CHICAGO—Eye health and safety nonprofit Prevent Blindness has issued a call for nominations for the 2025 Jenny Pomeroy Award for Excellence in Vision and Public Health, and the sixth annual Rising Visionary Award. The submission deadline for both awards is Monday, March 10, 2025, at noon ET, at which time an all-volunteer committee will review nominations and select the award recipients. The committee includes leaders and professionals in ophthalmology, optometry, advocacy, public health and scientific communities. New this year, the award recipients or representatives (if a group or organization) will be officially announced at the 2025 Prevent Blindness Focus on Eye Health Summit, to be held virtually on May 14, 2025.

Recipients must be available to present during a Prevent Blindness-hosted webinar in the Fall of 2025, the group advised, which will build on the Summit theme of “Perspectives in Vision.”

“We know there is a significant number of true champions for vision and eye health across America,” said Jeff Todd, president and CEO of Prevent Blindness. “The Jenny Pomeroy Award for Excellence in Vision and Public Health, and the Rising Visionary Award give us a great opportunity to recognize and celebrate their tremendous efforts.”

The Jenny Pomeroy Award for Excellence in Vision and Public Health Award serves as a living memorial to Jenny Pomeroy, who served as the CEO of Prevent Blindness Georgia from 1996 until 2013, and was an advocate for vision and eye health programs serving communities across the country. This award is presented annually to an individual, group, or organization that has made significant contributions to the advancement of public health related to vision and eye health at the community, state, national, and/or international level.

Submission requirements for the Jenny Pomeroy Award for Excellence in Vision and Public Health include:
  • Nomination form.

  • A 500-word (or less) description of why the nominee is deserving of this award.

  • A one-page biographical sketch (National Institutes of Health format), one-page curriculum vitae of the nominee, or one-page background of the group/organization.
Applicants for the award may also include any additional material that may be relevant to the nomination, the group stated. This must be less than 10 pages provided in PDF format.

The recipient of the 2024 Jenny Pomeroy Award for Excellence in Vision and Public Health was Mission for Vision, the group advised. Dean A. VanNasdale, Jr., OD, PhD, associate professor at The Ohio State University (OSU) College of Optometry was the 2023 recipient. Dr. VanNasdale was recently elected to the Prevent Blindness board of directors.

Now in its sixth consecutive year, the Prevent Blindness Rising Visionary Award is presented annually to a student or resident in a health-related field who submits the best overall application and essay. This year’s essays should directly address the “Perspectives in Vision” Focus on Eye Health Summit theme. Applicants should identify an opportunity in the essay where the need for a collaborative, multidisciplinary approach in development of vision and eye health research, programs, or policy can address eye health challenges.

Rising Visionary Award submission requirements include:

  • Application Cover Sheet

  • Essay (500-words or less)

  • Curriculum Vitae and Personal Statement

  • Letters of Recommendation
The 2024 Rising Visionary Award recipient was Erica Shelton, OD, MS, FAAO, clinical instructor and PhD Candidate, OSU, the group shared. Christina Ambrosino, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, was the 2023 recipient.

For more information on the Prevent Blindness Jenny Pomeroy Award for Excellence in Vision and Public Health and a listing of past recipients, visit the award's web page. Information on the Prevent Blindness Rising Visionary Award may be found here.