(PRESS RELEASE) CORAL SPRINGS, FL — Three optometry students who presented scientific posters were set to be recognized during the 2021 Global Specialty Lens Symposium virtual conference as winners of the 6th Annual Optometry Student Challenge, a program designed by ABB Optical Group, in collaboration with Paragon Vision Sciences, to foster the study of contact lenses.
The lead authors of the scientific posters were Suzy Chen, of the State University of New York (SUNY) College of Optometry; Jonathan King, from Indiana University; and Cade Millikin, also from Indiana University.
Students from optometry schools across the U.S. submitted contact lens related abstracts focused on study projects or student-based case histories for the chance to win a cash prize of $1,500 each. The challenge, which is hosted yearly, is open to students in their third and fourth years of study. Abstracts are judged on academic merit by a panel of industry experts.
This year, six finalists were selected and had the unique opportunity to present their posters during a live webinar event, which took place in December. Webinar participants were able to vote on their favorite poster presentation, and their votes were incorporated into the overall selection of this year’s challenge winners. Three students were also named as honorable mention winners and were each awarded a $250 cash prize.
“Each year the Optometry Student Challenge is hosted, the submissions from these intelligent, motivated and passionate future optometrists continue to impress everyone involved in the program, and this year was no different,” said ABB Optical Group’s Director of Specialty Vision Products, Andy Jackson. “This year, with the virtual poster presentation component, the challenge allowed students to share their passion for their chosen career with their peers, industry experts and fellow students, allowing their talent to shine brightly. We look forward to seeing what this talented group of young professionals accomplishes in the future.”
The Optometry Student Challenge winners presented on the following poster topics:
- Suzy Chen: Scleral Lens + Restasis: A Novel Management of Vascularized Limbal Keratitis Status-post Penetrating Keratoplasty
- Jonathan King: Correlating Corneal Astigmatism and Meridional 8mm Sagittal Height Difference for Use in Orthokeratology Lens Fitting
- Cade Millikin: Utilizing a Cloud-Based Software Program to Enhance First Lens Fit Success for Ortho-K Lenses
“The optical industry of tomorrow will be shaped by the bright, intelligent optometry students of today,” said General Manager of the Americas for Paragon Vision Sciences David Raimondo. “We’re proud of our winners and all of the 2020 student challenge participants, and we look forward to seeing them recognized during the Global Specialty Lens Symposium’s virtual conference.”
For more information on the Optometry Student Challenge, click here. For information on the 2021 Global Specialty Lens Symposium, click here.