Kelly K. Nichols received her Doctor of Optometry degree from the University of California at Berkeley, completed a residency in ocular disease at Omni Eye Specialists of Colorado, and earned her MPH in biostatistics and PhD in vision science at Ohio State University. In 2014, Dr. Nichols was named Dean of the University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Optometry. Prior to that appointment, Dr. Nichols was a professor at the University of Houston, College of Optometry, where she co-founded and served as Executive Director for the Ocular Surface Institute, a translational research institute focused on bench-to-bedside research on ocular surface conditions.
Earlier, Dr. Nichols was faculty at the Ohio State University College of Optometry. She has served extensively on the executive board and for the Tear Film and Ocular Surface Society, steering committees (DEWS, DEWS II, Contact Lens Discomfort, and MGD workshops), and is a member of the most recent global workshop “A Lifestyle Epidemic: Ocular Surface Disease.” A leading expert in dry eye disease, Dr. Nichols serves on the editorial board and The Ocular Surface and Menopause and is extensively published. In addition to her current role as Treasurer of the Alliance for Vision Research, Dr. Nichols is also past President of the Association of Schools and Colleges of Optometry.
