Nominations open for 2019 BCLA Awards

Nominations are now open for the 2019 BCLA Awards, with the nation’s leading eye care practitioners vying for some of the profession’s most coveted crowns.

Held as part of this year’s Clinical Conference and Exhibition, the awards will honour those who have a track record for excellence in eye care and a passion for pioneering new techniques that are transforming everyday practice.

The flagship event is returning to Manchester, with the city set to play host to one of the profession’s most eagerly anticipated international conferences – featuring a new hashtag for 2019 of #AlwaysLearning.

The three-day Clinical Conference and Exhibition, due to take place from May 30 to June 1, is undergoing a change in format to culminate in the grand finale of the Awards dinner on the Saturday night.

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.

“We look forward to receiving a high standard of nominations and submissions and the competition is sure to be strong.”

Categories include the BCLA Dry Eye Practitioner of the Year Award, to be given to an individual working in practice, with a proven record in managing Dry Eye. It is aimed to honour and recognise the work of an Eye Care Professional who has set up and runs a successful Dry Eye Clinic. The deadline for this category is April 12.

The BCLA Young Contact Lens Practitioner Award will be given to an individual working in practice, just starting out in their career. It is aimed 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 deadline for this category is April 12.

The BCLA Industry Award will be given to an individual working within industry who has made an outstanding contribution to the contact lens profession either in relation to a product/technology or a concept. It is aimed to honour and recognise the entrepreneurial work being carried out by individuals working in contact lens science, research and technology within the industry. The deadline for this category is April 5.

Further details on entry criteria and how to make a nomination for either yourself or a fellow professional can be found online.

As well as the awards, the Clinical Conference and Exhibition will feature a host of passionate speakers who can inspire eye care 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.

Eye care professionals interested in attending the event can take advantage of a limited ‘Early Bird’ offer valid for all those booking before March 31.

Alcon and CooperVision are Partner Sponsors for the event while Johnson & Johnson Visioncare are Platinum Sponsors. Gold Sponsors are  Menicon, UltraVision-SEED and Technology Sponsor is Topcon.

For more information on registering for the BCLA Clinical Conference and Exhibition, visit www.bcla.org.uk