Rockville, Md.—The Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology (ARVO) Foundation has named David A. Atchison, PhD, DSc, as the 2024 recipient of the Oberdorfer Award in Low Vision. In recognition of this achievement, he will receive a $1,250 honorarium, an inscribed award and will also present a lecture on low vision at the 2024 ARVO Annual Meeting in Seattle, Wash.
A professor in Vision Sciences and Optometry at Queensland University of Technology (Brisbane, Australia), Atchison researches optics of the eye and its correcting devices, and their interaction to affect vision. “My research has improved understanding of biometry, optics and visual performance of myopic, aging and diabetic eyes,” says Atchison. “I have developed schematic eyes to develop this work, including eyes for accommodation, myopia, ageing, diabetes and children.”
Atchison is being recognized for his research in ophthalmic optics, particularly as related to developing optical principles for low vision devices such as telescopes and simple magnifiers. “The purpose of these devices is to increase the angular size of detail, such as reading material on a page, so that it can be read by people with poor visual acuity,” he explains. “Important factors with low vision devices include determination of magnification, limits to magnification, the range over which objects may be seen clearly, field-of-view limits, applications to binocular vision systems, adjustments to compensate for refractive errors, and aberrations.”
First presented in 2012, the Oberdorfer Award in Low Vision Research is supported by the Lighthouse Guild through the ARVO Foundation and honors Michael D. Oberdorfer, PhD, who served for many years at the National Eye Institute (NEI) as director of Strabismus, Amblyopia and Visual Processing and director of Low Vision and Blindness Rehabilitation for the NEI Extramural Research Program. His support of low vision research led to an expansion of funded grants in that field.
To learn more about the Oberdorfer Award in Low Vision Research, visit ARVO’s website
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The Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology (ARVO) is the largest eye and vision research organization in the world. Members include approximately 10,000 eye and vision researchers from over 75 countries. ARVO advances research worldwide into understanding the visual system and preventing, treating and curing its disorders. Learn more at ARVO.org.
Established in 2001, the ARVO Foundation for Eye Research raises funds through partnerships, grants and sponsorships to support ARVO’s world-class education and career development resources for eye and vision researchers of all stages of career and education. Learn more at ARVOFoundation.org.
Media contact:
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