Lanning B. Kline, M.D.
Photography: Lexi CoonThe American Board of Ophthalmology has appointed Lanning B. Kline, M.D., as chair for 2020.
The nation’s oldest medical specialty board, the ABO is responsible for setting high standards and developing rigorous assessments for the certification of eye physicians and surgeons in the United States. Since 1916, more than 30,000 physicians have demonstrated their knowledge and skills in ophthalmology through ABO certification.
Kline is a professor of ophthalmology and the former department chair at the University of Alabama at Birmingham. During his eight-year term as a director of the ABO, he led the committee on initial certification, contributed to the continued enhancement of the oral examination, and edited hundreds of test items for board examinations.
“This is a very prestigious appointment,” Kline said. “I am very excited to serve and contribute to the world-renowned American Board of Ophthalmology.”
The author of seven editions of the Neuro-Ophthalmology Review Manual, Kline is former editor-in-chief of the Journal of Neuro-Ophthalmology and a member of the North American Neuro-Ophthalmology Society. He is also a member of the American Academy of Ophthalmology, which presented him with the association’s Life Achievement Honor Award in 2018.
Kline also served as chair of the UAB Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences for 14 years.