by Nathan Anderson

Jason Nichols, OD, MPH, PhD, FAAO, senior associate vice president for research, provost faculty fellow, and UAB School of Optometry professor, was awarded the Max Schapero Memorial Lecture Award. The award is given by the American Academy of Optometry’s Section on Cornea, Contact Lenses and Refractive Technologies.

The Max Schapero Memorial Lecture Award was established in 1972 to honor the memory of Max Schapero, a dedicated member of the section and the AAO. It is the section’s highest award that honors a clinician, researcher or scholar who has made a significant contribution to the cornea and contact lens field by virtue of his/her publications, lectures or research efforts. It is given to an individual, group or company which has made an outstanding contribution to the clinical aspect of the art or science of contact lens fitting.

Nichols received this award due to his contributions in the field of cornea and contact lenses, which have impacted the lives of practitioners worldwide in the management of ocular conditions and complications. The title of Nichol’s awards presentation was Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Ocular Surface: Reflections from the Tears. 

“I have been very privileged to have tremendous coaches, colleagues and students who have facilitated our continued work in cornea and contact lenses, especially in the area of  ocular surface diseases like meibomian gland dysfunction,” Nichols said. “Ultimately, our studies will lead to better treatment options for the millions of patients globally that suffer from dry eye disease.”

Nichols shared that he hopes to continue unraveling the mysteries that still exist in the cornea and contact lenses field. He believes that the emergence of new technologies will aid researchers and eye doctors in the optimization of care that will be provided to patients in the future.