Austin-based veterinary ophthalmologist Audrey Yu-Speight, DVM, of the Veterinary Eye Center recently received the 2016 Texas Academy of Veterinary Practice (TAVP) Clinical Referral and Consultation Award. TAVP is the continuing education-focused sister organization of the Texas Veterinary Medical Association (TVMA), and the Clinical Referral and Consultation Award is given each year to a member of the veterinary referral community. Dr. Yu-Speight was presented with the award at the TVMA Annual Conference on March 5. "I'm very grateful," Dr. Yu-Speight said. "It's always a compliment when TVMA chooses to honor something that you do, especially because you do it because you love it. You're not doing it for an award." Yu-Speight graduated from the Texas A&M University College of Veterinary Medicine in 1999 and honed her specialty in ophthalmology through a residency at Cornell University. In Dr. Yu-Speight founded, equipped, staffed and developed Veterinary Eye Center, a veterinary ophthalmology practice in Austin that serves clients and patients throughout Texas and in neighboring states. Yu-Speight and the team of six that she manages help treat a variety of eye diseases. "We veterinarians are so blessed that we get that constant joy of making an animal better," Yu-Speight said. "That's what keeps you going." In 2015, she handled about 1,070 referral cases. In addition to her practice, she provides continuing education lectures to local and regional practices and multi-specialty hospitals. She also participates in the American College of Veterinary Ophthalmologists' annual service animal event, which provides free eye exams to service animals each year. Each year, the members of the Texas Veterinary Medical Association gather at the Annual Conference to participate in veterinary continuing education and to recognize those in the veterinary field who have excelled throughout the year. These awards, for categories such as Equine Practitioner of the Year and Veterinary Technician of the Year, recognize and encourage outstanding practice and exemplary service in the field of veterinary medicine.
