Forty Under 40: Margaret Gribble

Years of training paid off for Margaret Gribble when her husband’s job brought the couple to Northwest Arkansas in 2009.

Fresh from a fellowship in uveitis at the University of Illinois, the Chicago native was hired right away by The Eye Center.

Uveitis involves inflammatory,  in-fectious and autoimmune diseases of the eye.

The Eye Center was looking for a third partner to help handle the patient load, and she is the state’s only uveitis-trained ophthalmologist.

“It kind of fit both of us very well,” she said.

Majoring in chemical engineering  at Northwestern University in Evanston, Ill., Gribble decided she’d rather work with people than sit in an office all day.

“I felt like medicine would be a good mix of personal contact and staying on top of science and medical developments,” she said.

With surgery, procedures and office clinic time, ophthalmology offers plenty of variety.

“It’s also about quality of life for the patient,” she said, “because if you can improve their vision, you improve the quality of life so much.”

Besides starting a career, Gribble’s had three children in the last three years — a son and twin daughters.

She also donates clinical services to local fundraisers.

“Always challenge yourself,” she advises young professionals. “You can always do everything better than what you’re doing right now.”