The International Association of Contact Lens Educators (IACLE) have recognised the achievements of contact lens educators from six countries in the 2020 IACLE Awards. All award winners will receive a bursary of up to US$3,000 towards the cost of attending a major international meeting where they will receive their certificates.
The 2020 IACLE Contact Lens Educators of the Year Award, sponsored by CooperVision and supported by the American Academy of Optometry, are presented to an individual from each of IACLE’s global regions – The Americas, Asia Pacific, Europe/Africa-Middle East.
It is our duty to continue studying in order to better serve our patients
The 2020 recipients of the IACLE Contact Lens Educators of the Year Award are:
- Professor Renée Reeder from the University of Pikeville Kentucky College of Optometry, USA,
- Professor Bariah Mohd Ali from the Unviersiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, and
- Jo Underwood from the Association of British Dispensing Opticias (ABDO) College, Godmersham, UK.
Professor Reeder said receiving the award is an honour and, “I am so thankful to know that I have colleagues all over the world with the same struggles who are always willing to share and help. I hope that I can serve as a resource for them as well”.
The IACLE Travel Awards enable IACLE members to attend international contact lens meetings funded by IACLE industry sponsors and supported by the Association of Optometric Contact Lens Educators and the American Academy of Optometry.
The 2020 recipients of the IACLE Travel Awards are:
- Dr Elizabeth Chetty from the Univeristy of Johannesburg, South Africa. Dr Chetty will attend the 2021 Association of Optometric Contact Lens Educators (AOCLE) Annual Workshop, with kind support from AOCLE,
- Professor Martín Guzmán from the Universidad Nacional Experimental Romulo Gallegos, Zaraza, Venezuela, and
- Associate Professor Nirav Mehta frp, Hari Jyot College of Optometry, Navsari, India.
Professor Guzmán said he feels privileged to receive the award given the current world health crisis and the potential for invaluable contribution that lays ahead. “It is our duty to continue studying in order to better serve our patients,” he said.
Dr Shehzad Naroo, IACLE President, congratulated this year’s winners and thanked the sponsors and supporters. All meetings to be attended by the award winners will be confirmed after the COVID-19 crisis.
