From UAB to the NBA: Former Blazer’s Shows His Commitment to Eye Safety
By Tanner Burckhard | UAB News Before stepping onto an NBA court with the New York Knicks, Trey Jemison III’s eye care journey began at the University of Alabama at Birmingham. As a student-athlete, he received care from optometrist Kathy Weise, O.D., assistant professor in the UAB School of Optometry. Weise, who works closely with the […]
Black News 
By Tanner Burckhard | UAB News
Before stepping onto an NBA court with the New York Knicks, Trey Jemison III’s eye care journey began at the University of Alabama at Birmingham. As a student-athlete, he received care from optometrist Kathy Weise, O.D., assistant professor in the UAB School of Optometry. Weise, who works closely with the UAB Sports and Exercise Medicine team, recalls first meeting Jemison when he arrived on campus needing updated contact lenses and glasses.
“Because UAB Eye Care takes care of vision in our student-athletes, I got to meet Trey when he first got to UAB,” Weise said. “I adored him immediately. I learned quickly that he is very dedicated to family, to giving back to his community and to his faith.”
Jemison has navigated myopia, or nearsightedness, since childhood. Myopia is a condition that often progresses as the eye grows. As the eyeball lengthens, the retina stretches and can become thinner, increasing the risk for retinal holes or a detached retina. During his time at UAB, Weise and colleague Mark Swanson, O.D., identified areas of retinal thinning and small holes on Jemison’s eyes. At the time, his condition did not require protective eyewear during play; but they gave him strict guidance to report any eye contact immediately due to the elevated risk of retinal detachment.
Jemison will become the first former UAB Blazer to appear on an NBA finals roster.
According to the American Academy of Ophthalmology, current research shows that basketball is the leading cause of sport-related eye injuries in the United States. Sport-related eye injuries have risen by 33 percent in the past year.
“I learned about good eye health and good eye safety when I was a student-athlete at UAB,” Jemison said. “I know when you see, you play better. And I know that protecting my eyes helps me play hard for my team.”
Jemison carried sport safety into his professional basketball career. After entering the NBA, he remained in communication with his care team at UAB following multiple finger contact incidents to the eye. After the second incident, evaluations confirmed that the repeated contact exposure had increased his risk of retinal detachment. In coordination with his eye care providers in New York City, UAB Eye Care recommended that he wear protective eyewear consistently during play.
“The doctors agreed that the risk had gone up enough that he should wear his specs whenever he plays,” Weise said. “That’s when he started looking even more cool. He wears them to prevent any fingers flying into his eyes, to keep them as safe as possible.”
Now every time Jemison steps onto the court wearing his protective eyewear, it represents both vision and prevention. His experience sends a message that eye injuries in sports are preventable and early evaluation paired with ongoing check-ins can make a difference.
