Doctors & Staff
Meet the experienced and friendly doctors and staff who make Orinda Optometry Group a proud provider of vision care products and services in Orinda.
Dr. Kristine Eng, O.D.
Dr. Kristine M. Eng graduated from the UC Berkeley School of Optometry in 1998, but she has been working in the Orinda office since she was in junior high school. She went to school in Orinda, and then went on to complete her undergraduate degree at UC Davis. Dr Eng is TPA Certified, which allows her to treat eye diseases with oral and topical medications, and in January 2001, she took the Glaucoma Certification Course.
Dr. Eng is an active member of the American Optometric Association, the American Public Health Association-Vision Care Section, Fellow of the American Academy of Optometry, and Charter member of Women of Vision. She currently serves as a member of the American Optometric Association Membership Committee, Ambassador for the American Academy of Optometry, and Mentorship Coordinator for Women of Vision. She is Past-President of the Bay Area Optometric Council, Past-President of the Alameda-Contra Costa Counties Optometric Society and Membership Chair for the California Optometric Association.
In 1999 she was named the Alameda/Contra Costa Country Optometric Society’s Young Optometrist of the year. In 2005 she was named the American Optometric Association’s Young Optometrist of the year and in 2006 she was nationally recognized as one of Vision Monday’s 50 Most Influential Women in Optometry. In 2016 she was named Alameda’s Optometrist of the Year.
Her focus includes bifocal and specialty contact lenses, laser surgery co-management, and children’s vision.
Dr. Eng lives in Orinda with her husband Michael T. Smith, their son, Pierson and daughter, Anarose. She is currently a Sleepy Hollow Outreach coordinator and the VP of UC Berkeley’s Optometry Board. In her free time, she enjoys golfing, scuba diving, traveling, and exploring the Bay Area with her family.
Dr. Kelly Shintani, O.D.
Dr. Shintani has practiced optometry in the Bay Area for the past ten years and focuses specifically on primary care and ocular disease. In addition to the top notch individualized care she offers her patients, her strong commitment to community service and professional leadership is a superb addition to the Orinda Optometry Group and the local community.
In addition to being on the Clinical Faculty at the U.C. Berkeley School of Optometry, she was active as Past President for the Alameda Contra Costa Counties Optometric Society, the largest in the state. She has enjoyed coordinating the vision screenings at the annual Sakura Kai Health Fair in El Cerrito and the Tri-Valley Expand Your Horizons conference in San Ramon.
While in Optometry school, Dr. Shintani participated in many vision screenings through the Volunteer Optometric Services for Humanity and Help the World See organizations in developing countries such as China, Belize, Mexico, and Peru. Dr. Shintani also enjoyed serving on both the Scholarship and Civil Rights committees for the Berkeley Chapter of the Japanese American Citizens League and held positions on the California Vision Foundation committee (California Optometric Association’s charitable arm) and the Advisory Committee for the President’s Council of the California Optometric Association. In the past, she was a member of the Berkeley Kiwanis as well as the Berkeley Breakfast Club.
For her leadership, service, and dedication to the professional community, she was named California’s Young Optometrist of the Year (2004) and Alameda Contra Costa Counties Optometric Society’s Young Optometrist of the Year (2003).
Dr. Weylin Eng, O.D. – Retired
Please join our staff, patients and community in congratulating Dr. Eng on his well-earned retirement. Recently, Dr. Eng and his wife Rose celebrated this milestone with a 3 week trip to Asia. Dr. Eng has also been spending more time at his farm in Williams, CA.
Dr. Weylin Eng is married to Roselyn , and they have four daughters, Kristine, Tiffany, Shannon, and Aimee. All four daughters are graduates of Miramonte High School in Orinda and are all active in the community as well. Dr. Eng’s father, Raymond Ng, began this practice 75 years ago. Dr. Eng’s hobbies include clinical research with aviation medicine, mounted patrol, farming and collecting Asian artifacts.
For his outstanding service to the profession, Dr. Eng was named Optometrist of the Year by the Alameda Contra Costa County Optometric Society in 2006. Although Dr. Eng recently retired from practicing optometry, he stays active in his many other interests.
Ronnie Garcia, ABOC
Certified Optician – Ronnie has been a certified Optician for over 20 years. He has experience in assisting patients with their optical needs in ordering spectacles prescriptions, eye wear dispensing, adjustment, repairs, optical lab work and training first time contact lens wearers. He was an optician with Orinda Optometric Vision Center with Dr. Benjamin Gaynor and Dr. Jeffrey Lewis for 15 years and recently joined the team at Orinda Optometry Group. In his spare time he enjoys walking around Lake Merritt, listening to jazz music and watching football games.
Tara O’Connor, ABOC
Tara, a licensed optician for over 10 years, has a fantastic eye for fashion. Her goal is to make everyone’s visit more of an experience than just an appointment. She strives to deliver the latest technology in everything from the most exclusive eyeglass designer lines to cutting edge lens options to assure each customer of the boutique only the highest quality products and services. “One of the most rewarding experiences will always be the moment when a person puts on new glasses and for the first time or the first time in a long time, is able to see clearly”, says Tara.
In her free time you’ll find her spending time with her two boys, boxing at the gym or traveling.
Minh Nguyen
Minh has a Bachelor’s of Arts in psychology from the University of California, Davis. She has been an EMT over the course of 2 years and finally found her way into Optometry. She is currently the Office Coordinator and enjoys the “behind the scenes” involvement. She is the backbone of the office and a great team leader who steps in to help the doctors and staff.
In her free time, you can find her taking hikes with her pup, learning to cook, hanging out with friends and enjoying time with her family!
Amanda Davis
Amanda has attended dental assisting school and worked as a veterinarian technician in Arizona and in Concord, CA. She has worked as an in-home care provider and an advocate for quality healthcare. She is currently an optometric technician here at Orinda Optometry and enjoys the hands-on experience she gets with the patients. She is a team player and excited to grow professionally in this field.
In her free time, she is a 24-hour mom to her baby boy Hunter, loves the San Jose Sharks, spending time with her family and friends, and drinking coffee any chance she gets!
Becky Elfont
Becky is a recent graduate from the University of Nevada, Reno with a Bachelor’s of Science and currently an Alum for her sorority Delta Gamma. In her teenage years, she was a competitive gymnast which led her to coaching young children. Her prior work experience also included working in a restaurant, and being a physical therapist intern before graduating. She is a Front Office Coordinator and a clinical liaison at Orinda Optometry. Being a part of this team will help her pursue higher education in the medical field.
In her free time, she is a health enthusiast, loves morning walks with her dog, spending time with friends, binge-watching TV shows, and has a fear of birds!
Catherine Joy Buban
Catherine is the new Front Office Coordinator. She has a Bachelor’s of Science in Biology with concentration in Physiology from San Francisco State University. Her background includes working as a certified nursing assistant in a skilled nursing facility, a medical records director, weight loss consultant for Jenny Craig and a part-time fruit expert at Edible Arrangements on the weekends. She joined the Orinda Optometry Group recently and hopes the opportunity will grow into a career in the medical field.
In her free time, she enjoys traveling, photography, and creating video journals. She welcomes new beginnings and is always looking for the next adventure! Cheers!