Kovin Naidoo, PhD, OD, MPH, BS, BO and Frank Schaeffel, PhD.
NEW YORK—The State University of New York (SUNY) College of Optometry will recognize Kovin Naidoo, PhD, OD, MPH, BS, BO and Frank Schaeffel, PhD—two distinguished scholars who have made lasting contributions to eye and vision care—with honorary degrees during its 2018 commencement ceremony. Dr. Naidoo, CEO of the Brien Holden Vision Institute, will receive the honorary Doctor of Humane Letters. Dr. Naidoo is an academic, former anti-apartheid activist and political prisoner, optometrist and an internationally celebrated public health leader. He is dedicated to expanding public sector eyecare services throughout the developing world and founded Our Children’s Vision, a global campaign to reach 50 million children by 2020.

He developed a comprehensive and sustainable service delivery model, which shifts the primary responsibility for refractive services and blindness prevention from private sector professionals to community eye and health care workers, making eyecare affordable and accessible to underserved patients.

Dr. Frank Schaeffel, professor of neurobiology of the eye at the Institute of Ophthalmic Research at the University of Tubingen, will receive the honorary Doctor of Science. He is a world-recognized vision scientist who has had a significant impact on the understanding of visual regulation of eye growth and the development of myopia (nearsightedness). His multidisciplinary work has combined aspects of cell and molecular biology, physiological optics and vision research and he has developed optical instrumentation to accelerate progress across the field.

Professor Schaeffel has been a collaborator with many researchers around the world throughout his career and supported SUNY Optometry’s research efforts to explore the visual regulation of eye growth and the optical development of the eye. This work has been translated into emerging evidence-based treatments for the management of myopia.

“We are thrilled to recognize Dr. Naidoo and Dr. Schaeffel for their work to expand access to care and advance our understanding of vision, respectively,” said SUNY Optometry president David A. Heath. “Their global efforts are truly remarkable and worthy of recognition.”

Both honorees will join the College’s graduating class on Thursday, May 24 at the Roosevelt Hotel in midtown Manhattan.