Our Practice in Signal Hill & Laguna Niguel

A Southern California native, Dr. Marsha Howard grew up in neighboring Downey. She comes from a medical family; her dad, 3 brothers, and nephew are all medical doctors and her niece is an ER nurse.

Dr. Howard received her Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science at UC Berkeley and went on to achieve her Doctorate of Optometry at the Southern California College of Optometry (now Marshall B. Ketchum University) in 1993. She then completed a year long residency in rehabilitative vision at the Palo Alto VA and UC Berkeley.

Dr. Howard is board-certified and licensed in the management and treatment of various eye diseases. Her office has the latest equipment to help in the diagnosis and treatment of such diseases, like glaucoma, macular degeneration, and dry eye disease. Additionally, Dr. Howard has close relationships with many ophthalmologists co-managing LASIK and cataract patients.

Starting her independent practice at the Signal Hill Costco in 1997 has been a wonderful experience for Dr. Howard. The practice has grown into a thriving 5-doctor practice with over 70,000 patients! In December 2020, Dr. Howard opened her second Costco practice in Laguna Niguel and has been loving the growth and expansion of her career and passion.

Being able to provide exceptional eye care and connecting with patients and their families is one of the biggest joys of Dr. Howard’s life.

In her free time, she loves to travel and explore the world. Dr. Howard is also an avid scuba diver and is always ready for her next diving adventure. When she’s at home, spending time with her family and friends (with good food and wine, of course) is a must!

Dr. Phu Nguyen is an integral part of our practice and eye care team! While working as an optician in the late 1990s, Dr. Nguyen develop an interest and passion for the field of optometry.

He earned his Bachelor of Arts in Molecular and Cell Biology at UC Berkeley in 2006 and completed his Doctorate of Optometry at Western University of Health Sciences College of Optometry in 2014. His clinical training includes working closely with renowned ophthalmologists at the Orange County Retina and South Coast Eye Care Centers where he became well-versed in the nuances of ocular and retinal diseases and catarac and laser surgery.

Dr. Nguyen is board-certified and licensed in the management and treatment of various eye diseases, such as glaucoma, macular degeneration, and disorders of lacrimal system. He has extensive clinical experience in fitting specialty contact lenses and a special passion for helping patients with keratoconus, severe dry eye, and other corneal surface diseases.

In his free time, Dr. Nguyen enjoys redefining his limits with endurance sports, like marathons and Ironman triathlons to raise money for cancer research. He also enjoys experimenting in the culinary arts and cooking for his family and friends. 

Dr. Tracy Wong received her Bachelor of Science degree in Animal Physiology and Neuroscience from the University of California, San Diego. In 2005, she graduated Magna Cum Laude from the Southern California College of Optometry where she earned her Doctor of Optometry degree.

She had extensive training through externships at Maricopa Medical Center, Los Angeles Veterans Administration Ambulatory Care Center, the Eye Institute of Albuquerque, and the Eye Care Center in Fullerton.

Dr. Wong is certified in the use of therapeutic pharmaceutical agents, lacrimal irrigation, and dilation, as well as certified to treat and manage glaucoma. She offers an extensive range of care involving pre and post-surgical care for refractive surgery and cataract surgeries, managing and treating various ocular diseases, fitting specialty contact lenses, and dry eye therapy utilizing the latest technological advancements.

When she is not caring for her patients, you can find Dr. Wong traveling or spending time outdoors with her husband and young son.

Dr. Pantea Meghdadi graduated from the Southern California College of Optometry with her doctorate degree in 2003. She graduated with a Bachelor of Biological Science degree from the University of California, Irvine in 1999. She completed an internship with Los Angeles Veterans (VA) Clinic in 2003.

She started wearing contact lenses at 9 years old and had LASIK corrective surgery performed on both her eyes in 2005. Her experience provides her with the skills to discuss the options of contact lenses and refractive corrective surgeries, like LASIK and cataract surgery with her patients.

Dr. Meghdadi is a glaucoma-certified optometrist. She is skilled in the diagnosis and treatment of glaucoma and ocular disease.

She has been practicing optometry for over 15 years.

Dr. Theresa Sarno, O.D., grew up in Southern California and received her undergraduate degree from the University of California, Irvine in Psychology.

She then went on to receive her Doctorate of Optometry from the Southern California College of Optometry in 2005. Her interest in optometry began at the age of 9, when she received her first pair of glasses that brought clarity to a world she hadn’t realized she was missing.

She loves witnessing the awe in patients when they try on their first pair of glasses or contacts for the first time.

When she’s not at work, Dr. Sarno enjoys reading, all things Disney, and spending time with her family and friends.

A Southern California native, Dr. Marsha Howard grew up in neighboring Downey. She comes from a medical family; her dad, 3 brothers, and nephew are all medical doctors and her niece is an ER nurse.

