Each year, the American Academy of Optometry recognizes distinguished individuals who have made countless important contributions to advancing the profession of optometry.

The Section on Cornea, Contact Lenses, and Refractive Technologies Awards will be presented during the Section Awards Ceremony and Max Schapero Lecture on Wednesday, October 8. This year’s recipients of the Section on Cornea, Contact Lenses, and Refractive Technologies awards are Christine Sindt, OD, Founders’ Award; Loretta Szczotka-Flynn, OD, PhD, Max Schapero Memorial Lecture Award; and Joan Exford, OD, Exemplary Service. 

Here are the remaining 2025 award recipients:

Donald O. Mutti, OD, PhD, Charles F. Prentice Medal and Lecture Award

Gang Luo, PhD, Glenn A. Fry Award and Lecture (American Academy of Optometry Foundation Award)

Phillip Yuhas, OD, PhD, Irvin M. and Beatrice Borish Award

Uchechukwu Levi Osuagwu, OD, MSc, PhD, American Academy of Optometry - Essilor Award for Outstanding International Contributions to Optometry

Alex Bowers, PhD, MCOptom, William Feinbloom Award

Jorge Cuadros, OD, PhD, Brien Holden Humanitarian Award

Jon Hayashida, OD, Carel C. Koch Memorial Medal Award

Derik Holmberg, Julius F. Neumueller Award in Optics(American Academy of Optometry Foundation Award)

Isabelle Jalbert, OD, PhD, MPH, Michael G. Harris Family Award for Excellence in Optometric Education (American Academy of Optometry Foundation Award)

Debarun Dutta, PhD, MCOptom, AAOF Outstanding Emerging Leader Award

David Kirschen, OD, Tony Adams Eminent Service Award

Paul Chamberlain, BSc; Arthur Bradley, PhD; Baskar Arumugam, PhD; David Hammond, PhD; John McNally, OD; Nicola Logan, PhD; Deborah Jones, BSc; Cheryl Ngo, MBBS, Mmed; Sofia C. Peixoto-de-Matos, MSc; Chris Hunt , MSc; and Graeme Young, PhD, Garland Clay Award

Additionally, Stephen J. Dain, PhD, is the winner of the Henry B. Peters Award for Public Health and Environmental Vision (American Academy of Optometry Foundation Award).