2010 CLCS Award Winners

Dr. Donald Korb Award for Excellence
Achievement Award
Dr. Rodger Kame Award
Luminary Award for Distinguished Practice

Dr. Donald Korb Award for Excellence

Given by the AOA CLCS in recognition of an individual who has been a true innovator and leader in the field of contact lenses and anterior segment disease.

Award Criteria:

Has propelled the profession’s knowledge base through novel research or life long education to other professionals in the field of contact lenses and anterior segment anomalies.
Has made a major developmental impact on the profession through an innovative device or educational breakthrough.
Has made a positive affect on the way a practitioner manages their patients with anterior segment anomalies.

2010 Dr. Donald Korb Award for Excellence Recipient

Suzanne M.J. Fleiszig, O.D., Ph.D., was educated at the University of Melbourne (Department of Optometry) before moving to the USA in 1991 where she accepted a postdoctoral fellowship at Harvard University. Currently a Professor of Optometry at the University of California, Berkeley, Dr. Fleiszig also holds appointments in the Microbiology, Vision Science, Infectious Diseases & Immunity and Health & Medical Sciences Programs at UCB, reflecting the interdisciplinary nature of her research. Dr. Fleiszig is the immediate past president of the International Society for Contact Lens Research the most recent chair of the Immunology and Microbiology Section of the Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology, and the current chair of Division D (Bacteria of Medical Importance) of the American Society for Microbiology and the vice president of the Tear Film and Ocular Surface Society. Dr. Fleiszig recently completed a four-year term as a member of the Anterior Eye Disease (AED) Study Section, one of three panels that review federal (NIH) grant proposals in eye research. At UCB, she has been the Morton D. Sarver chair (1997-2001) and served as associate dean for Basic Sciences (2002-2006). Dr Fleiszig has received the Borish Award from the American Academy of Optometry (1997) and the Glenn Fry Award from the American Optometric Foundation (2005). She has delivered many lectures nationally and internationally, including the George Nissel, Clair Bobier, and Ralph and Sophie Heintz Lectures.

Dr. Fleiszig has authored almost 70 peer-reviewed publications focused on the pathogenesis of contact lens-related corneal infection and is on the editorial boards of various leading journals, including The Ocular Surface Journal and Eye and Contact Lens. Her research is currently funded by grants from the NIH, the Gates Foundation, and industry. She has also received generous gift funding from various eye care companies, which has enabled her research to go "off the beaten track."

Achievement Award

Given by the AOA CLCS in recognition of outstanding contribution to the optometric profession in the area of contact lenses and eye care.

Award Criteria:

Has shown a long term contribution in the advancement and propagation of knowledge in the field of contact lenses or eye care.
Taught unselfishly in the area of contact lenses or eye care for a number of years, and who has contributed to the clinical, academic, research education of students, interns, residents, or clinicians.
Made significant and unique contributions in the development of instruments, in the area of contact lenses or eye care, for the eye care practitioner.
Made a significant and unique contribution in the management programming for the improvement of contact lens practice.
Contributed and shared his or her knowledge with his or her fellow practitioners for the benefit of contact lenses and eye care for a number of years.

2010 Achievement Award Recipient

Jerome Legerton, O.D., is an accomplished author, lecturer, vision scientist and consultant to the ophthalmic industry. He is an inventor on 22 issued patents and more than 30 patents pending for multifocal, aberration blocking, hybrid and scleral contact lenses, refractive surgery, corneal refractive therapy, contact lenses for refractive error regulation, contact lenses for wearable displays, humanitarian eyewear and diagnostic devices. He is a founder of SynergEyes®, Inc. and co-inventor of Paragon CRT®. During his 26 years in the private practice of optometry, he specialized in low vision and contact lenses and served as the managing partner of a seven-doctor multi-specialty practice in San Diego. He was named the Young Optometrist of the Year by the California Optometric Association and Optometrist of the Year by the San Diego Optometric Society. Dr. Legerton was honored for his community service with a proclamation by the San Diego County Board of Supervisors for Jerome A. Legerton Day on June 20, 1995. He served as Benedict Professor, Practice Management for the University of Houston College of Optometry in 1997-98 and is the practice management editor for Primary Care Optometry News and a contributing editor for Review of Optometry. He remains active in product development of novel contact lenses, contact lens-enabled wearable electronic displays, humanitarian eyewear, and devices for early detection of ocular disease.

Dr. Rodger Kame Award

Given to a section member in appreciation for outstanding service and dedication to the CLCS.

Award Criteria:

Has unselfishly given service to the section during the past year(s) above what is normally expected.
Has made a positive impact on fellow practitioners in the eye care field.

2010 Dr. Rodger Kame Award Recipients:

Ken Daniels, O.D., is an adjunct assistant clinical professor in the Centers for International Studies. Dr. Daniels is a National Eye Institute clinical investigator: CLEK (Collaborative Evaluation of Keratoconus) at the Pennsylvania College of Optometry at Salus University where he is the director of Cornea and Contact Lens Research.

Dr. Daniels is a graduate of Temple University and the New England College of Optometry. Dr. Daniels is the former director of Clinical Research for Allergan Pharmaceuticals and has collaborated in several research projects in Sydney, Australia, at the University of New South Wales with the world-renowned Corneal and Contact Lens Research Unit (CCLRU) working with Brien Holden, Ph.D.

Dr. Daniels has been a clinical researcher in the field of contact lens and sat on several corporate advisory panels.

Dr. Daniels is a series editor for an ophthalmic text and contributing editor to several professional journals. He has several book chapters in ophthalmology textbooks.

Muriel Schornack, O.D., is a graduate of the Illinois College of Optometry and completed a residency in primary eye care at the Illinois Eye Institute in 1999. She joined the staff at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, in 1999 and is currently a consultant in the department of ophthalmology and an assistant professor of ophthalmology in the Mayo Clinic College of Medicine.

Dr. Schornack has been a regular contributor to the AOA's CLCS monthly e-newsletter and served as a co-editor for the newsletter.

Dr. Schornack is a Fellow in the American Academy of Optometry and serves on the board of directors of the Scleral Lens Education Society.

Her professional interests include clinical practice efficiency, primary eye care, and scleral lenses.

Luminary Award for Distinguished Practice

Given by the AOA CLCS in recognition of a distinguished clinical practitioner who has developed a contact lens practice and who tirelessly contributes to the development of others.

Award Criteria:

Is in a clinical contact lens practice setting.
Has demonstrated his or her “giving back” to optometry, through the education of other practitioners (writer, lecturer, volunteer, mentorship, etc.).
Has demonstrated a long-standing contribution and shared knowledge with fellow practitioners for the betterment of contact lens practice and eye care.
Is an AOA CLCS member.

2010 Luminary Award for Distinguished Practice Recipient:

Milton Hom, O.D., practices in Azusa, California. He is a Diplomate in Cornea and Contact Lenses and has written more than 150 publications. He serves on several editorial boards, including Review of Optometry, Optometric Management, Primary Care Optometry News, Review of Cornea and Contact Lenses and Optometry Times. He has more than 25 published abstracts and peer-reviewed papers.

Dr. Hom's latest books are Mosby's Ocular Drug Consult and Manual of Contact Lens Prescribing and Fitting, Third Edition (Elsevier).