News

Annual eye exams are important, especially before the school year starts. “A comprehensive eye exam is about more than determining whether your child can see 20/20,” said Janelle Sventek, O.D., a pediatric optometrist at UAB Eye Care. 

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by Tamarreo Tatum

Urvi Patel, class of 2028, has been elected trustee of the American Optometric Student Association (AOSA) Executive Council. Her election continues the UAB School of Optometry's tradition of student representation in the organization.

by Tamarreo Tatum

Mason Martin, Class of 2029, has been awarded a $10,000 scholarship through the VSP Vision Student Business Challenge, recognizing his early commitment to private practice and expanding access to care.

The VSP Vision Student Business Challenge helps students nationwide apply business and leadership skills to real-world practice scenarios before entering the profession.

Dana Shannon, OD, FAAO, graduated from the UAB School of Optometry in 2021. She completed an ocular disease residency at the University of Chicago, enhancing clinical expertise, managing complex cases, and teaching.

by Satina Richardson

Katherine Weise, OD, MBA, FAAO, a professor at the UAB School of Optometry, helped develop the Amblyopia Navigator Decision-Support Instrument (ANDI), a free tool that helps clinicians make evidence-based decisions when diagnosing and treating amblyopia in children. Weise, who serves as national network co-chair of the National Institutes of Health's (NIH) Pediatric Eye Disease Investigator Group (PEDIG), is also director of UAB Eye Care's Pediatric Optometry Service.

If light sensitivity, headaches, or glare are still bothering you, there may be a simple way to find relief.

Amber-tinted contact lenses can improve comfort and visual performance by filtering certain light wavelengths—potentially reducing glare, easing strain, and enhancing contrast.

Edmund Arthur, OD, PhD, FAAO, has been awarded a National Institutes of Health (NIH) R56 grant to advance the development of widely available and cost-effective methods for the early detection of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) using the retina. The study will be conducted in partnership with the University of Alabama at Birmingham’s Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center and supports the potential for AD to one day be detected during a routine comprehensive eye examination.

Jennifer Craig, OD, has been named supervisor of the UAB School of Optometry’s Cornea and Contact Lens residency program.

A child's eye color may change during the first year of life, but genetics and melanin play the biggest role. UAB optometrist Dr. Janelle Sventek explains what determines eye color, common misconceptions and how parents can support healthy vision.

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Seeing clearly should feel comfortable at any age.

If you or your child struggle with reading close work or visual fatigue, there may be more going on than meets the eye.

by Tamarreo Tatum

Abubakar Sadik Mohammed, OD, a Vision Science Graduate Program doctoral student, received the Graduate Student Leader Award for founding an organization that brings emerging researchers’ work directly to Alabama state lawmakers.

by Tamarreo Tatum

Haley Perry, OD, Class of 2009, is developing a patent‑pending corneal neurotrophic therapy that could change how optometry approaches dry eye disease.

Amy Logan, OD, FAAO, associate professor, has been named a Rising Star by the Association of Schools and Colleges of Optometry. The award recognizes emerging leaders in optometric education, research and service, and highlights Logan’s dedication to students, commitment to the school’s mission and leadership within the profession.

by Satina Richardson

Malia McDowell, Class of 2026, is the first recipient of the Alabama Optometric Rural Service Scholarship, receiving $134,000 to practice in an underserved rural community in Alabama.

by Tamarreo Tatum

Students in the Class of 2026 have matched and will enter postgraduate optometric residency programs this summer. Through residency training, graduates receive supervised advanced clinical training that builds competencies beyond entry-level optometry school preparation, deepens specialty expertise and expands career opportunities in patient care, academia and other specialized settings.

by Rachel Beatty

The human eye can see with exceptional detail, allowing people to read fine print, recognize faces across the room and take in the features in nature. Scientists have long debated how this sharp vision works at the cellular level and whether the brain and eyes work together to make it possible.

William Lee Thibodeaux, OD, graduated from the UAB School of Optometry (UABSO) in 2015, completing his professional education in primary eye care and clinical optometry. After graduation, he completed an optometric residency specializing in Geriatric Optometry and Low Vision at the Birmingham Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Birmingham, Alabama.

Untreated vision problems can compound over time, greatly impacting a person’s quality of life and day-to-day activities. However, lack of access to eyecare and financial limitations can pose barriers to receiving the care many people need.

by Rachel Beatty and Satina Richardson

The Vision Science Research Center (VSRC) hosted a retreat that featured Michael Chiang, MD, director of the National Eye Institute, as the keynote speaker. The National Eye Institute is part of the National Institutes of Health, the nation’s leading supporter of vision research.