’Tis the season for holiday shopping and finding that special gift for friends and family. For those buying for children, picking out the perfect toy could prevent an unwanted trip to the hospital.

In 2017, Jermaine “Skull” Brown Jr. was on vacation with his family in Cancun when he realized his left eye’s vision was deteriorating. Although his family took him to eye clinics, his blurry vision worsened and soon affected his football career.

After a long day at work, Jamie Smith expected to have a normal night at home with her two sons. But when she noticed her youngest son’s eyes shaking, she knew something was wrong.

Screens are not avoidable, but eye strain is. As people spend more time in front of digital screens than ever, device usage and eye comfort have become competing priorities. Incessant screen usage causes digital eye strain, or DES, an eye condition also known as computer vision syndrome.

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by Nathan Anderson

As students prepare to head back to school, make scheduling an eye exam for school-age kids a priority. Nicholas Onken, OD, recommends that parents schedule a comprehensive eye exam for their children to ensure they do not face any vision-related learning obstacles in the upcoming academic year.

by Nathan Anderson

UAB Eye Care, the UAB School of Optometry's clinical arm, offers perks including discounts to all UAB employees and students. 

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.

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. 

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.

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

UAB Eye Care is closed today, January 16, 2024, due to inclement weather but remains open for emergency care. Call 205-975-2020 to access a doctor. Be safe, everyone!

by Nathan Anderson

In 2017, Jermaine Brown Jr. was on vacation with his family in Cancun when he realized that the vision in his left eye began to deteriorate. Although his family took him to eye clinics, his blurry vision worsened and soon affected his football career.

UAB Community Eye Care, the clinical outreach arm of the UAB School of Optometry, will hold its 10th annual Gift of Sight event from Nov. 27-Dec. 1 at the Jefferson County Western Health Center, located at 631 Bessemer Super Highway, Midfield, AL. Gift of Sight provides free comprehensive eye exams and glasses for low-income or underinsured patients who may otherwise not receive vision care or services throughout the year.

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On August 16, 10 am to 2 pm, shop the latest styles in eyeglasses and sunglasses at UAB Eye Care. Featured brands include Ray-Ban, Gucci, YSL and more.

by Nathan Anderson

Being outdoors is a great way to spend the day. However, you can expose yourself to allergens such as pollen, pet dander, mold spores and dust mites that can affect your vision.

Summertime is officially here, and outdoor activities are in full swing. While many people know how important it is to protect their skin while spending time in the sun, experts at UAB Eye Care experts want to remind everyone that protecting their eyes is just as important.

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After his pediatrician found an abnormal red reflex in his eyes, baby Kash Kennamer was referred to an ophthalmologist who diagnosed the infant with aphakia. Then at four months old, Kash underwent cataract surgery. Following a referral from Callahan Eye Hospital, one week later, his parents brought Kash to UAB Eye Care’s new Pedi­atric Aphakia Clinic started by Natalie West, OD.

Resolutions can be difficult to keep. However, as the year starts, here are several related to your eyes and vision that are good for your ocular health!

More than 800,000 people a year visit their health care provider because of double vision, and around 50,000 people every year go to the emergency room because they have double vision.

Read more on UAB News

by Caleb Jones

An adult double vision clinic has launched at UAB Eye Care. Under the leadership of Dr.  Kristine Hopkins, chief of vision therapy, the new specialty clinic will provide relief to those whose lives have been impacted by this sometimes-debilitating condition.   

No kid wants to be told they are nearsighted. Emory Carter was 8 years old when he was diagnosed with myopia, or nearsightedness. However, unlike many children his age, Emory saw his diagnosis as an opportunity, not an obstacle. Read more on UAB News

Summer months are made for spending time outdoors. But the extreme heat can lead to health concerns if one does not take care of themselves, especially at The World Games. University of Alabama at Birmingham experts provide tips on how to stay safe and well when attending the major sporting events coming to our area. Read more on UAB News

by Satina Richardson

Kelly Forbus and her fiancé Johnny Thompson planned to visit the courthouse to get their marriage certificate processed in time for their formal wedding ceremony the following day. Her work family, however, had alternate surprise plans. They secretly arranged a ceremony on the plaza at the UAB School of Optometry.

