UAB School of Optometry

06/16/2026

Edmund Arthur, OD, PhD, FAAO, has been awarded a National Institutes of Health (NIH) R56 grant to advance the development of widely available and cost-effective methods for the early detection of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) using the retina. The study will be conducted in partnership with the University of Alabama at Birmingham’s Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center and supports the potential for AD to one day be detected during a routine comprehensive eye examination.

“The retina provides a uniquely accessible and noninvasive window into the brain for early detection and longitudinal monitoring of AD,” Arthur said. “Importantly, many older adults already undergo regular eye examinations that include retinal imaging techniques such as spectral-domain optical coherence tomography, which enhances the feasibility of integrating this approach into routine clinical care.”

Edmund Arthur, OD, PhD, FAAO, has been awarded a National Institutes of Health (NIH) R56 grant to advance the development of widely available and cost-effective methods for the early detection of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) using the retina. The study will be conducted in partnership with the Univers...

06/06/2026

“Because UAB Eye Care takes care of vision in our student-athletes, I got to meet Trey when he first got to UAB,” Dr. Kathy Weise said. “I adored him immediately. I learned quickly that he is very dedicated to family, to giving back to his community and to his faith.”

Did you know? Before stepping onto an NBA court with the New York Knicks, Trey Jemison III’s eye care journey began at UAB.

Read the story: https://www.uab.edu/medicine/news/family-community-medicine/from-uab-to-the-nba-trey-jemison-iiis-commitment-to-eye-safety-in-sport

06/04/2026

Day one is officially in the books! The Class of 2029 stepped in to clinic recently at UAB Eye Care, marking the start of their hands-on journey in optometry. Students had the opportunity to translate classroom lessons into action and begin building the skills that will define their careers. We’re so proud of this group!

05/28/2026

Meet Malia McDowell, Class of 2026, the first recipient of the Alabama Optometric Rural Service Scholarship. She will receive $134,000 to help bring critical eye care services to Chambers County, where access is limited and the need is high.

From early volunteer work to leading vision screenings and serving as an Albert Schweitzer Fellow, McDowell has long been committed to serving underserved communities.

“Receiving the scholarship didn’t make our decision; it confirmed it,” she said.

This scholarship is helping expand access to care where it’s needed most.

Malia McDowell, Class of 2026, is the first recipient of the Rural Optometry Scholarship, receiving $134,000 to practice in an underserved rural community in Alabama.

05/27/2026

Congratulations to Sadhana Sharmam, OD, VSGP PhD candidate, on earning the Members-in-Training Outstanding Poster Competition Award in Visual Neuroscience at the Association for Research and Vision in Ophthalmology (ARVO) Annual Meeting in Denver, Colorado.

Her poster, “Cortical Evidence for a Koniocellular Binocular Deficit in Experimental Glaucoma,” rose to the top among first-author presenters across the conference. After advancing as one of just 16 section winners, her work stood out in a highly competitive, judged showcase of the top abstracts in each category—ultimately earning first place.

05/21/2026

Congratulations to Kyle Pierre, OD, Class of 2026, on receiving the Beta Sigma Kappa International Optometric Honor Society Silver Medal, an honor that recognizes him as this year’s valedictorian. 🎓️

Kyle’s dedication to excellence and passion for patient care have set him apart throughout his journey. Reflecting on the moment, he shared that he is “extremely humbled and grateful,” giving credit to God’s faithfulness and acknowledging the strong support of his family, professors, and classmates who helped shape his success.

We are proud to share that he will remain part of the UAB family as he begins a pediatric optometry residency at the school, seeing patients at UAB Eye Care.

05/15/2026

It’s only been a week, but the halls of UAB Optometry already feel a little quieter without the Class of 2026. From white coat ceremonies their first nervous patient encounter and finally graduation,  we had a front row seat to your incredible growth, and what a privilege it has been.

The Class of 2026 brought dedication, heart, and a spirit of excellence to everything they touched. You challenged yourselves, supported one another, and rose to every occasion. Now, you step forward as Doctors of Optometry ready to change lives, one patient at a time.

We are so proud of each and every one of you, and we will miss you more than words can express. UAB Optometry will always be your home. Congratulations, Class of 2026. 🎓💚

05/08/2026

Congratulations to the Class of 2026! 🎓

04/30/2026

Congratulations to our Vision Science Graduate Program students! Two VSGP doctoral students attended UAB's Doctoral Hooding Ceremony on Saturday: Keyur Savla, OD, PhD, also a graduate of our Advanced International Optometry Degree Program, and Esther Nutifafa Anuwa‑Amarh, OD, PhD.

Dr. Savla successfully defended his dissertation titled, “Optical Characterization of Multifocal Contact Lenses Used for Myopia Control.” Dr. Anuwa‑Amarh also successfully defended her dissertation, “Complement of Meibomian Gland Dysfunction in Sjögren’s Disease Dry Eye.” Some of their doctoral thesis committee members were on hand to provide support.

Congratulations to Dr. Savla and Dr. Anuwa‑Amarh on these outstanding achievements!

04/25/2026

Abubakar Sadik Mohammed, OD, doctoral student, received the Graduate Student Leader Award at the 2026 UAB Student Excellence Awards. As president of the UAB Science Policy Advocacy Network, Dr. Mohammed has demonstrated exceptional leadership and a strong commitment to advocacy and student engagement. Join us in congratulating Sadik this well‑deserved honor!