BCLA reveals 2019 awards shortlist

The British Contact Lens Association (BCLA) has revealed the shortlist for its 2019 awards.

Held as part of this year’s Clinical Conference and Exhibition in Manchester (30 May to 1 June), the awards will honour those who have a track record for excellence in eyecare and a passion for pioneering new techniques that are transforming everyday practice.

Dr Saleel Jivraj and Iain Johnson are finalists for the Dry Eye Practitioner of the Year award, which aims to honour and recognise the work of an eye care professional who has set up and runs a successful Dry Eye Clinic. Luke Allen and Eleanor Hill have been shortlisted in the Young Contact Lens Practitioner of the Year category, launched to honour and recognise the work of an eye care professional who has been qualified for no more than five years operating within the field of contact lenses.

The shortlist for the BCLA Industry Award features Dr Erich Bauman and Dr John Pruitt from Alcon, CooperVision representatives John Phillips, Stuart Cockerill and Paul Chamberlain and Steve Newman from Menicon while Johnson and Johnson Vision has nominated Dr Kurt Moody and John Meyler with further submissions for Dr Zohra Fadli, Leilani Sonoda and Dr John Buch. An individual nomination also sees Dr Rick Weisbarth make the shortlist.

BCLA president, Professor Sunil Shah, said: “The awards will be a highlight of what promises to be a weekend to remember. Recognition from your peers is arguably the ultimate accolade and the BCLA Awards are held in incredibly high esteem across the profession. Having received an incredibly high standard of nominations and submissions, the competition is extremely strong and all those shortlisted are worthy winners. We look forward to celebrating their success on the night.”

The BCLA’s flagship conference and exhibition is returning to Manchester this month featuring a new hashtag of #AlwaysLearning, and will culminate in the grand finale of the awards dinner on the Saturday night. As well as the awards, the event will feature a host of  speakers who can inspire eyecare professionals to make a real difference to patients’ lives.

This year’s BCLA Medal recipient is Professor Lyndon Jones from the University of Waterloo in Canada, while Dr Nicole Carnt will present the Irving Fatt Memorial Lecture. Professor Eric Papas and Dr Jeffrey J Walline will also deliver keynote lectures at the meeting as part of an action-packed programme.

Register for the conference here.