UTMB Health Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences (OVS) Alumni Association

04/27/2026

UTMB Health’s Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences (OVS) is expanding, and we are excited to recruit a Cornea Specialist to join our exceptional faculty team in Galveston, Texas.

As one of the first academic ophthalmology groups established in the Southwest, UTMB OVS has a proud tradition of excellence in patient care, education, and research. Our department includes a strong team of comprehensive eye care physicians and subspecialists in pediatrics, cornea, glaucoma, retina, uveitis, neuro-ophthalmology, and oculoplastics. With annual patient volumes exceeding 55,000 visits and more than 3,300 surgeries, this is an outstanding opportunity to join a busy, collaborative practice supported by four state-of-the-art Eye Centers across Galveston County.

We are seeking a highly motivated Cornea Specialist to help meet the growing patient care needs of one of Texas’s rapidly expanding regions while contributing to our academic mission.

If you or someone in your network may be interested, please see the attached posting for full details and contact information.

04/27/2026

UTMB Health’s Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences is growing, and we are excited to recruit an Oculoplastic Surgeon to join our outstanding faculty team in Galveston, Texas.

As one of the oldest ophthalmology departments in the Southwest, UTMB OVS has a longstanding tradition of excellence in patient care, education, and service. We proudly serve Southern Harris County and Galveston County through four clinic locations, providing comprehensive eye care supported by a strong team of subspecialists in pediatrics, cornea, glaucoma, retina, uveitis, neuro-ophthalmology, and oculoplastics.

This is an excellent opportunity for a motivated surgeon to join a collaborative academic environment and help meet the growing demand for specialized eye care in one of Texas’s fastest-growing regions.

If you or someone in your network may be interested, please see the attached posting for full details and contact information.

04/23/2026

04/07/2026

We are proud to share that, in recognition of her hard work and dedication to the UTMB Ophthalmology Residency and Retina Fellowship programs, Briana Soto Uribe has been promoted to Program Manager. 👏

In this expanded role, Briana will continue supporting the residency program while taking on greater leadership in program operations, strategic planning, and accreditation oversight. Her work will further enhance resident education, streamline processes, and strengthen collaboration across our faculty, trainees, and partners.

Briana’s commitment to excellence has made a lasting impact on our programs, and this promotion is a true reflection of her contributions.

Please join us in congratulating Briana on this well-deserved achievement!

04/02/2026

We’re proud to share a recent feature highlighting the impactful work of Dr. Aishat Adebayo and the difference cataract surgery continues to make in our patients’ lives. This story and accompanying video offer a meaningful look at how advances in ophthalmology are restoring vision and improving quality of life every day.

It’s always inspiring to see the dedication of our faculty and the continued strength of our program reflected in patient care, education, and innovation.

We invite you to take a moment to read and watch—and to celebrate the work being done across our community.

https://nam11.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.utmbhealth.com%2Fhealth-blog%2Farticle%2Fhealth-blog%2F2026%2F03%2F27%2Fseeing-clearly-again--it-may-be-time-to-consider-cataract-surgery&data=05%7C02%7Cccwoodwa%40UTMB.EDU%7Ca1d2e7becc3945e515ff08de90c9b557%7C7bef256d85db4526a72d31aea2546852%7C0%7C0%7C639107393520854798%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=UULsdg98ylD2gBSY9pNX%2FJsuJR%2F%2BrZ0C%2FK0lOYDadJo%3D&reserved=0

03/15/2026

Officially done with OKAP 2026! Congratulations to this brilliant group of eye enthusiasts! We enjoyed a beautiful day admiring the beauty of the island at our program directors home. Thank you for hosting us Dr. Loucks 🌊☀️⛱️🏝️

03/03/2026

Today we recognize and celebrate Dr. Kevin Merkley on his retirement from UTMB. His leadership, dedication, and commitment to excellence have left a lasting impact on our department and clinical staff, our trainees, and the patients we serve. We are deeply grateful for his years of service and wish him the very best in this next chapter.

At the same time, we welcome Dr. Fredericus van Kuijk as Interim Chair of the Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences. We look forward to his leadership and continued commitment to advancing our mission of education, research, and patient care.

Please join us in congratulating Dr. Merkley and welcoming Dr. van Kuijk into his new role!

02/14/2026

Aesthetics wet lab! Thank you Dr. Thompson for your guidance! Our residents really do look younger every year 😉🧐

01/30/2026

It’s our favorite day of the year!!! Happy match day to all who celebrate 🥳
We’ve got our sights set on 2030 today and are excited to introduce you all to our incoming class!
Many congratulations to these four, we can’t wait to have you!

01/08/2026

We’re excited to introduce our LinkedIn page—another great way to stay connected with UTMB Ophthalmology & Visual Sciences! 💼👁️

Follow us for department updates as we continue to share the work happening across our program.

Be sure to follow us on Instagram too: 📸✨
https://www.instagram.com/utmbeyeland/

We’re excited to connect with our community! Follow UTMB Ophthalmology & Visual Sciences across our social media platforms for resident education, team spotlights, community outreach, optical shop promotions, and department updates. Our Instagram page is focused on resident education, don’t miss...

12/17/2025

UTMB ophthalmology is very proud to announce this year’s fellowship match! We are thrilled to see these stars succeed and can’t wait to see all they will accomplish after graduation! 👏🏽🎉🎊

Is it possible to miss them already?