by Caleb Jones

According to the American Optometric Association, about 89 to 90 million Americans of all ages participate in sports. With many sports, players always assume the risk of some kind of injury, whether it be broken bones, torn ligaments, or damaged muscles. But what happens when a sports injury affects an athlete’s ability to see?

by Satina Richardson

UAB Eye Care, the clinical arm of the UAB School of Optometry, will see patients at the 1917 Clinic, the largest HIV health care unit in Alabama and one of the country’s leading HIV clinics. Eye care at the clinic begins on February 14.

by Satina Richardson

Constructed in 1974, the Henry Peters Building has undergone several renovations. This series of updates that began in 2015 included classroom, pre-clinic, locker room and lounge spaces being added or expanded. A new simulation lab was added on the fourth floor. Existing common areas throughout the build­ing were updated or made larger as well.

by Caleb Jones

UAB Eye Care has returned to UAB Student Health Services to provide eye and vision care to all UAB students, with or without insurance. UAB Eye Care optometrist Candice Turner, OD, will be providing care in the Student Health and Wellness Center.

by Satina Richardson

Natalie Vines has had a storied military career that includes multiple combat deployments that led to mild traumatic brain injuries (mTBIs). UAB Eye Care’s clinic that is dedicated to treating patients with brain injuries provided relief to Natalie’s vision issues that have long affected her quality of life.

by Satina Richardson

Deanna Jones’ 19-month-old son, Sammy, was being clumsy. She thought this was because he is a toddler, or because she thought he had a lazy eye. Jones began seeking medical help for him and her efforts ultimately saved his vision.

As the summer comes to an end, parents of school-aged children may find themselves questioning what they need to do before the first bell of the 2021 school year rings. Experts from the University of Alabama at Birmingham recommend four things that need to be on parents’ checklists to ensure their child is ready to hit the books. 

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The year 2020 was marked by constant change due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Melendi Morton and Randle Tibbs proved to be exceptional during the most challenging time in the school’s history. For their efforts, the two were awarded the first-ever Dean’s Outstanding Staff Award at the 2021 Doctoral Convocation and Hooding Ceremony.

UAB Eye Care, the UAB School of Optometry's clinical arm, has expanded its low vision services in response to the expected increased demand for low vision services. The clinic is one of few in Alabama to offer a telemedicine option to low vision patients who cannot travel or are located in rural areas.

by Satina Richardson

Twin sisters Mary and Emily are fighters! The girls were born at 36 weeks and contracted a brain infection caused by parechovirus at three weeks old. When the girls were six months old their mother, Tara Monk, noticed her babies weren’t hitting their vision development milestones at the same time.

As schools choose virtual learning and device-based instruction to educate children during the COVID-19 pandemic, a child’s eyes are an important consideration.

Read more on UAB News

By Satina Richardson

Jacob McKinstry’s mother recognized there was an issue with her son’s learning when his participation in three- and four-year-old kindergarten decreased. The school principal said he had ADHD, which wasn’t confirmed. He took a battery of tests that included an IQ test, an auditory test and two exams by ophthalmologists. Each test found no significant issues. His mother continued to research what could be happening with her son. Two and a half years later, following a Visual Efficiency Evaluation, vision therapy was recommended. 

UAB Eye Care is one of the first clinics in the country to have MiSight® 1 day contact lenses, a daily wear, single use contact lens that slows the progression of myopia (nearsightedness). The clinic is the clinical arm of the University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Optometry.

By Ranjit Kaur, OD, 2020 Family Practice Resident 

The pandemic took a hard grip on the healthcare system, including Optometry. The last few months introduced us to challenges we were not quite prepared for as a healthcare system, and Doctors of Optometry have stood strong in response to the COVID-19 crisis. We focused on providing urgent and emergent care to our patients to reduce the burden on emergency departments, incorporating telemedicine into the practice in order to reduce exposure risk to the more vulnerable patients, and adopting a virtual clinical education platform for our students learning from home.

By UAB Eye Care Pediatric Optometry Services

As schools choose virtual learning and device-based instruction to enhance the education of children, the eyes are an important consideration. Below are facts, impacts, and recommendations for schools, teachers, and parents.  

