Meet The Doctors

Dr. Stegen has been practicing in the Upper Valley for 17 years. Born and raised in New Jersey, Dr. Stegen attended Rutgers University, receiving his Bachelor's degree in Biology. He then attended Rutgers' Graduate School at New Brunswick (N.J.) where he worked on a Master's Degree in zoology and physiology while teaching undergraduate students in Comparative Anatomy and other courses. Dr. Stegen received his doctorate in optometry from the Pennsylvania College of Optometry in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1990, where he also instructed optometry students in Gross Anatomy. After graduation, he performed a residency in hospital-based optometry in the Veterans Administration Medical Center at Lyons, New Jersey.  He moved to New Hampshire and began practicing in Keene and West Lebanon in 1992.

Currently, Dr. Stegen practices general optometry, with special interests in contact lenses and laser vision correction. He is a member of the American Optometric Association and is a former member of the Board of Directors of the New Hampshire Optometric Association. In his spare time, Dr. Stegen enjoys playing hockey, hiking, cycling, and woodworking.

Pro Optical is pleased to have Dr. Al Pristaw as a member of our staff. A 1965 graduate of UVM, Dr. Pristaw first received a BA in Zoology. He then went to Boston University studying for a masters Degree in Biology. Dr. Pristaw completed his education when he graduated from the New England College of Optometry in June 1970. From there he went to work as the first Optometrist ever to be hired at the Joslin Diabetes Foundation in Boston. His responsibilities there were ocular photography, low vision, and he participated in the first national Collaborative Study on Diabetes and The Eye, funded by the NIH from 1970 – 1973.

Continually sharing his knowledge, Dr. Pristaw started his private practice in Woodstock in April 1973 and since then as worked in various locations. From 1989 - 1993 he taught Contact Lenses and Low Vision at the Albany Medical College, Dept of Opthalmology in Albany, NY, and did research on corneal grafts and cosmetic contact lenses for injured and scarred eyes. Dr. Pristaw has published works and lectured before various Optometric society gatherings, and was a principle investigator for Sola Barnes Hinds when they developed and marketed the Soft Perm Contact Lens.

Prior to coming to work at Pro Optical, Dr. Pristaw was responsible for eyecare in all correctional facilities in Maine, New Hampshire, and Vermont. Dr. Pristaw states this experience "was the most rewarding and scary time of my career."

Dr. Pristaw has two children, Joshua, 32, who lives in Manhatten and Dara, 29, who lives in Boston. After 39 years in the field, Dr. Pristaw continues to love his profession. His hobbies include fly fishing, fly tying, canoeing, backpacking and spending time with his grandchildren.