Dr. Howard received her Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science at UC Berkeley and went on to achieve her Doctorate of Optometry at the Southern California College of Optometry (now Marshall B. Ketchum University) in 1993. She then completed a year long residency in rehabilitative vision at the Palo Alto VA and UC Berkeley.

Dr. Howard is board-certified and licensed in the management and treatment of various eye diseases. Her office has the latest equipment to help in the diagnosis and treatment of such diseases, like glaucoma, macular degeneration, and dry eye disease. Additionally, Dr. Howard has close relationships with many ophthalmologists co-managing LASIK and cataract patients.

Starting her independent practice at the Signal Hill Costco in 1997 has been a wonderful experience for Dr. Howard. The practice has grown into a thriving 5-doctor practice with over 70,000 patients! In December 2020, Dr. Howard opened her second Costco practice in Laguna Niguel and has been loving the growth and expansion of her career and passion.

Being able to provide exceptional eye care and connecting with patients and their families is one of the biggest joys of Dr. Howard’s life.

In her free time, she loves to travel and explore the world. Dr. Howard is also an avid scuba diver and is always ready for her next diving adventure. When she’s at home, spending time with her family and friends (with good food and wine, of course) is a must! 

Dr. Pantea Meghdadi graduated from the Southern California College of Optometry with her doctorate degree in 2003. She graduated with a Bachelor of Biological Science degree from the University of California, Irvine in 1999. She completed an internship with Los Angeles Veterans (VA) Clinic in 2003.

She started wearing contact lenses at 9 years old and had LASIK corrective surgery performed on both her eyes in 2005. Her experience provides her with the skills to discuss the options of contact lenses and refractive corrective surgeries, like LASIK and cataract surgery with her patients.

Dr. Meghdadi is a glaucoma-certified optometrist. She is skilled in the diagnosis and treatment of glaucoma and ocular disease.

She has been practicing optometry for over 15 years.

Dr. Michael Tran graduated from UCLA in 2011 with a Bachelor of Science in Biology. He went on to earn his Doctorate of Optometry from the Southern California College of Optometry in 2016.

He graduated with the distinction of Best Clinician in his entire class!

During his downtime, Dr. Tran likes to roast his own coffee beans—experimenting with different coffee bean profiles to try and find the best flavors for different brewing methods. He also loves to travel and experience different cultures (and coffees!) around the world whenever he gets the chance.

Dr. Kim Hauser earned her Doctorate of Optometry from the New England College of Optometry. Prior to optometry school, she obtained her Bachelor of Science in Biochemistry from the University of California, San Diego.

She loves working as an optometrist to provide individualized patient care. Every patient has a different story of how they use their eyes, making each and every examination a wonderful journey on how she can help you.

Away from the office, Dr. Hauser loves the outdoors. Hiking, camping, and skiing tops the list. But she also enjoys a nice relaxing day with a good book or simply spending time with her family.

Dr. Hauser has lived in Orange County for over 20 years and is happy to be providing eye care to the community. 

Dr. Tanya Ngo’s optometric career started long before becoming a doctor. Years before starting optometry school, she began as a volunteer and then worked as an optometric technician.

Born and raised in Los Angeles, Dr. Ngo is a Southern California native. She cherishes the opportunity to practice in her home state and care for patients of all ages and backgrounds. In addition to her passion for the eyes and visual health, she enjoys the science and curiosities of the human mind and received a B.A. in Psychology from the University of California, Riverside. During her time there, she co-founded the campus’ pre-optometry club, Precision for Vision.

Dr. Ngo received her Doctorate of Optometry degree from the InterAmerican University of Puerto Rico (IAUPR )—an experience that allowed her the opportunity to practice in both English and Spanish. During her graduate studies, Dr. Ngo took an interest in the efficacy of essential fatty acid supplementation as an adjunct treatment for dry eye disease, leading her to write her senior thesis on the topic. This interest has followed her into clinical practice, resulting in further post-graduate training on management of ocular diseases such as dry eye, macular degeneration, and glaucoma, as well as progressive myopia in children.

In addition to her clinical and academic pursuits at IAUPR, Dr. Ngo served as president of the school’s Optometry Giving Sight chapter, a global organization that focuses on providing eye care and visual aid to those in need. Her desire to give back has also led her to volunteer her time and skills to various underserved cities in Southern California, as well as participate in international mission trips to Mexico, Panama, and China.

When she’s not in a white coat, you can find her in a white apron testing out new recipes that her friends and family get to enjoy. Some of her favorite pastimes include playing the piano, attending plays and concerts, trying new foods and restaurants, and creating custom vinyl stickers with her sister. She loves traveling and exploring new cultures through art and food, and has a collection of Chinatown bridge photos from cities all over the world!