Noel Krok grew up surfing the subtropical waves of Durban, South Africa. At the age of 19 he moved to the Bay Area with his family where he attended UC Berkeley and obtained his BS in Nutrition and his Doctor of Optometry Degree in 1994. A highlight of his optometric training was participating in the Rotary International Vision Screening in Zimbabwe with Dr. Stephanie. He was awarded the Designs for Low Vision award and accepted an invitation to complete a Low Vision Residency.
After 9 years in Berkeley, Dr. Noel was drawn to Santa Cruz by its natural beauty, great weather, laid-back vibe, and the surf culture. Before opening EyeQ with Dr. Stephanie and Dr. Shen in 2000, Noel worked for a few local OD offices gaining experience and coming to the realization that he didn’t want to wear a white doctors coat.
While Dr. Noel is casual and forthright, he is very diligent, progressive and driven to provide the best possible care to each of his patients. His guiding principle is to treat patients as ethically and respectfully as he would wish to be treated.
When not spending time with his two boys, Dr. Noel enjoys hiking Fall Creek, organic gardening, meditating, and bush tennis.
Dana Richter grew up in Ann Arbor, Michigan, where she went on to earn a Bachelor of Science in Biology and Masters degree in Public Health at the University of Michigan.
Dana earned her Doctor of Optometry, with honors, from the Illinois College of Optometry, which included training in ocular disease, contact lenses, binocular and pediatric vision.
Dr. Dana Richter sought a contemporary practice with a welcoming environment and exceptional staff. She is more than pleased to have joined the eyeQ team in 2014.
Dr. Richter is eager to address your individual needs and help you obtain optimal eye health and sharp and comfortable vision, with style.
Dr. Stephanie Krok attended UC Berkeley where she earned a Doctor of Optometry degree in 1995 and was the recipient of the VSP award. This award is given to two students who demonstrate excellence in clinical and academic performance. Stephanie travelled to Guatemala with VOSH and to Zimbabwe with Rotary International to render eye care to underserved communities.
For the first five years of her career Dr. Stephanie practiced in a busy ophthalmology practice perfecting her skills and gaining experience with all types of primary eye care. Since 2000, Stephanie has been in practice at eyeQ Optometry where she utilizes her broad range of knowledge to ensure all of her patients receive the best care possible.
Stephanie’s caring demeanor and genuine desire for her patients’ overall well-being makes her an ideal doctor for patients of all ages. Dr. Stephanie loves what she does and it shows in every thorough exam she performs.
Dr. Daniel Shen received his bachelor’s & doctorate degrees from UC Berkeley. During Optometry school he helped organize a student trip gathering and bringing thousands of used eyeglasses to the Dominican Republic to provide eye exams & glasses in small villages. After graduation, Daniel served as an officer at David Grant USAF Medical Center. In this large hospital, he treated thousands of patients from young children to retirees. Dr. Shen also traveled with the Lions Club to Bolivia on an eye-care mission.
Dr. Shen established eyeQ Optometry with Drs. Stephanie & Noel Krok in 2000. Their goal was to provide excellent personal service and high quality eyewear in a very nice, comfortable, inviting setting. Dr. Shen enjoys helping patients and taking care of their visual needs with very customized prescriptions and “out of the box” solutions. He strongly encourages a healthy lifestyle as part of maintaining healthy eyes.
Daniel is personally very appreciative of technological advancements in eyewear. Getting his first glasses in 8th grade, (back in the dark ages, the choices were thick ugly brown or thick ugly black) and later hard contact lenses that popped out during sports. He now enjoys high-tech, lightweight, impact resistant progressive lenses, and single use soft contact lenses for sports and running in the rain.
Santa Cruz has been home for 20 years. Dr. Shen loves the friendly people, the independent spirit, and the amazing environment. He appreciates the proximity to many wonderful nearby destinations, the fabulous weather, and the ability to walk, run, or bike everywhere. He loves spending time with family & friends, running, music & guitar, biking, travel, movies, and enjoying good food.
Dr. Emiko Vasquez knew she wanted to be an optometrist when she was in elementary school. After graduating high school in Fremont, CA , Dr. Vasquez went on to earn her Bachelor’s degree with Cum Laude Honors in Sociology with a minor in Biology at Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles, CA. While finishing her Bachelor’s degree, Dr. Vasquez was accepted as an early decision applicant to the Southern California College of Optometry at Marshall B. Ketchum University.
While in optometry school, Dr. Vasquez pursued her passion for health care equality by volunteering at several community health clinics including Care Harbor, Special Olympics, and Student Volunteer Optometric Services to Humanity. Dr. Vasquez also has been honored to receive several awards including the Council of Regents Achievement Award for clinical excellence, Dr. Geraldine J. Sherman Memorial Scholarship for leadership, and the Vision Services Plan (VSP) and American Academy of Optometry Foundation (AAOF) Practice Excellence Scholarship.
After completing her Doctor of Optometry with summa cum laude honors, Dr. Vasquez pursued a residency in vision therapy and neuro-rehabilitation. During her residency she diagnosed and managed a variety of patients with strabismus (eye turn), amblyopia (‘lazy’ eye), special needs, convergence insufficiency, and brain injury.
Dr. Vasquez cares for patients of all ages with the goal of helping them live their lives free of visual burden. She is especially passionate about learning related vision problems, myopia control, strabismus, and amblyopia. Outside of optometry, she enjoys working out, spending time with family and friends, and trying new places to eat.