEARCH EXPERIENCE

• NEI T35 Research Fellowship – UC Berkeley
  Adaptive optics retinal imaging, preferred retinal locus fixation research

• UCSD Glass Laboratory – Cellular & Molecular Medicine
  Kupffer cell gene expression regulation, immunology research; co-author on two Immunity publications
  
  

AWARDS & HONORS

2024 UC Berkeley School of Optometry Gold Retinoscope AwardDean’s Departmental Awards (4-time recipient)
Dr. Karen Walker-Brandreth Award for Excellence in Optometry
Pamela Fong & Family Graduate Student Support Fund Award
Winston Nielsen Scholarship Fund
Beta Sigma Kappa “Smart Cookie Award”
NIH T35 Research Completion
CooperVision Paragon CRT Certification

POSTERS & PRESENTATIONS

• Bilateral Indirect Traumatic Optic Neuropathy – AAO Resident Poster Session
• Prism & Vision Therapy Management for Bilateral CN VI Palsy – COVD/OVDRA Poster Session
• Multiple grand rounds presentations on glaucoma, retinal disease, diabetic retinopathy, neuro-ophthalmic disorders, and TBI-related visual dysfunction
• T35 Program Presentation: Preferred Retinal Location of Fixation for S-cone
  
  

PUBLICATIONS

• Liver-Derived Signals Sequentially Reprogram Myeloid Enhancers to Initiate and Maintain Kupffer Cell Identity, Immunity (2019)
• Niche-Specific Reprogramming of Epigenetic Landscapes Drives Myeloid Cell Diversity in Nonalcoholic Steatohepatitis, Immunity (2020)​​​​​​​

LANGUAGES

• English – Native
• Vietnamese – Native
• Mandarin Chinese – Conversational
  

PROFESSIONAL AFFILIATIONS

• American Optometric Association
• ​​​​​​​California Optometric Association