Optimizing queries

Hi,

I have a query that use a function and some column test to select row.
It's in the form of:

SELECT * FROM TABLE
    WHERE TABLE.COLUMN1=something
       AND TABLE.COLUMN2=somethingelse
       AND function(TABLE.COLUMN3,TABLE.COLUMN4) > 0;

The result of the function does NOT depend only from the table, but also
from some other tables.

Since it's long to process, I've add some output to see what's going on.
I find out that the function process every row even if the row should be
rejected as per the first or the second condition. Then , my question
is: Is there a way to formulate a query that wont do all the check if it
does not need to do it ? Meaning that, if condition1 is false then it
wont check condition2 and that way the function will only be called when
it's really necessary.

Thanks