ARVO Foundation Announces 2022 Winner of Oberdorfer Award in Low Vision Research

Newswise — Rockville, Md.—The Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology (ARVO) today announced Joanne Wood, PhD, is the 2022 recipient of the Oberdorfer Award in Low Vision Research. The award, which honors Michael D. Oberdorfer, PhD, recognizes a recipient with a $1,250 honorarium, an inscribed award and invitations to special events at the ARVO Annual Meeting.

First presented in 2012, the Oberdorfer Award in Low Vision Research is supported by the Lighthouse Guild through the ARVO Foundation and honors Dr. Oberdorfer, who 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.

Wood is a professor in the Centre for Vision and Eye Research, School of Optometry and Vision Science, at Queensland University of Technology (QUT), Brisbane, Australia. With a research career spanning over 30 years, she has an excellent track record of high quality, peer-reviewed publications in her research field of vision, aging and driving. She has made basic theoretical and practical contributions to understanding how visual impairment affects driving performance, identifying risk factors for unsafe older drivers and on the factors affecting pedestrian and cyclist visibility at night time. Her research has been published in 275 peer reviewed papers in national and international refereed journals, and she has presented her research in more than 200 research papers at major international conferences. Wood's body of research has made a significant contribution to health practice and policy, including advice to licensing bodies and health professionals regarding driver licensing standards, and has been translated into standards.

“This award is very important in highlighting the work that our research team has achieved so far and what we will be working on in the future,” says Wood. “It is also an important acknowledgement of the wide range of collaborators, both nationally and internationally, that I have had the privilege to work with over the years and without whom this research would not be possible.”

To learn more about the Oberdorfer Award in Low Vision Research, visit ARVO’s website

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The Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology (ARVO) is the largest eye and vision research organization in the world. Members include approximately 10,000 eye and vision researchers from over 75 countries. ARVO advances research worldwide into understanding the visual system and preventing, treating and curing its disorders. Learn more at ARVO.org.

Established in 2001, the ARVO Foundation for Eye Research raises funds through partnerships, grants and sponsorships to support ARVO’s world-class education and career development resources for eye and vision researchers of all stages of career and education. Learn more at ARVOFoundation.org.