By Satina Richardson

Caroline Pate, OD, FAAO, associate professor and director of residency programs at the UAB School of Optometry, has been named the 2019 Optometric Educator of the Year by the Alabama Optometric Association (ALOA).

Andrew D. Pucker, OD, PhD, FAAO, FSLS, UAB School of Optometry assistant professor, recently earned his Diplomate in the Section on Cornea, Contact Lenses and Refractive Technologies from the American Academy of Optometry (AAO).

By Rasika (Khatu) Whitesell, OD, Class of 2013

Currently, I am practicing in Wilmington, NC, with Myeyedr. I have two small boys, ages 2.5 years and 9 months old. Also, I recently completed the NC Optometry leadership program and served as secretary of my local optometry society in 2016-2017. I have loved getting involved with the leadership side of optometry and look forward to becoming more involved in the future.

I graduated from the UAB School of Optometry in 2013, but it seems like just yesterday that I was walking the halls of the Henry B. Peters Building cramming for my next exam. There are so many things I have learned after graduation that one cannot put into words until you experience it for yourself. I will be sharing some tips with you on what I have learned after graduation. 

An R01 grant awarded to Lei Liu, PhD, FAAO, UAB School of Optometry associate professor, by the National Eye Institute/National Institutes of Health, will study the use of virtual reality and intelligent tutoring to make low vision rehabilitation more accessible and affordable.

Adam Gordon, OD, MPH, FAAO, has been named the Department of Optometry and Vision Science Chair. He is the second person to hold the position, which is now appointed by the Dean after faculty input.

Dr. Rob Pate is the husband of Dana Pate and father of 5 kids, Claire, Ellie, Jenna, James and John. He practices optometry at Basden Eye Care in Auburn, AL. He is the Immediate Past President of the Alabama Optometric Association, Legislative Committee Co-chair, SECO Board of Trustees, Auburn Community Church Elder and UABSO Alumni Association Board of Directors. Dr. Pate also enjoys participating in Auburn athletics. He is the Auburn University Athletics Team Optometrist, Columnist and host a Radio Show discussing Auburn athletics. He is also a member of Auburn Football Lettermen Club Board of Directors, Auburn Parks and Recreation and Football Board of Directors.

The University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Optometry (UABSO) has launched a student exchange program with the University of South Wales School of Optometry and Vision Science (UNSW). Two UAB optometry students will have eight-week externships in the UNSW clinic, while four UNSW students will be hosted in four-week clinical rotations at UAB Eye Care, UABSO’s clinical arm.

The Board of Trustees of the University of Alabama System approved the appointment of Narayana Sthanam, PhD, as Professor Emeritus in the Department of Optometry and Vision Science.

Marina Gorbatyuk, PhD, associate professor of vision science, has been awarded a National Institutes of Health $297,000 R21 grant to study an animal model for the treatment of diabetic retinopathy and improve the sight of patients with the condition.

Amy Henderson, OD, and Brian Roberts, OD, have joined the UAB School of Optometry as assistant professors.

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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Mark Swanson, OD, professor at the UAB School of Optometry, has been selected to serve on the Association of Schools and Colleges of Optometry’s (ASCO) Audit Committee for the 2019-2020 program year. This committee helps with the proactive oversight of the association’s financial and compliance reporting process, the external audit process and financial controls.

This fall, the University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Optometry (UABSO) proudly celebrates its 50th anniversary, a tremendous milestone that cements the school’s legacy as one of the premier programs in the nation.

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 Tyra Rocker

Andrew May, OD, and Barrett Martin, OD, of Johnson Optometric Associates (JOA) add a little flair to their clinic and the optometry business by making and sharing parody music videos on YouTube.

Dr. Roberts is a graduate of Nova Southeastern University with a Bachelor’s in Vision Science and a Doctorate of Optometry. Since then, he completed a residency at Nova in Primary Eye Care with an emphasis in Pediatrics and Binocular Vision. He is one of our newest assistant professors and also sees patients and works with students in Pediatrics, Specialty Clinic Peds-Neuro, Primary Care, and serves on the admissions committee.

By AJ Stephens

 This year at the 2019 National Optometric Association (NOA) National Convention, five UAB School of Optometry students and alumni were awarded scholarships, honored and elected to leadership positions for the National Optometric Student Association (NOSA).

By AJ Stephens

 Keshia Elder, OD, MS, FAAO, associate professor at the UAB School of Optometry, has been appointed as an associate editor for the journal Optometric Education by the Association of Schools and Colleges of Optometry (ASCO).

Degree Awarded: O.D.

Graduation Year: 2016

Update: I purchased an established private practice in Albertville, Alabama in August 2017 from Dr. Randall Hoerth, who has since retired. We have a diverse patient base that allows me to see all ages, manage a variety of eye disease, co-manage with specialists as well as fit specialty contacts. In the spring of this year I added a partner, Dr. Katie Greer (UABSO '17) and opened a second office in Guntersville on July 2nd.