Natalie Townsend, O.D., F.A.A.O., serves as the executive director of clinical services and associate director of emergency services at Bascom Palmer Eye Institute. In these roles she oversees the Institute’s clinical and emergency services at the Miami location, including the cataract and refractive programs, imaging, virtual care, sports vision and visual physiology.

An excellent optometrist, Dr. Townsend has provided patient care at Bascom Palmer since 2009. Over the years, she has served in many clinical initiatives including directing the sports vision program and founding the Institute’s Rapid Virtual Eye Care program. She also served as the optometric residency program director, and continues to provide clinical instruction and educational lectures to optometry and ophthalmology trainees.

Dr. Townsend earned her Doctor of Optometry degree from Indiana University School of Optometry and completed her ocular disease optometry residency at Bascom Palmer Eye Institute. She is a fellow of the American Academy of Optometry.