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.

By AJ Stephens

Kelly Nichols, OD, MPH, PhD, FAAO, dean of the UAB School of Optometry, was named the 2019 Donald R. Korb Award recipient. This award is given by the American Optometric Association (AOA) Contact Lens and Cornea Section in recognition of an individual who has been a true innovator and leader in the field of contact lenses and anterior segment disease.

Andrew Pucker, O.D., Ph.D., assistant professor in the University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Optometry, has been recognized with the Irvin M. and Beatrice Borish Award as an outstanding young scientist from the American Academy of Optometry.

Monica Kennedy, OD, started wearing glasses when she was in middle school and the ride home with her first pair of glasses was the beginning of a life-changing experience. She could see the leaves on the trees and blades of grass on the ground that were no longer meshes of green.

By Tyra Rocker

After 42 years of service, James Marbourg, O.D., announced his retirement from the UAB School of Optometry.

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.