The Centers for Disease Control recommends people avoid touching their eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands to help prevent spreading germs during the COVID-19 pandemic.

But what about those who wear prescription contacts and glasses? Are there added risks to touching your eyes during a pandemic like COVID-19? Ophthalmologists and optometrists from the University of Alabama at Birmingham provide answers to help you in your decision-making.

Read more on UAB News

UAB Eye Care, the clinical arm of the UAB School of Optometry, has introduced telehealth eye care. The new service is in response to the COVID-19 outbreak and allows patients to receive eye care without leaving home. 

By Tyra Rocker

At one time, extreme dry eye disease and blurred vision affected Laura Well’s quality of life. Now the UAB Eye Care patient has gotten relief with the help of scleral lenses.

Contact lenses are an easy, safe and visually appealing way for millions of people to correct their vision. Many do not think twice about putting the thin, clear lens on their eye.

But do you know how to properly care for your contact lenses?

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Myopia, which means nearsightedness, comes from two Greek words meaning “close” and “eyes,” probably from the squinting that myopic patients do in order to see better.

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By Savannah Koplon

The University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Optometry’s Pediatric Optometry Service, in partnership with the UAB Department of Ophthalmology, and a pediatric optometrist have been recognized by the Pediatric Eye Disease Investigator Group (PEDIG), a collaborative network supported by the National Eye Institute and dedicated to facilitating multi-institutional clinical research in eye disorders that affect children.

With the beginning of summer come hot, bright and sunny days when you will most definitely find yourself in need of adequate eye protection. But how can you find the best sunglasses with so many options to choose from?

By Savannah Koplon

Optometrists and ophthalmologists worked with lead medical personnel from UAB Athletics to develop a special visor to compensate for light sensitivity and worked to modify AHSAA restrictions that prohibited tinted visors or other apparatuses in competition.  

By AJ Stephens

UAB Eye Care was named the 2019 Outstanding Student Affairs Partner for their collaborative work with UAB Student Health Services.

By Savannah Koplon

To help combat the adverse effects that constant computer usage has on a person’s overall eyesight and vision, the University of Alabama School of Optometry has launched a new specialty clinic. The Vision in the Environment and Workplace Clinic, located in UAB Eye Care, can help those who work in front of a computer with vision wellness, ergonomics and overall eye safety.

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UAB Eye Care, the clinical arm of the UAB School of Optometry, is now accepting patients in their new specialty clinic called ViEW – Vision in the Environment and Workplace. The ViEW Clinic focuses on vision wellness, ergonomics and eye safety.

Dr. Kim Duong recently began treating UAB Eye Care’s first Orthokeratology patient in our new Myopia Control Clinic. The patient’s mother learned about the treatment’s availability at UAB and drives from Auburn for appointments. The goal is to increase the number UAB Eye Care patients needing the treatment in part through referrals from pediatricians and other optometrists. Duong said that many parents don’t think young children can manage contact lenses. After one visit, this patient already takes the lenses in and out with ease.

UAB Eye Care to Host Annual Fall Eyewear Trunk Show

Friday, Oct. 20, 2017
9 am - 4 pm

When the waiting list for an appointment at the Vision Therapy Clinic at UAB Eye Care reached nearly 50 patients, it was clear that more space was needed, recalls Kristine Hopkins, O.D., M.S.P.H., associate professor at the UAB School of Optometry.

The clinical service had outgrown the space used to provide weekly care for about 36 patients—mostly children—with conditions that affect eye teaming, visual tracking and focusing.

UAB School of Optometry & Sight Savers America: An invaluable partnership to Alabama’s Children

Shared with permission by: Nicole Williams & Jeff Haddox (Sight Savers America)

Sight Savers America (SSA) and the UAB School of Optometry (UABSO) have been partners for more than 17 years. The joint collaboration between SSA and UABSO coordinates and provides the following eye care services for children: eye examinations, eyeglasses, specialty glasses, vision therapy, low vision evaluations, electronic video magnifiers, optical vision aids, other treatments and referrals for surgery, and other ophthalmological services.