
The work of Australian optometrist Professor Fiona Stapleton, Head of School of Optometry and Vision Science, UNSW Sydney, has been recognised with the awarding of the prestigious Glenn A. Fry Award from the American Academy of Optometry. Additionally, Professor Helen Swarbrick has received the Max Shapero Memorial Lecture Award, and Professor Kovin Naidoo, former CEO of Brien Holden Vision Institute was recognised with the Carel C. Koch Memorial Medal Award.
“Every nominee represents exactly what the American Academy of Optometry and the American Academy of Optometry Foundation hope to inspire in all of us,” Professor Donald O. Mutti, Awards Committee chair, said in a press release from the AAO.
Other awards were presented as follows:
Chris A. Johnson, PhD, DSc, FAAO, was awarded the Charles F. Prentice Medal and Lecture Award
Paul E. Berman, OD, FAAO, was posthumously awarded the AAO-Essilor Award for Outstanding International Contributions to Optometry
David B. Elliot, PhD, MCOptom, FAAO, received the William Feinbloom Award.
Dr. Akio Kanai, OD received the Brien Holden Humanitarian Award
Dr. Jacob A. Broff, Dr. Angeline Nguyen, Dr. Jenna L. Wayne, received The Julius F. Neumueller Award in Optics from the AAO Foundation
Dr. Tammy P. Than, was awarded the Vincent Ellerbrock Clinician Educator Award
Dr. Bernard J Dolan received the Eminent Service Award;
Dr. Patricia K. Hrynchack, OD, FAAO, was awarded the Michael G. Harris Family Award for Excellence in Optometric Education from the AAO Foundation.
Prof. Gregory L. Goodrich, Dr. Heidi M. Flyg, Dr. Jennine E. Kirby, Dr. Chea-Yo Chang, and Dr. Gary L. Martinsen, received the Garland W. Clay Award.
Dr. Jerome A. Legerton received the Founders’ Award — which recognises individuals who excel in cornea, contact lenses and refractive technologies.
Dr. Robert D. Newcomb was awarded the Henry B. Peters Award for Public Health and Environmental Vision.
The award recipients will be honoured during the AAO’s annual meeting — Academy 2018 — in San Antonio.
Glenn A. Fry Award
The Glenn A. Fry Lecture Award was established in 1970 and is sponsored by the American Academy of Optometry Foundation. The recipient need not be a Fellow of the Academy nor an optometrist. As recipient, professor Stapleton, who has expertise in contact lenses, ocular surface, will present a special lecture at the annual meeting of the American Academy of Optometry on his or her current research contributions. She will also be expected to submit a manuscript on that topic to Optometry and Vision Science.