Meet Our Veterinary Team

Dr. Sydney Edwards

Veterinary Ophthalmologist

Dr. Edwards is originally from Charlotte, North Carolina. She received her DVM from North Carolina State University in 2013. Following graduation, she completed a small animal rotating internship at Ohio State University. In 2018, she became board certified after completing a four-year ophthalmology residency at the University of California, Davis.

Dr. Edwards then spent two years in a private ophthalmology practice in Charlotte, NC, before returning to UC Davis for a one-year clinical instructor position. Dr. Edwards joined the ophthalmology team at Animal Eye Center in July 2021 and purchased the practice from Dr. Lana Linton in January 2023. Dr. Edwards’ special interests include ocular surface neoplasia, cataract and glaucoma surgery, and equine ophthalmology.

Dr. Kristina Gronkiewicz

Veterinary Ophthalmologist

Dr. Kristina Gronkiewicz is an Illinois native who received a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree from the University of Illinois in 2012, graduating with high honors. Dr. Gronkiewicz then completed a one-year small animal medicine and surgery internship at Oklahoma State University and then a three-year comparative ophthalmology residency and master’s program at the University of Missouri.

Upon completion of the residency program in 2016, Dr. Gronkiewicz became a board-certified veterinary ophthalmologist. In addition to being a diplomate of the American College of Veterinary Ophthalmologists (ACVO), Dr. Gronkiewicz also serves on the ACVO’s public relations committee, helping pet owners understand the importance of veterinary ophthalmologists.

After her residency, Dr. Gronkiewicz left the Midwest and practiced at Animal Eye Center in Rocklin from 2016-2020. Dr. Gronkiewicz then relocated to Seattle and established an ophthalmology department at a multi-specialty private practice, working at the Animal Medical Center of Seattle from 2020-2022.

Dr. Gronkiewicz is looking forward to returning to Animal Eye Center and the Sacramento area. Dr. Gronkiewicz loves all aspects of ophthalmology, but she has a special interest in corneal, glaucoma, and cataract surgeries.

Dr. Savanna Vig Allen

Associate Veterinarian

Dr. Vig Allen is originally from Tucson, Arizona and grew up in the “dry heat” of the Sonoran Desert. She moved to California in 2014 to attend UC Davis Veterinary School, where she first saw the beauty of an animal eye through a slit lamp biomicroscope during a summer research project on equine squamous cell carcinoma.

After graduating from veterinary school, she spent a year as a rotating small animal intern doctor at VCA Loomis Basin Veterinary Clinic. In addition to learning about general practice, surgery, and emergency medicine, she spent her elective rotations at Animal Eye Center. The owner of Animal Eye Center at the time, Dr. Lana Linton, introduced her to Dr. Kristina Burling, who became her mentor for a three-year ophthalmology residency at Animal Eye Specialists in Campbell, CA. Dr. Vig Allen became board-certified in 2023.

She enjoys comparative ophthalmology and adnexal and anterior segment surgery. She is looking forward to joining Animal Eye Center as an associate doctor in 2026. Outside of work, Dr. Vig Allen and her husband can often be found walking with their 3 dogs along the American River.

Dr. Christian Munevar

DVM, DACVO

Dr. Munévar is a California native and graduated from the University of California, Davis School of Veterinary Medicine in 2018, where his interest in veterinary ophthalmology began. He went on to complete a small animal rotating internship at the University of Pennsylvania and did his ophthalmology residency here at Animal Eye Center. He finished his residency in 2022. Dr. Munévar enjoys helping local primary veterinarians with their tough ophthalmology cases and enjoys getting to see a wide breadth of animal patients.