The UAB School of Optometry (UABSO) was established by the Alabama legislature in 1969 and admitted its first class of eight students on September 27, 1969. The School’s first Doctor of Optometry (O.D.) degrees were awarded on June 4, 1973. Since that time, the School has grown to include graduate degrees (M.S., Ph.D.) in Vision Science and post-doctoral residency education. However, the optometry classes still average only 40 – 45 students. This makes us one of the smaller optometry schools in the country – a fact that we feel benefits the educational experience of our students.
UABSO has a world-class reputation for educating optometrists and vision scientists. Our faculty is among the best known in the country through their lectures, research and publications including many textbooks. Our students and faculty perform community service in multiple venues from local neighborhoods to third-world countries. Perhaps our best known service is the excellent patient care provided in the recently renovated clinic “UAB Eye Care,” a 34,000 square foot state-of-the-art facility that covers everything from primary eye care, including the dispensing of glasses and contacts, to the treatment of ocular disease, as well as low vision rehabilitation and pediatric vision care.
HPB 121, 1720 2nd Avenue South
Birmingham, Alabama35294-0010