Meet Our Costa Mesa Eye Doctors
Caring Orange County Family Optometrists
Alissa Wald, O.D. – Managing Doctor
Born and raised in a small town in Michigan, Dr. Alissa Wald knew she wanted to be an optometrist from the early age of fifteen. She completed her undergraduate studies at the University of Michigan and remains a diehard Wolverines fan. Dr. Wald obtained her Doctorate of Optometry degree with honors in 1989 from the University of Houston College of Optometry. In 1990, she headed west to the warmer weather of Southern California. Only two years out of school, Dr.Wald bought a small optometry office from a retiring doctor and began OC Eye Designs Optometry. She has proudly provided outstanding eyecare to the Costa Mesa community since 1991. Dr Wald’s professional experience includes working as an Expert Examiner for the National Board of Examiners in Optometry. The National Board certifies the competency of new optometrists.
Her office has also been externship site providing internships for optometrists in school. She was featured in a national magazine about women in optometry as a role model for other women entrepreneurs. Dr. Wald is a member of the California Optometric Association, the American Optometric Association and the National Association of Women Business Owners. Her hobbies include antique shopping and traveling. She also enjoys spending time with her family.
Nauz “Shahi” Hassanshahi, O.D.
Dr. Nauz “Shahi” Hassanshahi feels very fortunate to be an optometrist. She grew up in Vancouver, British Columbia and moved to California to attend California State University, Northridge. She earned her optometry degree in Boston from the New England College of Optometry.
Dr. Hassanshahi’s professional career took her to private ophthalmology and optometry practices in the Inland Empire before moving to Orange County. Her experience has allowed her to focus on consulting and managing individuals with many different eye disorders, including Glaucoma, Dry Eyes, Keratoconus, Macular Degeneration and Diabetic Retinopathy. Her passion is to design specialty contact lenses (rigid gas permeable and sclerals) for individuals with certain corneal disorders who are hard-to-fit and can’t wear traditional lenses. Dr. Hassanshahi is fluent in Farsi and speaks clinical Spanish.
She cherishes the opportunity to help her patients with their vision needs. In her free time, she enjoys the outdoors, running, traveling, volunteering and spending time with family and friends.
Julie Bhindi, O.D.
Dr. Julie Bhindi was born and raised in Schaumburg, Illinois. She completed her undergraduate studies at the University of Illinois in Urbana-Champaign and then went on to receive her doctorate degree from the Illinois College of Optometry in 2012. Dr. Bhindi provides full scope optometric services including the management of dry eye disease, keratoconus, glaucoma, and diabetic eye disease. Throughout her many years in private practice, Dr. Bhindi has developed a special interest in nutrition as it pertains to ocular health, eye aesthetics, dry eye treatment and specialty contact lenses.
Dr. Bhindi is committed to providing the highest level of quality eye care to each of her patients. She is grateful for the vital role her profession allows her to play in one’s overall health and is passionate about taking the time to communicate with and educate her patients. Dr. Bhindi is fluent in Hindi, Gujarati and speaks conversational Spanish.
When not in the office, Dr. Bhindi can be found spending time outdoors with her husband and two daughters. She also enjoys traveling, dancing, and reading.
Alyssa Pedroza, O.D.
Dr. Alyssa Pedroza was born and raised in Southern California. She knew from a young age that she wanted to work in healthcare and discovered her passion for optometry while obtaining her Bachelor of Biological Sciences degree from the University of California Irvine. She then went on to complete her Doctor of Optometry degree from Southern California College of Optometry, where she graduated summa cum laude.
During her optometric career she received extensive training in primary eye care, specialty contact lenses, dry eyes, and LASIK and cataract surgery co-management. She is certified to treat and manage ocular diseases such as glaucoma, diabetic retinopathy, and macular degeneration. Dr. Pedroza enjoys providing thorough and educational eye exams while offering the best preventative treatments. She especially enjoys preventing myopia progression by providing treatment options including orthokeratology overnight contacts, MiSight soft contacts, and atropine eye drops. Dr. Pedroza also speaks clinical Spanish.
When not in the office, Dr. Pedroza can likely be found at Disneyland trying new food options and riding her favorite attractions. She also enjoys spending her spare time reading fiction novels, going to the beach, and trying new local restaurants.