Francis K Manuel, O.D.

Position

Optometrist
Ophthalmology-Departmental
Baylor College of Medicine
Houston, TX US

Address

Jamail Specialty Care Center - Alkek Eye Center (Clinic)
1977 Butler Blvd.
Houston, Texas 77030
United States
(713) 798-6100
Google Maps

Professional Statement

Dr Keith Manuel is a Diplomate, American Board of Optometry. In addition to private practice he holds Adjunct faculty and staff positions at University of Houston College of Optometry, University of Incarnate Word, Rosenberg School of Optometry and Baylor College of Medicine, Department of Ophthalmology. For 16 years Dr Manuel served as Senior Vision Consultant to NASA’s Johnson Space Center, Flight Medicine Clinic for optometric services to all astronauts and space related vision matters. In this capacity he coordinated all vision care for the astronaut corps as well as all eye related activities prior to, during and following over 100 space flights. He provided sentinel research in 1989 for NASA establishing the safety and efficacy of corneal contact lens use in the micro-gravity environment of space flight and subsequent to this year-long study he established and served as Chief of the Vision Services branch for NASA. He has served as co-investigator, collaborator and advisor on several multi-institutional NASA research projects evaluating the effects of micro-gravity in space flight on cataract formation, alterations in retinal and cerebral vascular blood flow as well as laser refractive surgery efficacy in space flight. He has authored numerous publications to include the ophthalmic chapter author in Principles of Clinical Medicine for Space Flight, now in it’s second printing. He is the founding member of a multi-disciplinary private practice that has served the Houston-Bay Area for over 30 years as well as providing an intern training site for the University of Houston College of Optometry. He has recently retired in the rank of Colonel following 28 years of service to the United States Air Force, Air Force Reserve and the Air National Guard. Among his many assignments he served as one of optometry’s first Medical Group Commanders and as Special Assistant to the Surgeon General of the Air Force advising on matters of policy, operations and utilization of Air National Guard assets worldwide.