Press Release - January 28, 2007

Optometric Glaucoma Society Establishes Ezell Fellowship Dedicated to Glaucoma Research

The Optometric Glaucoma Society has established an Ezell Fellowship dedicated to fund post-graduate research in the area of glaucoma. The OGS is doing this in partnership with The American Optometric Foundation (AOF), a philanthropic organization that develops and provides financial support for optometric research and education. The OGS and AOF are organized under Section 501(c)(3) of the U.S. Internal Revenue Service Code. The AOF is an affiliate of the American Academy of Optometry (AAO).

The William C. Ezell Fellowship was established to encourage talented graduates of schools and colleges of optometry to pursue full-time careers in research and education. The fellowship is for post-graduate students who are entering or continuing a full-time program of study and training in research that leads to the Masters or Ph.D. degree. Each student also receives travel grants to the annual meetings of the American Academy of Optometry and the Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology. Applications for renewal may result in funding for up to two additional years. To date the AOF has granted more than 200 William C. Ezell Fellowships including 21 optometric school deans and presidents, 91 optometric faculty members, and 95 Fellows of the American Academy of Optometry, including three of its presidents. Four OGS members are past Ezell fellowship recipients.

The OGS-Ezell Fellowship will provide funding for the first time to optometric researchers pursuing glaucoma research. While individuals who were involved in glaucoma research have been awarded Ezell fellowships, there was never a program specifically funding this form of study. Ben Gaddie and Tom Lewis are chairing the steering committee involved with funding the fellowship. $200,000 is needed to endow the fellowship, which will be raised over a three-year period in an industry-optometry partnership. We are reaching out to the optometry profession for support. Checks should be made out to the American Optometric Foundation, specifying that the check is for the OGS-Ezell Fund. Checks should be sent to the American Optometric Foundation, 6110 Executive Blvd. Suite 506, Rockville, MD 20852. All contributions are tax deductible. Additional information regarding the Ezell Fellowship program is available here. A pledge form can be obtained by clicking this link.