News

A UAB experts offers clarity on the difference between watery and dry eyes, while shedding light on ways to mitigate eye allergy symptoms. 

Nik Hopkins, M.D., comprehensive ophthalmologist at UAB Callahan Eye, discusses what patients can expect during an eye exam.

Mark Johnson, M.D., and Katharine Weintraub, M.D., have been named chief residents for the 2026–2027 academic year. Chosen by their peers, they will serve in this leadership role during their final year of residency training.

Michael Chiang, M.D., director of the National Eye Institute, spoke Friday, March 13, during the UAB Vision Science Research Center’s Retreat.

Six faculty and staff members from the Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences will be recognized in the 2026 UAB Service Awards Program, representing a combined 85 years of service to the university.

Sight Savers America has named Alston Callahan, M.D., FACS, and Michael A. Callahan, M.D., FACS, as the 2026 Hall W. Thompson Heroes for Sight, recognizing two generations whose leadership and dedication have shaped the future of eye care in Alabama and beyond.

Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology (ARVO) has named Ellen Konadu Antwi-Adjei, OD, MPH, a Ph.D. candidate in the lab of Lyne Racette, Ph.D., at the University of Alabama at Birmingham, as a recipient of its 2026 Emerging Advocate Award.

The UAB Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences will host its 27th Annual Research Symposium on Friday, June 12, 2026, in the UAB Altec/Styslinger Genomic Medicine and Data Sciences Building (ALGEN).

Maria Grant, M.D., and Seth D. Fortmann, M.D., Ph.D., have been recognized with a Featured Discovery award for identifying a key immune cell population that helps protect against age-related macular degeneration. Their findings reveal a potential new therapeutic target to preserve choroidal health and prevent vision loss.

Brook Gibson, O.D., low vision specialist at UAB Callahan Eye, discusses what patients should know recognizing and managing symptoms of low vision.

Beyond its impact on daily education, the new laboratory showcases UAB’s commitment to comprehensive, simulation-based surgical training in the field of ophthalmology.

Research published in the journal Gut suggests that nutraceutical strategies restoring tryptophan metabolism and IPA levels may serve as both biomarkers and therapeutic approaches for diabetic retinopathy.

Wade Joiner, M.D., glaucoma specialist at UAB Callahan Eye, discusses what patients should know about glaucoma, its symptoms and the importance of early detection.

The UAB Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences celebrated the opening of The EyeSight Foundation of Alabama Surgical Skills Laboratory with an open house on Dec. 10 at UAB Hospital-Callahan Eye.

Rafael Grytz, Ph.D., has been named the Dennis Endowed Professor in Glaucoma Research, an appointment approved by the Board of Trustees of the University of Alabama in April 2024.

On Thursday, Nov. 20., the Heersink School of Medicine honored 20 faculty members at the Fall 2025 Endowed Chairs and Professorships Reception. This event recognizes Heersink faculty who have made major contributions to research, education, and clinical care.

As a glaucoma fellow at UAB Callahan Eye, Tim Johnson, M.D., came to Birmingham with a clear sense of purpose.

UAB Medicine’s Leadership Development Office (LDO) honored 33 graduates of the Emerging Leaders Series (ELS) fall 2025 Cohort 4 during a ceremony held on Thursday, Nov. 12. The cohort completed a multi-session program designed to strengthen leadership capability for emerging leaders across the enterprise.

Olivia Railey, RN, BSN, CIC, Nursing Services Program Manager, has been elected to serve as the 2026 president-elect of the Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology (APIC) Alabama chapter.

It was the mid-1980s when two young vision scientists found themselves on converging paths that would reshape how the world understands age-related macular degeneration (AMD), a disorder of the retina that is a leading cause of vision loss in older adults.

Our first-year residents are well underway in their integrated intern year, building the medical foundation that will shape them as future ophthalmologists. They share why they chose UAB Callahan Eye, what they’ve learned so far, and what they’re looking forward to in the years ahead.

After nearly 30 years of disappointments, Jennifer Creswell has a renewed sense of confidence thanks to the work of UAB Callahan Eye strabismus specialist Rob Tauscher, M.D.

At a Starbucks inside UAB Hospital, J. Crawford Downs, Ph.D., Professor of Ophthalmology, Biomedical Engineering and Computer Science at UAB, met with Marshall Holland, M.D., M.S., Assistant Professor of Neurosurgery. Holland led with a vexing question: “Is it possible to wirelessly monitor pressure within the brain in patients before they get to the hospital?”

Tylor Lewis, Ph.D., assistant professor in the UAB Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, is a cell and developmental biologist whose research centers on the mechanisms that drive inherited retinal diseases (IRDs).

Marcela Frazier, O.D., MPH, FAAO, will receive the 2025 Harry I. Zeltzer Lifetime Achievement Award, presented by the Volunteer Optometric Services to Humanity International (VOSH/International), for her steadfast commitment to improving the accessibility of comprehensive vision care.

The UAB Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences and UAB Callahan Eye are excited to welcome six outstanding clinicians to the practice this year. Their clinical expertise, research interests, and dedication to compassionate, patient-centered care continue to further strengthen the Department’s mission to lead in eye care, education, and discovery.

On August 7, 1997, Jennifer Creswell and her sister were driving when they were hit by a large truck, flipping their vehicle five times.

Can indigo light help protect children’s vision? That’s one of the questions guiding the work of Rafael Grytz, Ph.D., Dennis Endowed Professor of Glaucoma Research in the UAB Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences.

Dry eye, a symptomatic eye condition characterized by poor tear production, affects nearly 16 million adults in the United States

UAB Callahan Eyewear offers stylish, high-quality frames and expert optical services from Alabama’s most trusted name in eye care.