Dr. Courtney Hongo, O.D., received her Doctor of Optometry degree from Western University of Health Sciences where she graduated with distinctive honors for scholastic and clinical excellence. During her last year, she had the opportunity to travel around the country and build on her clinical skills. At the William Jennings Bryan Dorn VA Medical Center in Columbia, South Carolina, she focused on diagnosis and management of a variety of ocular diseases with a strong emphasis in diabetic retinopathy, cataracts, and age-related macular degeneration. At the VA New Jersey Healthcare System in Lyons, New Jersey, Dr. Hongo treated a geriatric population focusing on glaucoma management and other various retinal diseases. At Primary Eyecare in Beverly Hills, she worked with adult and pediatric patients while gaining exposure to dry eye management and specialty contact lens fitting. During her final rotation at Sheppard Air Force Base in Wichita Falls, Texas, Dr. Hongo focused on contact lens fitting and emergency eye care.
At the completion of her schooling, Dr. Hongo moved to San Diego to start her residency at the VA San Diego Healthcare System where she focused on primary care with an emphasis in ocular disease. During her time there, she also gained experience in managing patients with low vision and traumatic brain injury and was able to perform minor surgical procedures. With an interest in ocular disease, Dr. Hongo presented a poster titled “An Atypical Presentation of Non-Arteritic Ischemic Optic Neuropathy” at the annual American Academy of Optometry meeting in Orlando, Florida, and also a case report titled “Ocular Manifestations of Multiple Myeloma” at her residency symposium.
Dr. Hongo was born and raised in Los Angeles and graduated from Marymount High School. She received her Bachelor of Arts in Biological Sciences from the University of Southern California (Fight on!). In her free time, Dr. Hongo enjoys trying new foods, staying active by boxing or running, and watching sports—especially football and baseball.