Our Practice in Los Angeles

Dr. Matsuda received her undergraduate degree from the University of California at Los Angeles and went on to graduate with distinction from Southern California College of Optometry in 1990. During her junior year at UCLA, she volunteered at the Jules Stein Eye Institute for Dr. Barry Weissman, who was a diplomat in the cornea and contact lens section of the American Academy of Optometry and taught contact lens fitting to UCLA medical students. This experience solidified her decision to pursue a career in optometry. While attending SCCO, she was a member of the Omega Epsilon Phi Optometric Fraternity, serving as its president and fundraising chair, and the Beta Sigma Kapa Fraternity, where she served as vice-president.  She served on the Student Association Board as the director of community health and organized and oversaw community health screenings and blood drives. She also joined the yearbook staff and worked as a vision therapy assistant for Dr. Julie Ryan. During her undergraduate and graduate degrees, she worked as an optometric technician for Dr. Rodger Kame, a diplomat in the cornea and contact lens section of the AAO, and an adjunct professor at SCCO, who served as her mentor and influenced how she practices to this day. She received the Asian American Optometric Society Award, the SOLA/Barnes Hind Student Recognition Award, and was 1 of 14 students selected for Who’s Who Among Students in American Universities and Colleges.

Dr. Matsuda is a past president of the Asian American Optometric Society, California’s largest Optometric Society. She became a fellow of the American Academy of Optometry (FAAO), following an arduous qualifying process. To become a fellow, one is required to write clinical case reports and publish papers in referenced journals and meet stringent professional standards.  A final oral examination requirement is required. Upon successfully completing the oral examination, one is then awarded the fellow status. Only 10% of Optometrists ever become a fellow of the Academy. She is glaucoma certified and is licensed in the use of diagnostic and therapeutic pharmaceutical agents.

Dr. Matsuda has served as co-investigator in many contact lens studies, including contact lens material/designs, multipurpose disinfecting solutions, and ophthalmic medication. She has published several articles, including her senior research project advised by Dr. Rodger Kame, which was published in the prestigious American Academy of Optometry journal, Optometry and Vision Science.

Dr. Matsuda and her husband, Doug Kato, have 2 children: Halli and Kyle.

Dr. Matsuda’s interests include baking, crafts, quilting, walking, gardening, and competitive hula dancing.  She danced the hula because her mom was a dancer, and her daughter Halli followed in their footsteps. Her most recent endeavors are planting a Japanese garden and baking “naked cakes” for staff birthdays.

Dr. Rodger T. Kame (September 23, 1938–July 11, 2000) grew up in East Los Angeles. He had 4 brothers and 1 sister. While growing up, he attended University High School in Los Angeles. After his graduation, he went on to Santa Monica College and then the Los Angeles College of Optometry (now called the Southern California College of Optometry, or SCCO), where he graduated with both a Bachelor’s of Science and a Doctor of Optometry degree in 1962.

He served in the United States Air Force as a 1st Lieutenant in the Biomedical Science Corps as an optometrist from 1962 to 1965. In 1965, he was honorably discharged from service. Then in 1966, he accepted the opportunity to continue the practice left by Dr. Art Sugino.

Since 1971, he has served on the faculty of his alma mater of SCCO as an adjunct associate professor. He was a member of the board of trustees for SCCO for the past 6 years and most recently served as a member of its executive committee. Before his passing, he was elected to be the next chairman of the Board of Trustees. In 1975, he served as president of the Los Angeles County Optometric Society, the country’s largest optometric organization. He was the 1993–94 chairman of the Optometric Association and the 1987–89 chairman of the American Academy of Optometry’s section on cornea and contact lenses, one of only 2 individuals to have served both positions.

Dr. Kame has received numerous honors for his outstanding contributions to the profession. Among them, he was named Los Angeles County’s “Optometrist of the Year” recipient in 1978, the Heart of America Contact Lens Society’s “National Vision Service Award” recipient in 1984, the Max Shapero Memorial Lecture Award recipient in 1997, and the American Optometric Association’s Contact Lens Sections Achievement Award recipient in 1998. He was also honored as a “Distinguished Practitioner in Optometry” in the National Academies of Practice. In 2000, the Los Angeles County Optometric Society honored him by renaming their contact lens continuing education series, “The Rodger T. Kame Contact Lens Series.”

Dr. Kame gained international prominence for his clinical and professional contributions, having published over 50 articles, papers, and chapters for journals and textbooks, including some original discoveries. He was the “inventor” of the idea behind disposable soft contact lenses. He presented more than 250 lectures worldwide.

In May of 1999, Dr. Kame was unanimously voted by the Class of 1999 to be its commencement speaker at their graduation. His address was entitled, “Class of 1999—Bridging Two Centuries of Optometry.” Dr. Kame was also given the opportunity to “hood” his son, Gregory, at the graduation ceremony.

Dr. Kame underwent surgery in October 1999 to remove his right kidney, which contained a malignant tumor. He underwent many sessions of chemotherapy and radiation over the next 8 months. Cancer eventually spread from his kidney to his spine and finally to his lungs. Dr. Kame’s valiant battle with cancer ended the morning of July 11, 2000.

A few weeks before his passing, Dr. Kame wrote a farewell letter expressing his gratitude towards his patients. It was a letter designed to be sent out to his patients if his health took a turn for the worse. We all hoped the letter would not have to be mailed. Unfortunately, the letter was sent out a few days after his passing.

Dr. Kame was able to witness the marriage of his second son, Gregory, to Anna Sun on Father’s Day, June 18, 2000, at the family’s church in West Los Angeles. He signed the marriage license certificate as a witness.