First year students Kimberly Martocci and Samantha Chapman spent their spring break accompanying a group of dental students to provide dental and eye care to people living in the Dominican Republic.

Kelly K. Nichols, OD, MPH, PhD, FAAO, UAB School of Optometry dean, was awarded the Dr. Frank Fontana Career Achievement Award at the 2022 Southeastern Congress of Optometry (SECO). 

The award is named after Dr. Frank Fontana, the first optometrist to receive the lifetime achievement award from Review of Optometry in 2014. Lovingly known by many as “Uncle Frank,” Fontana had a remarkable 70-year career and left an indelible imprint on the profession. He was a friend and mentor to many for generations and passed away at the age of 96 years.

by Janene Sims, OD, PhD, FAAO

For Women’s History Month we would like to recognize three female optometrists who were pioneers of the profession in the state of Alabama. All three of these women were business owners. Two were graduates of the UAB School of Optometry, while the other completed her degree at the Indiana University School of Optometry. Who are these accomplished women?

The University of Alabama System Board of Trustees has approved Kent Keyser, PhD, as professor emeritus in the Department of Optometry and Vision Science.

The UAB School of Optometry has welcomed Edmund Arthur, OD, PhD, FAAO, as an assistant professor, tenure-track. Arthur’s research interests pertain to diabetes and dementia, two public health crises in the United States that are associated with huge health-care related costs and societal burden. 

by Satina Richardson

A new residency in ocular disease with an emphasis in refractive and ocular surgery is available through the UAB School of Optometry. Based at the Eye Center of Texas in Houston with four positions available, the program affiliation begins in June 2022 and is accredited by the Accreditation Council on Optometric Education.

The UAB School of Optometry’s (UABSO) chapter of the National Optometric Student Association (NOSA) has won the 2022 President’s Diversity Champion award given by UAB's Office of the President and the Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion. Established in 2006, the annual award recognizes employees, students and organizations that have helped create a more culturally diverse, inclusive university community through their achievements.

by Satina Richardson

Paris Mullins, Jr., OD, class of 1985, opened his practice in May of 1986 and was the single doctor until May of 2021 when his son Nic Mullins, OD, class of 2021, joined him as a partner at the practice. In honor of their shared alma mater and new partnership, Magnolia Place Eyecare’s logo is fashioned after the legacy pins they received at Nic’s graduation from the UAB School of Optometry.

by Satina Richardson

A gift from CooperVision will advance the study of myopia management and contact lenses at the UAB School of Optometry by endowing a faculty scholar position and providing scholarships to students earning OD/MS dual degrees or practicing optometrists pursuing doctorates in vision science. 

by Satina Richardson

Will Mann, a first year optometry student at UAB, plans to be an advocate for his profession when he becomes a practicing optometrist. He took his first step towards this goal by becoming an American Optometric Student Association (AOSA) trustee-elect.

by Caleb Jones

Demetric Jones and Smit Patel, Class of 2025, have been elected as representatives for the Diversify Optometry Program (DOP). Jones will represent the program for the UAB School of Optometry's chapter of the National Optometric Student Association (NOSA), and Patel will represent the program for the School's chapter of the American Optometric Student Association (AOSA).

by Caleb Jones

For Black History Month, the UAB School of Optometry profiled Black people who have made significant contributions to optometry and vision science. Dr. Rhea Magee, the first Black pediatric resident at UABSO, was recognized. Here, she discusses why she chose to complete her residency at the School, her passion for pediatric optometry, and what Black History Month means to her.

by Caleb Jones

Katherine Weise, OD, MBA, FAAO, director of the Pediatric Optometry Service at UAB Eye Care, was selected from among hundreds of optometrists and ophthalmologists from the Pediatric Eye Disease Investigator Group (PEDIG) to serve as co-chair of the international research network, effective January 2024. The appointment lasts for five years.

by Satina Richardson

Alabama Appleseed Center for Law and Justice’s legal work celebrates second chances for incarcerated men ages 50-plus and getting a new lease on life after decades of incarceration for offenses without physical injury. A partnership with UAB Eye Care is eliminating the barrier of access to eye and vision care for those preparing to reenter society when people their age are typically preparing to leave the workforce.

Adam Sauls, class of 2023, has been elected to serve as treasurer on the 2022-2023 AOSA Executive Council. The Wendell, NC, native previously served as the first year representative for the UAB chapter, then trustee-elect for the AOSA Board of Trustees, then as a trustee. 

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

The education students receive at the UAB School of Optometry ex­tends beyond subjects related to op­tometry and vision science. It includes educational opportunities that will produce graduates who are prepared to build doctor-patient relationships that can yield better outcomes and decrease healthcare disparities.

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

Eye and vision care are vital to maintaining your health and wellness. Comprehensive eye exams are recom­mended at all stages in life and millions of people benefit yearly from the services offered by optometrists. Despite the logistical obstacles COVID has posed to eye care pro­fessionals, the reality is that people need comprehensive eye care to live healthy lives. That’s why at Community Eye Care (CEC), the goal has remained clear: provide quality eye care to the uninsured and underinsured.