Members Honored at College of Optometrists in Vision Development 41st Annual Meeting
Aurora, OH --- Ten special individuals received awards for their contributions to the fields of developmental and behavioral optometry at the Awards Luncheon held at 41stAnnual Meeting of the College of Optometrists in Vision Development (COVD), October 27, 2011, in Las Vegas, Nevada. Receiving recognition were Drs. Edwin Howell, Leonard Press, Celia Hinrichs, Paul Freeman, and Patrick Quaid; Certified Optometric Vision Therapist, Samantha Caldwell; exhibitors, Mr. Harry and Mrs. Elaine Wayne of Wayne Engineering; and Mrs. Robin Benoit and her daughter, Jillian.
The 2011 A.M. Skeffington Award for outstanding contributions to the optometric literature in the areas of behavioral vision care and vision therapy was given to Edwin Howell, OD, FCOVD-I. Dr. Howell is an optometrist in private practice in Heathmont, Victoria, Australia. In addition he is an adjunct associate professor at the University of New South Wales School of Optometry and Senior Clinical Associate at the University of Melbourne Department of Optometry.
Leonard Press, OD, FCOVD, FAAO, of Fair Lawn, New Jersey, received the 2011 G.N. Getman Award in recognition of his clinical expertise in developmental optometry and his dedication to patient care. Dr. Press is a past president of COVD, past member of the COVD International Examination and Certification Board, and a preceptor for students from the Pennsylvania College of Optometry and Illinois College of Optometry. Dr. Press has a private practice in Fair Lawn where he currently practices with his son, Dr. Daniel Press.
The President’s Award was presented to Celia Hinrichs, OD, FCOVD, in recognition of her many years of service on the COVD International Examination and Certification Board (IECB). She still serves as special consultant to the IECB. Dr. Hinrichs practices in Sudbury, Massachusetts.
The Distinguished Service Award was presented to Paul Freeman, OD, FCOVD in special recognition for raising the awareness of COVD Board Certification among the optometric community. Dr. Freeman is the editor of Optometry, the journal of the American Optometric Association. He has a private practice in Sewickley, Pennsylvania and is on staff at the Allegheny General Hospital Department of Ophthalmology.
The Optometry & Vision Development Award for best published article during 2010 was given to Patrick Quaid, BSc(Hons)Optom, MCOptom, PhD, for the article titled: “Diagnosing Extraocular Muscle Dysfunction in Clinic: Comparing Computerized Hess Analysis, Park’s 3-Step Test and a Novel 3-Step Test.”
The 2011 Certified Optometric Vision Therapist of the Year Award was given to Samantha Caldwell, COVT, for her outstanding dedication to behavioral optometry and patient care. Ms. Caldwell is a certified optometric vision therapist, working at Alderwood Vision Therapy Center in Lynwood, Washington under the direction of Dr. Nancy Torgerson, a COVD Fellow.
A Special Service Award from COVD was given to Harry and Elaine Wayne of Wayne Engineering for their many years as an exhibitor at the COVD annual meeting and for their work and dedication to the field of developmental optometry. For over 37 years Wayne Engineering has been developing instruments for testing and enhancing visual and sensory-motor skills.
These awards are given annually at the COVD Annual Meeting Awards Luncheon. Nominations for the awards are reviewed by selection committees compiled of past award recipients and members of the Board of Directors and Journal Review Board.
During a special session on Friday, Mrs. Robin Benoit and her daughter, Jillian, talked about their book, Jillian’s Story: How Vision Therapy Change My Daughter’s Life, and thanked the COVD audience for all they are doing to change the lives of many children and adults with stories similar to Jillian’s. Robin and Jillian were presented with COVD’s Making Vision Therapy Visible Award for their outstanding contributions to public awareness of optometric vision therapy and developmental vision care.
Student and resident travel grant awards were also presented to fifty-two optometry students and residents to defer expenses for their attendance at the COVD meeting. COVD received a $7,000 grant from The Vision Care Institute, LLC to help fund these grants.
About COVD
The College of Optometrists in Vision Development (COVD) is an international, non-profit optometric membership organization that provides education, evaluation and board certification programs in behavioral and developmental vision care, vision therapy and visual rehabilitation. The organization is comprised of doctors of optometry, vision therapists and other vision specialists. For more information on learning-related vision problems, vision therapy and COVD, please visit www.covd.org or call 888.268.3770.
CONTACT:
Pamela R. Happ, CAE
COVD Executive Director
888.268.3770 tel
Email: phapp@covd.org
Website: www.covd.org
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