La Jolla Ophthalmology looks to holistic approach and modern tech to treat the eye

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La Jolla Ophthalmology, one of the newest practices to open in The Village, brings a holistic approach to eye care that offers everything from natural and osteopathic options to the latest in surgery and technology.

Dr. Brittney Dautremont, who opened La Jolla Ophthalmology in October, said, “It’s something I have been wanting to do since I knew I wanted to be an eye doctor.”

She said her interest in ophthalmology started in her teens. “I knew I wanted to be a doctor from the time I was a kid. I remember in high school, I was studying for an anatomy quiz and was studying the eye. I happened to be at the ophthalmologist with my brother and I was looking at the eye model and testing myself for the quiz. The doctor asked if I wanted to look inside my brother’s eye, and I said sure! He handed me the ophthalmoscope and showed me how to use it. I saw the optic nerve for the first time, and I thought it was beautiful. I was immediately drawn to it.”

Dautremont is board-certified in ophthalmology, is a doctor of osteopathic medicine and is trained in allopathic medicine, having gone to four years of medical school and completed a four-year residency followed by a master’s degree in public health.

“Californians are progressive about their health and want to try more natural solutions to prevent disease and promote health,” she said. “The focus of osteopathic medicine is treating the person as a whole rather than these little bits and pieces. We’re trained to integrate the whole picture when diving into their physical health.”

With that approach, Dautremont specializes in cataract and eyelid surgery, removal of pterygia (growths that can happen with those who have a lot of sun exposure), glaucoma management, dry-eye treatment and more.

La Jolla Ophthalmology is at 7334 Girard Ave.

(Courtesy of Dr. Brittney Dautremont)

“The biggest thing is taking into account the person’s other health conditions and environmental conditions they are in,” she said. “Because a lot of health problems show up in the eyes … we are able to detect things like high blood pressure, diabetes, autoimmune conditions that might be the deeper root cause of their symptoms.

“In osteopathic medicine, you are always thinking about the real cause of what is going on. I’m always open to trying supplements and vitamins if I think they would be helpful to the patient.”

Dautremont also offers osteopathic manipulation, which involves stimulating the lymphatic and nervous systems to function better. “I have one patient whose macular degeneration is disabling because she is losing her vision, so my focus with her is going to be optimizing circulation to the eyes and lymphatic flow to the head,” Dautremont said.

Should the need arise, Dautremont also offers surgery using the latest techniques. “I don’t push surgery, but I will strongly recommend it if I think it will benefit the patient,” she said. “I don’t want them to feel pressured into it.”

She also offers lens implants and laser options to eliminate the need for glasses and contact lenses. La Jolla Ophthalmology also recently started offering an eye-drop treatment by prescription that helps lift the eyelids, which can help people avoid surgery.

La Jolla Ophthalmology is at 7334 Girard Ave. Learn more at (858) 775-1555.

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