The Retina Society acknowledges and greatly appreciates the hard work of both Award Selection Committees. We also thank all members who have sponsored applicants and ask that all members continue to support these awards.

Award of Merit in Retina Research

Presented in Conjunction with the Charles L. Schepens Lecture

The Award of Merit in Retina Research was created in 1978 by Retina Research Foundation, Houston, Texas, to recognize outstanding vision scientists whose work contributes to knowledge about the retina and retinal diseases. Each year, the Awardee is invited to give the Charles L. Schepens Lecture, a highlight of the Retina Society annual meeting that was established in honor of the founder of the Society.

The award offers a $50,000 cash prize that includes a $5,000 honorarium and a $45,000 research grant. The recipient is chosen by the Awards Committee of the Retina Society. Funding for the award of Merit is provided by Retina Research Foundation through a series of endowed gifts that are dedicated to the Award.

The Retina Research Foundation of Houston, Texas presents the Award of Merit in Retina Research to a vision scientist whose work represents:

  • A single outstanding achievement in retina research, or; 
  • A potentially significant contribution to new knowledge about the retina, its role in the visual process and/or vitreoretinal diseases or disorders.

Recipients of the Award of Merit in Retina Research

  • 2024
    Anat Loewenstein, MD
  • 2023
    SriniVas Sadda, MD
  • 2022
    Edwin Stone, MD, PhD
  • 2021
    Douglas Jabs, MD
  • 2020
    Russell Van Gelder, MD, PhD
  • 2019
    James Fujimoto, PhD
  • 2018
    Paul Sternberg, MD
  • 2017
    Michael Klein, MD
  • 2016
    Steve Charles, MD
  • 2015
    Thomas Gardner, MD
  • 2014
    Peter A. Campochiaro, MD
  • 2013
    Cynthia Toth, MD
  • 2012
    Richard Spaide, MD
  • 2011
    Michael Marmor, MD
  • 2010
    Eliot L. Berson, MD
  • 2009
    Mark Humayun, MD
  • 2008
    William S. Tasman, MD
  • 2007
    Lloyd Paul Aiello, MD
  • 2006
    Carol L. Shields, MD
  • 2005
    Anthony P. Adamis, MD
  • 2004
    Emily Y. Chew, MD and Frederick L. Ferris III
  • 2003
    Stephen J. Ryan, MD
  • 2002
    Bradley R. Straatsma, MD
  • 2000
    Barbara E.K. Klein, MD, MPH, and Robert Klein, MD, MPH
  • 1999
    Lawrence A. Yannuzzi, MD
  • 1998
    Joe G. Hollyfield, Ph.D.
  • 1997
    Stuart L. Fine, MD
  • 1996
    Gabriel Coscas, MD
  • 1995
    D. Jackson Coleman, MD
  • 1994
    Dr. Kathleen Dorey and Dr. Francois Delori
  • 1993
    W. Richard Green, MD
  • 1992
    Ingrid Kreissig, MD
  • 1991
    Ronald Michels, MD and Bert Glaser, MD
  • 1990
    Matthew M. LaVail, Ph.D.
  • 1989
    Matthew D. Davis, MD
  • 1988
    Harvey A. Lincoff, MD
  • 1987
    Harris Ripps, Ph.D.
  • 1986
    J. Donald M. Gass, MD
  • 1985
    Oleg Pomerantzeff, Dipl. Eng.
  • 1984
    Werner K. Noell, MD
  • 1983
    Arnall Patz, MD
  • 1982
    Harry G. Sperling, Ph.D.
  • 1981
    John E. Dowling, Ph.D.
  • 1980
    Robert Machemer, MD
  • 1979
    Richard W. Young, Ph.D.
  • 1978
    Charles L. Schepens, MD

J. Donald M. Gass Lectureship

In 2006, The Retina Society inaugurated the J. Donald M. Gass lectureship. Dr. Gass was a peerless observer of the fundus. His unique and repeated ability to identify fundamental patterns of disease from the mass of seemingly chaotic details invites sincere comparison to Michelangelo working in marble. With this lectureship, we honor his memory as a warm and cherished member and friend as well as his inestimable importance to our patients and our field.

Recipients of the J. Donald M. Gass Lectureship Award

  • 2024
    Donald J. D'Amico, MD
  • 2023
    Lloyd Paul Aiello, MD, PhD
  • 2022
    Emily Chew, MD and
    Frederick Ferris III, MD
  • 2021
    Bailey Freund, MD
  • 2020
    Maureen Maguire, PhD, FARVO, and
    Daniel Martin, MD
  • 2019
    Carol Shields, MD
  • 2018
    Stanley Chang, MD
  • 2017
    Lawrence Singerman, MD
  • 2016
    Mark Blumenkranz, MD
  • 2015
    Evangelos Gragoudas, MD
  • 2014
    Alexander J. Brucker, MD
  • 2013
    Michael Trese, MD
  • 2012
    Harry W. Flynn, Jr., MD
  • 2011
    Mario Stirpe, MD
  • 2010
    Ursula Schmidt-Erfurth, MD
  • 2009
    Philip J. Rosenfeld, MD
  • 2008
    Lawrence A. Yannuzzi, MD
  • 2007
    Lee M. Jampol, MD
  • 2006
    Carmen A. Puliafito, MD

Fellowship Awards

The Fellowship Research Award is given to one or more Fellows for outstanding original work in any aspect of vitreoretinal disease. The Margherio Award is given for outstanding original work in macular diseases or surgery. 

