ST. LOUIS—The American Optometric Association and Optometry Cares—The AOA Foundation have selected three optometrists to be inducted into the National Optometry Hall of Fame. Since 1998, the National Optometry Hall of Fame has recognized and honored doctors of optometry who have made significant and long-lasting contributions to the optometric profession. The inductees will be honored at a ceremony during Optometry's Meeting on June 21. Click here to register and learn more. The 2018 inductees are David A. Cockrell, OD; Lesley L. Walls, OD and Irwin Suchoff, OD.

Dr. Cockrell served on the Oklahoma Association of Optometric Physicians (OAOP) Congress Committee in 1987 where he served for five years. He has served on the Oklahoma State Board of Optometric Examiners since 1996, and as president from 2001 to 2006. His long tenure of AOA involvement continued as he became chair of the AOA Statutory Scope Committee in 2004. Dr. Cockrell was elected to the AOA Board of Trustees in 2005, and in 2014, he became president.

Dr. Walls’ important contributions to the profession of optometry have been through the use of his degrees both in optometry and medicine for advancing the scope of practice for optometrists. He has served on a number of committees and boards for organizations including the AOA, National Board of Examiners in Optometry Board of Directors, Special Medical Advisory Group (SMAG) to the Veterans Administration Surgeon General, and the Association of Schools and Colleges of Optometry, for whom he served as president in 1994 to1995.

Dr. Suchoff is a founding faculty member of State University of New York (SUNY) College of Optometry, in 1971 as assistant professor, becoming an associate professor in 1973, and professor in 1976. He later served as co-chairman of the Department of Vision Sciences; Director of Residency Education; dean of the Professional Program; and founder and chairman of the Head Trauma Vision Rehabilitation Clinic from 1985 to 1999. The roots of neuro-optometry and rehabilitation came from much of his work.

Click here for additional information about the inductees.