by Satina Richardson 

Katherine K. Weise, OD, MBA, FAAO, UAB School of Optometry professor and Pediatric Optometry Service director at UAB Eye Care, is the national network co-chair of the Pediatric Eye Disease Investigator Group (PEDIG). She will serve a five-year term as one of the few optometrists to head the research organization of 300 optometrists and ophthalmologists. 

by Nathan Anderson

Sommer Thompson received the UAB School of Optometry’s Dean’s Outstanding Staff Award for her efforts at the School, which have positively impacted faculty, staff, patients and students through her role as the senior director of development. The Dean’s Outstanding Staff award is selected by Dean Kelly Nichols each year.  

by Nathan Anderson

The Dean’s Distinguished Faculty Award recognizes exemplary leadership and service. During the 2024 Doctoral Convocation and Hooding Ceremony, the award was presented to Adam Gordon, OD, MPH, FAAO, professor and chair for the Department of Optometry and Vision Science. 

by Nathan Anderson

Born with albinism, Daymion Winfrey has limited vision, plus his eyes are sensitive to light since the condition causes a lack of melanin in his iris which prevents his eyes from blocking out light. However, the multi-sport athlete has not let these challenges limit his successes. Wearing special light-blocking contact lenses, he reached the longtime goal of becoming a state wrestling champion.

The first cohort of the Advanced International Optometry Degree Program is graduating from the University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Optometry this May. This program is a new offering in Optometry that provides international students who hold an optometry degree from an international university with the certification they need to practice optometry in the United States.

by Satina Richardson

The Ohio State University College of Optometry awarded Drs. Kelly and Jason Nichols the prestigious Fry Medal in Physiological Optics. The Fry Medal is awarded to individuals who have truly distinguished themselves with long and exemplary records of vision research only when notable recipients are identified. They delivered the Westheimer Endowed Lecture as part of the honor.

by Nathan Anderson

Steve Beaty, MD, has joined the UAB School of Optometry’s (UABSO) faculty as the School’s first volunteer ophthalmology professor teaching the Resident and Clinical Management courses, while providing clinical consultations at UAB Eye Care, UABSO’s clinical arm.

Students from the Wiregrass area of southeast Alabama will benefit from a generous recent gift of $2.3 million to the University of Alabama at Birmingham from longtime supporters Marnix E. Heersink, M.D., and Mary Heersink. The gift will establish three endowed scholarships supporting health professions, optometry and pre-optometry students.

by Satina Richardson

Max McCloy worked alongside his father during spring break to provide needed eye and vision care in Jamaica. Douglas McCloy, OD, has provided sustainable missional eye and vision care there for more than two decades, but this was the first time the two worked together since Max began optometry school.

Alice Kim, class of 2025, received the 2024 Best Practices award from CooperVision. The award enables standout third-year optometry students to learn directly from the best of the best in the profession by participating in the annual Best Practices educational summit.

by Nathan Anderson

The moon will briefly block out the sun, causing a total solar eclipse on Monday, April 8th, 2024. Terri Call, OD, associate professor, warns that unprotected viewing of the solar eclipse can damage your eyes. 

Modifier genes add complexity to precision medicine. A modifier gene is one that has genetic variants such as single nucleotide changes that differ from the most common sequence in the population. These variants do not cause disease by themselves but can lessen or exacerbate a different genetic disease phenotype by unknown mechanisms.

Read more on UAB News

Michelle Cooper, OD, graduated cum laude from the UAB School of Optometry in 1994 and began practicing in Greenville, SC. She is currently president of the Southern Educational Congress of Optometry (SECO) and served as president of the Piedmont Optometric Society (POS) and president and secretary-treasurer of the South Carolina Optometric Physician’s Association (SCOPA). Cooper was named South Carolina Young Optometrist of the Year in 2000. In addition to practicing optometry, Cooper teaches electronic medical records to fellow doctors and staff throughout the country. 

by Nathan Anderson

Will Mann, class of 2025, has been elected treasurer of the American Optometric Student Association (AOSA) Executive Council. His appointment marks the third year a UAB School of Optometry (UABSO) student has held one of only four National AOSA Executive Council positions.  

Community Eye Care (CEC) is celebrating its 50th anniversary of providing vision screenings and comprehensive eyecare to communities. This year, the UAB School of Optometry (UABSO) is recognizing those who have helped CEC provide vision services to underserved and underrepresented communities as faculty, staff or as a student. With this in mind, meet former resident Mark Ortiz, OD. 

by Nathan Anderson

Since UAB Eye Care’s 1917 Clinic location opened in 2022, 250 patients have received care. The success of this external location has paved the way for growth that will allow a greater number of patients to be seen there in the future.

by Nathan Anderson

Community Eye Care (CEC), the UAB School of Optometry’s community outreach arm, celebrated 50 years of providing vision screenings and comprehensive eyecare to underserved communities while training future optometrists to provide compassionate care. To date, the program has cared for approximately 25,000 patients.

by Satina Richardson

UAB School of Optometry vision scientists are participating in research to evaluate how changes in the retina might play a role in diagnosing Alzheimer’s disease. Their findings could lead to non-invasive, low-cost tests and the early diagnosis of the disease, which progresses for decades before symptoms of dementia emerge.

by Satina Richardson

Vision Science Graduate Program students, each of whom has prior academic and/or professional success, are driven by the desire to make discoveries that could impact humanity. During the 2022-2023 academic year, several students made significant steps towards achieving this worthy goal.

UAB Eye Care opens at 1pm on Wednesday, January 17th. Any morning appointments will be rescheduled.