our doctors

PAUL M. PETELIN JR, MD

Surgical Director

Born and raised in Arizona, Dr. Petelin is a second generation physician who has been in private practice in Arizona since 2001.

• Board Certified by the American Board of Ophthalmology
• University of Arizona (MD)
• Emory University, Atlanta, GA (Ophthalmology)
• DurrieVision Refractive Surgery Fellow

Dr. Petelin prides himself on highly personalized care within the backdrop of over 30,000 cases’ worth of experience. He has been recognized locally for 21 consecutive years as a Phoenix Magazine “Top Doctor” as voted by his peers. Nationally, he is featured annually in both Castle and Connolly and America’s Best Doctors. He is entering his eleventh season as the on-field team ophthalmologist for the Arizona Cardinals. He holds as his greatest achievement the continued trust he earns daily with his patients.

Dr. Petelin lives in Scottsdale with his wife Jessica and four beautiful children. Outside of the office, he’s all about family, friends, and the occasional round of golf.

Dr. Eugene Shifrin

Medical Director

Petelin Vision is proud to announce that Dr. Eugene Shifrin has joined our practice, bringing with him, his vast knowledge and experience, as well as his high level of patient care.

Dr Shifrin believes that excellent patient care starts with a doctor’s ability to listen and understand the needs of their patients, and is a firm believer that establishing a trusting “doctor / patient” relationship is paramount and essential—leading to better outcomes.

Dr. Shifrin was one of Arizona’s first Board Certified Optometrists and is known for his desire to bring his patient’s leading edge eye care, while exceeding the expectations of both patients and referring doctors alike.

Dr. Tara Ransdell

Dr. Tara Ransdell grew up in northern Minnesota. She did her undergraduate studies at University of North Dakota, while playing on the women’s basketball team. From there, Dr. Ransdell moved to Chicago, to attend the Illinois College of Optometry. In 2000, she graduated from ICO and took a position with Kirk Eye Center in River Forest, Illinois.

While in Chicago, Dr. Ransdell developed a love for running and ran her first of 18 marathons on the streets of Chicago. In 2003, she moved to Glendale, AZ with her husband, Dr. Jason Ransdell. In 2004, their daughter, Jordan, was born. Dr. Tara Ransdell purchased Peoria Eye Care in 2005, which is now Petelin Vision. All of the Ransdells enjoy competitive sports and now enjoy playing golf together as a family.

Dr. Jason T. Ransdell

Dr. Jason T. Ransdell was born and raised in northern Minnesota. He earned his Bachelor’s degree in Microbiology from Colorado State University before graduating from the Illinois College of Optometry in May, 2001.

Dr. Jason competes in local triathlons and mountain bike races when he isn’t seeing patients. He recently completed Ironman Arizona and has finished the Leadville Trail 100 mountain bike race the past 3 years in Leadville, CO.

Dr. Jason worked at a local cataract and laser center for 4 years before joining our practices. He brings extensive knowledge about Lasik and cataract surgery to the practice. Dr. Jason also performs routine eye examinations for glasses and contacts, as well as the treatment and management of diseases, such as Glaucoma, Diabetes, Macular degeneration, etc.

Dr. Jason lectures in the western United States on dry eye treatment, and is a consultant to Allergan and Inspire Pharmaceuticals.

Dr. Derek Jacobsen

Dr. Derek Jacobsen grew up in Glendive, Montana. Dr. Jacobsen is a third-generation eye care profes- sional. His grandmother was an optician and his father is an optometrist. He values the primary care role of optometry and one-on-one interaction with patients of all ages, as well as being able to work closely with other healthcare providers to manage more complex eye problems. Dr. Jacobsen has a strong interest in managing glaucoma, diabetic eye issues, and other eye diseases.

Dr. Jacobsen earned his Bachelor of Science in Kinesiology from Montana State University in Bozeman, Montana. He then graduated with honors with Doctor of Optometry from Arizona College of Optometry, where he served as an Optics research assistant and the President of the Arizona branch of the Beta Sigma Kappa optometric honor society. After earning his doctorate, Dr. Jacobsen completed an added residency in ocular disease at Hu Hu Kam Memorial Hospital in Arizona, which is the primary care facility of the Gila River Indian Reservation. This residency provided him valuable experience in treating a variety of eye diseases and developed a strong interest in managing glaucoma and diabetic complications. Working at Hu Hu Kam Memorial Hospital allowed Dr. Jacobsen to become well-versed on the impact of diabetes on eye health.

Dr. Jacobsen is a member of the Arizona Optometric Association, American Optometric Association, and Montana Optometric Association. He is licensed with both the Arizona Board of Optometry and Montana Board of Optometry.

Dr. Jacobsen has provided numerous youth vision screenings throughout Arizona. He has been a frequent volunteer for the annual American Diabetes Association Step-Out Walk. He has lectured at conferences in California and Arizona, providing continuing education for fellow eye care professionals. He has also been a preceptor for optometry students as they perform clinical rotations.

Dr. Joe Myers

Dr. Myers is originally from Michigan. He attended Michigan State University and continued his education at the Michigan College of Optometry at Ferris State University. Dr Myers completed internships in Grand Forks, North Dakota, Pawnee, Oklahoma, and Fort Wayne, Indiana. After finishing optometry school in 2006, he moved to Arizona to complete a residency in ocular disease and primary care at the Indian Health Service in Sacaton, AZ. Since completing his residency, Dr. Myers also obtained his fellowship from the American Academy of Optometry in ocular disease and is a diplomate of the American Board of Optometry. Dr. Myers has presented many times to physicians on various eye conditions, and you may have seen him on local TV stations educating about eye health. He has also enjoyed teaching optometry students across the nation in a clinical setting, and has worked in many different eye care settings over his career, seeing patients and treating a large array of ocular anomalies. 

Dr. richard Kalina

Dr. Kalina joined Petelin Vision in 2022 and has more than 24 years of experience in clinical patient care. He specializes in cataracts, retinal conditions, post-operative surgical care, glaucoma, dry eyes, diabetic eye care, and ocular disease. He received his Doctor of Optometry degree from the University of Alabama at Birmingham, earning his MS in vision science research and MPH in healthcare organization and policy. He is a Fellow of the American Academy of Optometry and was awarded the AZOA President’s Award in 2014. His expansive interests have resulted in being a research investigator for multiple studies and clinical trials. In addition, he has extensive experience in tear film chemistry and dry eye translational research focused on clinical products and pharmaceuticals for the ocular surface.