Recently retired University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Optometry faculty member Wendy Marsh-Tootle, O.D., is being honored by the American Academy of Optometry for distinguished contributions to clinical excellence.
Marsh-Tootle, whose career has emphasized visual enhancement of children with vision impairments, will receive the AAO’s William Feinbloom Award. Established in 1983, this award is presented to an individual who has made both distinguished and significant contributions to clinical excellence, and to the direct clinical advancement of visual and optometric service.
From 1994-2004, Marsh-Tootle served as the UAB Pediatric Optometry Service director. Under her leadership, the UAB School of Optometry developed innovative programs to reach thousands of children in the local area. She also developed programs in Nicaragua to teach teachers how to perform pediatric vision screenings, and she then returned to perform eye exams on those children who did not pass.
The 2015 William Feinbloom Award will be presented to Marsh-Tootle during the upcoming American Academy of Optometry meeting this October in New Orleans.