These awards carry a stipend that will cover normal travel and lodging costs to attend the Annual Meeting. In addition, the award winners will be featured prominently in the program, and their registration fee will be waived. All abstracts will be considered for both awards, with the final selection made by the Awards Committee.

Fellowship Research Award

The Retina Society Fellowship Research Award was established in 1996 to encourage academic pursuit in young vitreoretinal surgeons and to acquaint them with the scientific and social aspects of the Society. The applicant must be sponsored by an active member of the Retina Society. Each paper is judged on originality, quality of investigation methods, and merit of scientific contribution.

Recipients of the Fellowship Research Award

  • 2024
    Ward Fickweiler, MD, PhD, sponsored by Lloyd Aiello, and Eric Jung, MD, sponsored by Katherine Talcott
  • 2023
    Andrei Szigiato, MD, sponsored by Peter Kaiser
  • 2022
    Benjamin Young, MD, sponsored by Mark Johnson
  • 2021
    Rebecca Soares, MD, sponsored by Yoshihiro Yonekawa
  • 2020
    Elizabeth Rossin, MD, PhD, sponsored by Lucia Sobrin, MD
  • 2019
    Harris Sultan, MD, Sponsored by Rajendra Apte
  • 2018
    Thomas Wubben, MD, PhD, Sponsored by Cagri Besirli
  • 2017
    Sun Young Lee, MD, PhD, sponsored by James Folk
  • 2016
    Elad Moisseiev, MD, sponsored by Susanna Park
  • 2015
    Yoshihiro Yonekawa, MD, sponsored by Antonio Capone
  • 2014
    Francisco A. Folgar, MD, sponsored by Emily Chew
  • 2013
    Glenn Yiu, MD, PhD, sponsored by Glenn Jaffe
  • 2012
    Lejla Vajzovic, MD, sponsored by Cynthia Toth
  • 2011
    Cagri G. Besirli, MD, sponsored by David Zacks
  • 2010
    Brian L. VanderBeek, MD, MPH, sponsored by David Zacks
  • 2009
    Sandra Rocio Montezuma, MD, sponsored by Joan Miller
  • 2008
    Mehran Taban, MD, sponsored by Peter Kaiser
  • 2007
    Sai Chavala, MD, sponsored by Thomas Lee
  • 2006
    Polly A. Quiram, MD, sponsored by George Williams
  • 2005
    Francisco Max Damico, MD, sponsored by Lucy Young
  • 2004
    Sean S. Ko, MD, sponsored by Shizuo Mukai
  • 2003
    Seenu M. Hariprasad, MD, sponsored by William Mieler
  • 2002
    Franco M. Recchia, MD, sponsored by Allen C. Ho
  • 2001
    David N. Zacks, MD, sponsored by Joan Miller
  • 2000
    Magdalena Krzystolik, MD, sponsored by Evangelos Gragoudas, and Enrique Garcia-Valenzuela, MD, PhD, sponsored by James Puklin
  • 1999
    Thomas C. Lee, MD, sponsored by Shizuo Mukai
  • 1998
    Ingrid Scott, MD, sponsored by Timothy Murray
  • 1997
    Andrew Chang, MD, sponsored by Lawrence Morse

Raymond R. Margherio Award

The Raymond R. Margherio Endowed Memorial Fund was established to support research into macular disease and development of new techniques of macular surgery. The Fund will support an award to be presented annually to a vitreoretinal fellow of an Active Member of the Retina Society. The fellow will present his work at the Annual Meeting of the Retina Society. The winner is selected by the Research Award Committee.

Recipients of the Raymond R. Magherio Award

  • 2024
    Ines Lains, MD, PhD, sponsored by Deeba Husain
  • 2023
    Jong Park, MD, sponsored by Tamer Mahmoud
  • 2022
    Suzanne Michalak, MD, sponsored by Cynthia Toth
  • 2021
    Jason Miller, MD, PhD, sponsored by Mark Johnson
  • 2020
    Christopher Hwang, MD, PhD, sponsored Anne Hanneken, MD
  • 2019
    Sally Ong, MD, sponsored by Adrienne Scott
  • 2018
    Amirfarbod Yazdanyar, MD, MPH, sponsored by Susanna Park
  • 2017
    Prethy Rao, MD, MPH, sponsored by George Williams
  • 2016
    Xi Chen, MD, sponsored by Cynthia Toth
  • 2015
    Devon Ghodasra, MD, sponsored by Thomas Gardner
  • 2014
    John B. Miller, MD, sponsored by Evangelos Gragoudas
  • 2013
    Dimitra Skondra, MD, sponsored by Joan Miller
  • 2012
    Anthony Daniels, MD, sponsored by Ivana Kim
  • 2011
    Marc-Andre Rheaume, MD, sponsored by Shizuo Mukai
  • 2010
    Daniel F. Kiernan, MD, MPH, sponsored by William Mieler
  • 2009
    Catherine Cukras, MD, PhD, sponsored by Frederick L. Ferris, III
  • 2008
    Edward F. Hall, MD, sponsored by David Zacks
  • 2007
    Stephen Kim, MD, sponsored by G. Baker Hubbard
  • 2006
    Jasmine Elison, MD, sponsored by D. Jackson Coleman
  • 2005
    Michael Ober, MD, sponsored by Lawrence Yannuzzi
  • 2004
    Howard S. Ying, MD, sponsored by Morton F. Goldberg
  • 2003
    Antonio Ciardella, MD, sponsored by Stanley Chang
  • 2002
    Eugene S. Lit, MD, sponsored by Donald J. D’Amico