UAB Connections strives to provide a combination of educational, social, and recreational activities for adults with various eye diseases (i.e., glaucoma, age-related macular degeneration, diabetic retinopathy, total blindness).

The UAB Department of Ophthalmology hit a major milestone in 2017. According to annual figures available through Blue Ridge Institute for Medical Research, the University of Alabama at Birmingham Department of Ophthalmology is ranked 6^th in the country in the amount of funding it receives from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) with over $7.9 million in NIH grant support during calendar year 2017.

Long recognized as a leader in groundbreaking research and innovative eye care, the UAB Department of Ophthalmology hit a major milestone in 2016, ranking in the top twenty of nationally ranked ophthalmology departments in the amount of funding it receives from the National Institutes of Health (NIH). With over $4.9 million in NIH annual funding for fiscal year 2016, the Department now ranks 17th, up from their 2013 ranking of 36th.

Christine A. Curcio, Ph.D., the White-McKee Endowed Professor of Ophthalmology at the University of Alabama at Birmingham Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, and Cynthia Owsley, Ph.D., MSPH, the Nathan E. Miles Chair of Ophthalmology, participated in the Classification of Atrophy working group in Baden-Baden, Germany on September 19, 2019.

Adults whose eyes are slow to adjust to the dark have a greater risk of developing age-related macular degeneration, according to new findings from the University of Alabama at Birmingham published online in Ophthalmology.

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Brian Austin Nykanen, a University of Alabama at Birmingham junior neuroscience major and a Cadet in the Army ROTC at UAB, is a finalist for the Truman Scholarship.

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Christopher Girkin, M.D., and Cynthia Owsley, Ph.D., of the UAB Department of Ophthalmology, along with Torrey DeKeyser, executive director of the EyeSight Foundation of Alabama, participated in a webinar on September 5, 2014, titled “How Our Eyes Age – The Impact on Everyday Life.” The webinar was hosted by Grantmakers in Aging, which is an organization that acts as a catalyst for philanthropy.

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The UAB Department of Ophthalmology held an extremely successful 2017 Annual Clinical and Research Symposium at the Westin in Birmingham during May 19-20, with nearly 100 attendees. This was the 18^th year of the symposium and included resident, faculty, and featured lectures on dry eye and ocular surface disorders, as well as uveitis and retina.

For the first time, UAB Ophthalmology has successfully combined their annual symposium with the department's graduation banquet that made for a weekend of learning, insight, and celebration.

In a significant expansion of its educational programs, the UAB Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences introduced a cornea fellowship for the 2023-2024 academic year. This one-year fellowship joins existing programs at UAB and in Birmingham in glaucoma, low vision, neuro-ophthalmology, retina and oculoplastic surgery, enriching the department’s offerings to aspiring ophthalmologists.

The Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences' Annual Symposium is set to take place Friday, April 14, 2023, at UAB Callahan Eye Hospital. This symposium features speakers from across the country, as well as research presentations from the department's many residency and fellowship programs. Lectures and events will be held on the third floor around the Smith Education Center, suite 300, with an optional social event at Top Golf after the conclusion of the symposium. Click here to register now.

The Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences' 26th Annual Research Symposium will take place on Friday, June 13, 2024, at the Birmingham Botanical Gardens' Garden Center. This full-day event will showcase cutting-edge research and clinical advancements in ophthalmology, featuring distinguished guest speakers from across the country. In addition to expert lectures, the symposium will highlight research presentations and posters from UAB Ophthalmology residents and fellows, offering a platform for emerging leaders in the field. Attendees will also engage in specialty-focused panel discussions and roundtable conversations covering key areas such as retina, uveitis, and glaucoma. This symposium provides a unique opportunity to exchange ideas, foster collaboration, and celebrate innovation in vision science.

The Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences' 25th Annual Symposium is set to take place Friday, June 14, 2024, at UAB Callahan Eye Hospital. This symposium features speakers from across the country, as well as research presentations from the department's many residency and fellowship programs. Lectures and events will be held on the third floor around the Smith Education Center, suite 300, with an optional social event at Top Golf after the conclusion of the symposium. Click here to register now.

According to the latest figures available through Blue Ridge Institute for Medical Research, the University of Alabama at Birmingham Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences is ranked No. 5 in the country in National Institutes of Health (NIH) research funding, with over $10.6 million in NIH grant support during fiscal year 2018. 

The Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences at the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) is proud to highlight the remarkable achievements of its residents and fellows in the field of ophthalmic research. Year-to-date in 2023, they have collectively published an impressive total of 16 unique articles in 14 different prestigious journals, showcasing the depth and breadth of their burgeoning expertise.

UAB Ophthalmology welcomes new faculty - Dr. Krupa Patel and Dr. Mehdi Tavakoli.

The UAB Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences welcomed 5 incoming residents from across the country.

Glaucoma is a silent disease. It does not hurt, symptoms are slow to develop, and most people do not notice any loss of vision until it is too late. A project by ophthalmologists at the University of Alabama at Birmingham will examine whether a partnership with community-based optometrists will improve detection and treatment of glaucoma, especially for high-risk populations.

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Two research projects from the UAB AMD Histopathology Laboratory, directed by Christine A. Curcio, Ph.D., were presented this week at the Deutsche Ophthalmologische Gesellschaft, which is the German equivalent of the American Academy of Ophthalmology.

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J. Crawford Downs, Ph.D., vice chair of Research in the University of Alabama at Birmingham Department of Ophthalmology, was awarded a three-year, $1.23 million grant from the National Eye Institute to explore intraocular pressure fluctuation as it relates to the development and progression of glaucoma, a potentially blinding disease that affects more than 2.2 million Americans.

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