Nominations Open for GSLS 2025 Awards
The GSLS is seeking nominations for its two awards that will be given out at the 2025 GSLS (Award of Excellence: https://bit.ly/3T5YAoc; Rising Star Award: https://bit.ly/3TaGstc).
GSLS Award of Excellence
The GSLS Award of Excellence was established in 2013. The award is given periodically by the GSLS Program Committee to a distinguished clinician, scholar, and/or scientist to recognize his or her lifelong achievements in the field of contact lenses, especially as they relate to specialty contact lenses. The award recognizes individuals for their contributions to the field of contact lenses, including development, practice, translation of knowledge and education, and scholarly activity, all of which moved the field forward in seminal ways.
GSLS Rising Star Award
The GSLS Rising Star Award recognizes an emerging leader in the field of cornea and contact lenses. The ideal candidate is within 10 years of receiving their degree or residency training and must demonstrate substantial contributions to the field beyond what might normally be expected in this early phase of one’s career.
Nominations should include the names, title/affiliation/contact information, and a summary (up to 500 words) of why the nominee should be considered for the GSLS Award of Excellence or Rising Star Award. A copy of the nominee’s curriculum vitae must also be included. All nominations, due by June 15, can be sent to GSLS Chair Jason Nichols, OD, MPH, PhD, at jason.nichols@broadcastmed.com.
Arcscan's Insight 100 Ophthalmic Ultrasound Imaging System Approved in China
ArcScan announced that the ArcScan Insight 100 has received National Medical Products Administration (NMPA) approval in China. The Insight 100 is designed to allow eye surgeons to more accurately determine the appropriate sizing of phakic IOLs for placement behind the iris for treatment of myopia. In addition to NMPA certification, The Arcscan Insight 100 has FDA clearance and CE Mark approval.
IACLE Opens Applications for Its 2024 Awards
The International Association of Contact Lens Educators (IACLE) is offering educators worldwide the chance to become an IACLE Contact Lens Educator of the Year and travel to the annual meeting of the American Academy of Optometry in Indianapolis on Nov. 6-9. The IACLE Contact Lens Educator of the Year title will be awarded to three individuals, one from each of IACLE's three global regions: Americas; Asia-Pacific; and Europe, the Middle East, and Africa.
These awards recognize achievements in contact lens education and are sponsored by CooperVision. The winners will each receive a bursary of up to $3,000 toward the cost of attending Academy 2024 Indianapolis this year and permission to use the title “2024 IACLE Contact Lens Educator of the Year” for their region.
The IACLE Contact Lens Educator Awards are open to all contact lens educators who have been IACLE members for at least three years. Applicants can either nominate themselves or be nominated by another member or IACLE staff. Educators must demonstrate how they impact their institutions and inspire their students to become future contact lens practitioners.
The IACLE Travel Awards are bursaries of up to $3,000, allowing IACLE members to attend a meeting on a national, regional, or international basis. The IACLE Travel Awards are sponsored by IACLE through the support of all IACLE’s sponsors (Alcon, CooperVision, Johnson & Johnson Vision, Bausch + Lomb, Ophtecs, Menicon, and Euclid).
The deadline for entries for the 2024 awards is midnight (EST) on May 24. Entries for the IACLE Contact Lens Educator of the Year Award must be submitted using the application form here. To nominate a fellow educator for this award, entries must be submitted using the form here. Entries for the IACLE Travel Award must be submitted here.
Proposed Bipartisan Legislation to Address Children's Vision and Eye Health
The Early Detection of Vision Impairments in Children (EDVI) Act, introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives seeks to establish grants for states and communities to improve children’s vision and eye health through coordinated systems of care. It is a bipartisan proposal, co-sponsored by Congressional Vision Caucus (CVC) co-chairs U.S. reps. Gus Bilirakis (FL-12) and Marc Veasey (TX-33). Companion legislation is expected to be introduced in the U.S. Senate.
Despite the presence of numerous public health programs that support early childhood development, including children’s hearing and oral health, there is currently no federally funded program in the U.S. that specifically addresses children's vision or that fosters a cohesive and equitable system of eye health for children.
Under the EDVI Act, the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, will award grants and cooperative agreements for states, communities, and tribes to implement approaches (such as vision screenings) for the early detection of vision concerns in children, referrals for eye exams, and follow-up mechanisms; identify barriers in access to eye care; reduce disparities in eye health; and/or develop state-based data collection, surveillance, and performance improvement systems.
CAO Releases a New “GetEyeWise” Digital Campaign
The Canadian Association of Optometrists (CAO) released a digital national campaign to raise public awareness about eye health and vision care, encouraging Canadians to get their eyes checked. Several provincial associations of optometrists (New Brunswick Association of Optometrists, Newfoundland & Labrador Association of Optometrists, Nova Scotia Association of Optometrists, and The Prince Edward Island Association of Optometrists) and sponsors from the industry (Alcon, CooperVision, and Sun Pharma) joined and supported this campaign. To find more about the CAO campaign, visit opto.ca/geteyewise.