Welcome to the Low Vision Research Group !
LVRG. The Low Vision Research Group (LVRG) exists to promote research of high scientific quality that is of value to individuals with low vision and to encourage the cooperation and participation by basic researchers, applied researchers, optometrists, ophthalmologists, educators, rehabilitation specialists and all other professionals who serve the needs of individuals with visual impairment. The group was formed in 1988.
The LVRG Committee organizes an annual Social and Meeting at the Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology - ARVO (Learn more...) to encourage presentation and discussion of low vision research among the group and others.
To contact the LVRG, please e-mail: lvrgmember@gmail.com
Oberdorfer Award in Low Vision Research.
This award recognizes the seminal contributions of Michael D. Oberdorfer, PhD in support of low vision research. Dr. Oberdorfer served for many years at the National Eye Institute (NEI) as director of Strabismus, Amblyopia and Visual Processing and director of Low Vision and Blindness Rehabilitation for the NEI Extramural Research Program. His support of low vision research led to an expansion of funded grants in that field. First presented in 2012, the Oberdorfer Award in Low Vision Research is supported by the Lighthouse Guild through the ARVO Foundation.
Learn more...
Low Vision Social.
The Low Vision Social is organized by the LVRG during the ARVO annual meeting. All ARVO attendees who participate in the Low Vision sections, authors and co-authors, and accompanying persons are invited to the event. Although donations are collected from participants, every year the LVRG is actively engaged in raising funds for the Social by sponsoring companies who are motivated to support Low Vision research. During the evening, the Envision-Atwell Award is presented to a junior investigator in vision impairment and rehabilitation.
Please e-mail the LVRG to ask for more information and for the current year's details at lvrgmember@gmail.com
Envision-Atwell Award.
Every year, the LVRG invites the nomination and submission of accepted ARVO presentations by young researchers in the field of visual impairment research to qualify for the Envision-Atwell Award.
A young investigator is defined as a person who is actively engaged in low vision, visual impairment and / or visual rehabilitation research and who is either currently pursuing graduate studies in the field of visual impairment, a post-doctoral researcher in visual impairment, or a junior faculty member with less than 5 years since his or her last doctoral degree conducting research in visual impairment.
The award is named after former NEI program officer and enthusiastic low vision research supporter Dr. Constance Atwell. The award sponsor, Envision, is based out of Wichita Kansas and has a long history of service to the low vision and blind community. Envision continues their mission of employment, public education, and vision rehabilitation services for low vision and blind people and proudly supports the Envision-Atwell award.
The winner is usually announced, and the award handed out, at the Low Vision Social during the ARVO annual meeting. The Low Vision Social is organized by the LVRG.
Both poster and talk presentations can be submitted. The young investigator must be the first author on an abstract accepted for presentation at the ARVO annual meeting. Nominations for the Envision-Atwell Award by third parties (e.g., co-authors, mentors and advisors) are also very welcome.
Nominations can be made by submitting a copy of the abstract and a complete copy of the presentation, in pdf electronic format, to the LVRG committee (lvrgmember@gmail.com). The deadline is usually set before the ARVO annual meeting starts. Prior recipients of the award cannot be nominated again.
LVRG committee members will be meeting with nominees during the ARVO meeting to discuss their presentations, either at the poster presentation, after the talk session, or at another mutually agreed time.
LVRG Chairs:
2011: Shirin E. Hassan BAppSc(Optom), PhD, and Ava Bittner, OD PhD
2012: Ava K. Bittner, OD, PhD
2013: Ava K. Bittner, OD, PhD
2014: Gianfrancesco M. Villani, MD, FEBO
2015: Lei Liu, PhD, FAAO
2016: Judith Goldstein, OD, FAAO
2017: Judith Goldstein, OD, FAAO
2018: Alexis G. Malkin, OD, FAAO and Nicole C. Ross, OD, MSc, FAAO
2019: Nicole C. Ross, OD, MSc, FAAO and Alexis G. Malkin, OD, FAAO
2020: Ashley D. Deemer, OD, FAAO and Alexis G. Malkin, OD, FAAO