by Satina Richardson

Jason Nichols, OD, MPH, PhD, UAB School of Optometry professor and the UAB Office of Research’s senior associate vice president for research, received the 2022 Donald R. Korb Award. Given by the American Optometric Association (AOA) Contact Lens and Cornea Section, the award recognizes an individual who has been a true innovator and leader in the field of contact lenses and anterior segment disease.

“I am incredibly honored and humbled to receive this distinction from the AOA Contact Lens and Cornea section,” Nichols says. “The award is bigger than me—I also celebrate those who came before me and my many collaborators, students, friends and family should be recognized as well. I also need to thank the many supporters of my work—NIH/NEI, industry, and foundations. Without that support, much of this research would not be possible.”

For more than 20 years, he has conducted translational research that has impacted patient care. Nichols’ research focuses largely on ocular surface diseases including dry eye and meibomian gland dysfunction, but also includes various aspects of contact lenses and their interaction with the ocular surface.

“Our team has built high resolution optical systems to image tear film dynamics, which we couple with highly sensitive biochemical analytical approaches to link tear film dynamics with the tear film and meibum lipid profiles of patients,” he says.

Other recent honors include receiving the American Public Health Association’s 2020 Vision Care Section Outstanding Scientific Paper Award for two papers that provided timely, evidence-based guidance to address and correct misinformation regarding safe contact lens wear early in the COVID-19 pandemic. He also received the Contact Lens Cornea Section Legends Award from the AOA.