2 professors honored for work in optometry

Professors of optometry Sarita Soni and Larry Thibos were recognized by the American Academy of Optometry for their contributions to the field, according to a press release issued Monday.

Soni, who also serves as the vice provost for research at IU-Bloomington, was awarded the William Feinbloom Award.

“Dr. Soni has made a significant mark on the profession of optometry and on the Indiana University School of Optometry,” School of Optometry Dean Joseph Bonanno said in the press release. “By contributing to major advancements in clinical care and by representing the needs of patients both in her own community and around the world, she most certainly fits the spirit of the Feinbloom award.”

Thibos received the Charles F. Prentice Medal Award.

 It is considered the most prestigious of the awards given by the American Academy of Optometry, according to the press release.

“Winning the Prentice award is a rare honor for IU, as the only previous recipient was in 1976: Professor Henry Hofstetter, the founder of the IU School of Optometry,” Bonanno said. “Under the leadership of former Dean Gerald Lowther, IUSO invested heavily in vision science research for the 21st century with an emphasis on visual optics. As a result, our school is now recognized as the premier institution in the world in the field of visual optics research.”

— Kirsten Clark