(PRESS RELEASE) CORAL SPRINGS, FL – ABB Optical Group, in partnership with Paragon Vision Sciences, announces it is accepting abstract submissions for the fifth annual Optometry Student Challenge.
The Optometry Student Challenge will award travel grants of $1,500 each to three third- or fourth-year students to attend the 2020 Global Specialty Lens Symposium (GSLS), held Jan. 22-25, 2020, in Las Vegas and present a scientific poster on a topic related to contact lenses. Last year, more than 90 optometry students submitted contact lens related abstracts focused on study projects or student-based case histories.
“Every year we have an incredible response from students who amaze us with their outstanding submissions and we certainly expect the same for this year’s challenge,” said Andy Jackson, director of specialty contact lenses for ABB Optical Group. “The passion, dedication and commitment to their chosen profession are evident in each student’s submission, and we look forward to seeing what the 2019 challenge brings.”
Optometry Student Challenge Program Rules
Third and fourth-year students who are interested in participating must register by August 9, 2019. Registered students must then submit an abstract on their proposed poster topic by October 11, 2019.
Abstracts must focus on study projects or student-based case histories related to contact lenses. Topics can include, but are not limited to, contact lens applications for presbyopia, keratoconus, corneal topography, post penetrating keratoplasty or related irregular corneal surface, myopia control, lens care/solutions, and orthokeratology.
Abstracts will be judged in two categories: case study report and research. Five finalists will be selected and notified by Oct. 25, 2019.
The finalists will then be required to convert their abstracts into scientific posters for further judging. The posters must be submitted in digital, PDF format to ABB Optical Group no later than November 15, 2019.
Results of this competition will be communicated with the winners and runners-up by November 27, 2019.
The lead authors of the top three posters will be awarded travel grants of $1,500 each to attend the symposium and present their posters. Additionally, two runner-ups will receive honorable mention prizes of $250 each.
“The optical industry of tomorrow is in the hands of the bright, intelligent optometry students of today,” said Paragon Vision Sciences President Rich Jeffries. “We’re proud to once again partner with ABB Optical Group to bring the Optometry Student Challenge as a way to encourage and support the next generation of optometrists.”
For more information on the Optometry Student Challenge, including full contest rules and guidelines, visit ABBOptical.com/OptometryStudentChallenge.