UTMB Health Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences (OVS) Alumni Association

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?

12/03/2025

11/20/2025

We are back from Belize!
Dr. Phillip Keys (PGY2) and Dr. Misha Syed (glaucoma faculty) spent a week in Belize providing ophthalmic care. We are humbled to be able to provide care to this community and are excited to restart our global initiatives! 👁️🌎

10/25/2025

An incredibly weekend at AAO 🤩 Our senior class had a great time learning, connecting, presenting, and adventuring! They came home inspired by the wealth of knowledge and the environment of curiosity in Orlando 🤓🎡🎢

In their seniors absence, the PGY3s stepped up to take on a day of cataract surgery and glaucoma clinic!

10/24/2025

While attending the AAO meeting, Dr. Loucks, OVS Residency Director and Residency Program Manager, Briana, visited the VA facility where our residents shine during their external clinical rotation. We’re so proud of our program and partnerships that support outstanding training!

During their visit, they toured the clinic and surgical center, met with staff.

They participated in a “A Day in the Life of a Resident,” offering valuable insights into the program experience. Briana Gapsis serves as the Site-Director, with Dr. Naazli Shakh also contributing to the team as a faculty member.

10/24/2025

UTMB Ophthalmology held its annual AAO Alumni Reception in Orlando, bringing together current residents, faculty, post-fellows, and alumni from across the nation. The evening provided a wonderful opportunity to network, reconnect, and celebrate shared accomplishments within the Ophthalmology community.

10/15/2025

Discover the power of vision in athletic performance! Join Dr. Andrew Lee and a panel of collegiate athletes for an insightful discussion on how vision impacts success in sports.

📅 November 12, 2025
🕕 6:00 PM
📍 Virtual or in-person at Maggiano’s Little Italy Memorial, Houston, TX

Don’t miss this inspiring evening of expertise, experience, and athletic excellence. Register today at https://bit.ly/2025VisionInSports