Our Practice
Our team of UC Berkeley–educated doctors partners with you to manage the health of your eyes and help you achieve your best vision.
Payam Zarehbin Irani, OD
Dr. Irani has served the Fruitvale area since 2004. In addition to routine eye exams and prescriptions for glasses and contact lenses, he provides treatment and management of many medical eye diseases and is fully certified to provide comprehensive treatment of glaucoma. He has given talks on eye health at the local senior center, conducted free screenings for seniors, and served as a volunteer doctor for VSP's mobile eye care clinics. He graduated from the UC Berkeley School of Optometry in 2002.
Dr. Irani created a fully bilingual (English/Spanish) practice. Before opening it, he gained experience working with two ophthalmologists — one specializing in glaucoma treatment and the other in laser surgery — conducted school screenings for children, and worked in optical retail and private practice. He has combined the best elements from all of these settings to serve you better, both in the exam room and in helping you find the frames and lenses that fit your vision needs and lifestyle.
Nancy Luu, OD
Dr. Luu has been providing exceptional care to our patients since 2015. An Oakland native, she started working as an optician in Albany in 2006, was later accepted into UC Berkeley's optometry program, and graduated in 2011. She completed part of her clinical training at Alameda County Medical Center and has participated in multiple volunteer trips to Latin America to provide eye care to underserved populations. She is certified to treat glaucoma in addition to many other medical eye diseases.
Patricia Hernandez, OD
Dr. Hernandez has over 30 years of professional experience providing comprehensive eye care to diverse communities in the Bay Area. She received her Doctorate in Optometry from UC Berkeley and a B.S. in Biochemistry from Cal Poly San Luis Obispo. She has worked in many practice settings, especially ophthalmological practices, which expanded her experience in ocular disease. Her primary interest is treating glaucoma patients, and she is certified to treat glaucoma and other ocular diseases.
At Fruitvale Optometry, she feels right at home helping a diverse group of patients — from unique eyeglass prescriptions to diseases that have never been treated before. It gives her great satisfaction to be the first doctor to help you understand your eye problems.
Genesta Zarehbin Irani — Practice Manager
Genesta graduated from Pacific Lutheran University with a bachelor's in social anthropology and international development in 2001 and worked in a variety of social service settings before co-founding Fruitvale Optometry with Dr. Irani in 2004. She provides support and ongoing training to our staff to make sure you receive the highest level of service. If you have a concern our staff can't resolve, Genesta is usually available weekday mornings and anytime by phone.
Our Staff
Our practice relies on the dedicated support of a team of opticians, optical technicians, lab technicians, and insurance specialists. As a community practice, we are committed to hiring from within our local community. All of our staff members are fully bilingual in English and Spanish. Many first came to our practice as patients, and all of them began their optical careers in our office.