Founder and President of Eye Foundation of America introduced the Foundation and Robert Murphy Award

NEW YORK (TIP): Eye Foundation of Americaheld  a friend/fundraiser on June 5, 2021 to confer the Robert Murphy Visionary Award on 5 eminent ophthalmologists from across the world.

The meticulously crafted one hour  virtual event was  co-sponsored  by Eye Foundation of America,GAPIO, Rotary, QUASOURCE, FIPA, Goutami Eye Institute, Bank’s Apothecary, The Indian Panorama, KLM Properties and AlconCares.

Welcoming and introducing the event, Secretary of Eye Foundation of America, Dr. Leela Raju said that Eye Foundation of America and Goutami Eye Instirute provided services during the harrowing pandemic. She turned over to Dr. VK Raju, founder and president of Eye Foundation of America to introduce the Foundation to participants.

Dr. VK Raju pointed out that in spite of “tremendous progress in science, technology and resources, 500,000 children go blind each year across the world”. Eye Foundation of America, founded in 1977,  is working to prevent avoidable blindness in children all across the globe. The visuals of the  work of the Foundation and Goutami Eye Institute under Dr. Raju’s watch were exhibited during the program.

Speaking about the Robert Murphy Visionary Award, Dr. Raju said the award was instituted to honor a great visionary who was a founding member of Eye Foundation of America. About the honorees, he said they all were eminent ophthalmologists  and in honoring them the Foundation was honoring Robert Murphy.

U.S. Senator Joe Manchin who was the chief guest recalled his long association with Dr. VK Raju and said, “Since 1979, Eye Foundation of Americ and Dr. VK Raju have made a tremendous impact both in West Virginia and across the world”.

“Childhood blindness is a curse”, he said. Eye Foundation of America has performed  hundreds and thousands of surgeries which have brought eyesight to thousands of children.

Senator Manchin extended his best wishes to Dr. Raju and the Eye Foundation of America.

Srinu Maddula, the chief patron of EFA narrated how he was born nearly blind and got his eyesight restored after 2 corneal surgeries performed by Dr. VK. Raju. Srinu, today holds a doctorate in pharmacy ,and is CEO of a multi million dollar pharmaceutical company.

The Robert Murphy Visionary Award was conferred on 5 eminent ophthalmologists from across the world. Each was introduced by a board member of EFA. The honorees included Dr. Gullapalli N. Rao, Dr. R. D. Ravindran, Joel S. Schuman, Dr. Pradeep Y Ramuluand  Dr. Peter J. McDonnell,

Dr. Pradeep Y Ramulu

Dr. Pradeep Y Ramulu MD, PhD is a glaucoma specialist and the director of Glaucoma division, Wilmer Eye Institute, Johns Hopkins University. He is well known for his exceptional basic and clinical research in glaucoma. He received awards from American academy of ophthalmology, American Glaucoma Society, and most recently Pisart Award from Lighthouse Guild.

He is fluent in English, Spanish and Telugu languages. He vast expertise in cataract surgery, glaucoma surgery and pediatric glaucoma. He has varied research interests in Visual disability and Rehabilitation, Aging and Vision. He has numerous publications in peer reviewed scientific journals.

Srinu Maddula, chief patron of Eye Foundation of America introduced Dr. Ramulu.

Dr. Peter J. McDonnell

Dr. Peter J. McDonnell is the director of Wilmer Eye Institute at the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore. He received numerous national and International awards for teaching, research, and leadership. He belongs to the society of Heeds Fellows, Doheny Society of scholars, Hall of Fame, ARCS Foundation.

He is editor of the Ophthalmology Times. He is President of National Alliance of Eye and Vision research. He is specialist in Corneal diseases and surgery, Dr. McDonnell is an International Leader in Corneal Transplantation, Laser refractive surgery and treatment of Dry Eye. Dr. McDonnell was introduced by Board Member Sekhar Vempala.

Dr. Joel S. Schuman

Joel S. Schuman, MD, FACS is the Elaine Langone Professor and Vice Chair for Research in the Department of Ophthalmology and Professor of Neuroscience & Physiology at NYU Langone Health, NYU Grossman School of Medicine.

He is Professor of Biomedical Engineering and Electrical & Computer Engineering at NYU Tandon School of Engineering and Professor of Neural Science in the Center for Neural Science at NYU College of Arts and Sciences.

He chaired the ophthalmology department at NYU Langone Health, NYU Grossman School of Medicine 2016-2020 and at University of Pittsburgh/UPMC 2003-2016.

At Tufts University 1991-2003 he was Residency Director and Glaucoma and Cataract Service Chief. Dr. Schuman and his colleagues were first to identify a molecular marker for human glaucoma, published in Nature Medicine in 2001. Continuously funded by the National Eye Institute as a principal investigator since 1995, he is an inventor of optical coherence tomography (OCT), used world-wide for ocular diagnostics.

Dr. Schuman has published more than 400 peer-reviewed scientific journal articles. Dr. Schuman has received numerous awards and is a 2012 Champalimaud Award Laureate.

Samuel Stone, Eye Foundation Board Member introduced Dr. Schuman.

Dr. Gullapalli N. Rao

Dr. Gullapalli N. Rao is the founder – Chair of L.V. Prasad Eye Institute, Hyderabad, and Former President   of Academi a Ophthalmologica Internationalis” and former Chair and President of the” International Agency for the prevention of Blindness “

Among his numerous accolades, he received Doctor of Science, university of Melbourne and International Blindness Prevention award from American academy of ophthalmology. He is a Padma Shri and was elected in 2017 to the Ophthalmology Hall of Fame by American Society of cataract and refractive surgery and in 2020 honored by the All-India Ophthalmological Society by the institution of “Gullapalli N Rao -AIOS Annual Lecture ” (one among the first five honorees). He published over 200 scientific articles in peer reviewed journals. Dr. Rao was introduced by Kathy Martin, EFA Board Member.

Dr. R. D. Ravindran

Dr. R. D. Ravindran is the chairman of Aravind Eye Care System, Madurai. He is an outstanding surgeon and leader with numerous accolades. In 2015, he was one among the “100 Compassionate leaders” of SALT magazine.

Dr Ravindran started his practice under G. Venkata Swamy the founder of Aravind Eye care system in 1987. Every time Aravind opens a new center he was identified to be the chief and thus has vast hands-on experience in science of building and replicating hospitals. He served as a regional co-chair of the International Association for prevention of blindness, and the Board member of Vision2020: The right to sight-India since 2008. He has numerous scientific publications and reviewer of many Ophthalmic journals.

He has numerous leadership positions in International prevention of Blindness organizations.

Dr. Rajeev Rai, EFA Board member introduced Dr. Ravindran.

New York based famous music band Trio Solace gave a great musical performance.

Eye Foundation of America Secretary Dr. Leela Raju, an ophthalmologist based in New York is credited with having crafted the entire program. She thanked all for their support to the Foundation.

For further information, visit www.EyeFoundationofAmerica.org