Pucker named Scleral Lens Education Society fellow

Andrew D. Pucker, O.D., Ph.D., FAAO, FSLSAndrew D. Pucker, O.D., Ph.D., FAAO, FSLS, assistant professor in the University of Alabama School of Optometry, has been named a fellow of the Scleral Lens Education Society. SLES supports basic scleral lens education for the public, and provides the latest in scleral lens education to practitioners through workshops, lectures and webinars.

According to the educational arm of the Contact Lens Manufacturers Association, scleral lenses are large contact lenses that cover the entire surface of the cornea and rest on the sclera, or the white of the eye. These lenses can be used to address or correct various eye conditions, such as keratoconus, high glasses prescriptions or dry eye.

In order to become a fellow, individuals must obtain a certain number of points on the SLES fellowship system; they can earn points for submission items such as being the first author on case reports, peer reviewed journal articles or abstracts. SLES fellows are made up of optometrists, ophthalmologists and fellows of the Contact Lens Society of America who have proved themselves in the field of scleral lens fitting. They also earn the designation of Certified Scleral Specialist.

“I have always enjoyed fitting specialty lenses, so it’s an honor to be a fellow of the Scleral Lens Education Society,” Pucker said. “I think it’s great to be able to learn from trendsetters in the field and bring this knowledge back to UAB.”