World Council of Optometry Announces 2025 International Award Winners

Tuesday, April 8 2025 | 11 h 01 min | News

The World Council of Optometry (WCO) announces the recipients of its prestigious international awards, recognizing individuals for their exceptional contributions to advancing optometry worldwide. These awards will be presented on June 26 during the Optometry’s Meeting | 5th World Congress of Optometry conference.

WCO Distinguished Service Award in Memory of Dr. Uduak Udom

Dr. Susan Cooper has been selected to receive the 2025 Distinguished Service Award in Memory of Dr. Uduak Udom. This award is the highest award that WCO can bestow and is given to an individual who, over time, has made outstanding contributions to the achievement of WCO’s Vision and Mission.

Since earning her Doctor of Optometry degree from the University of Waterloo in 1977, Dr. Cooper has been a dedicated leader in organized optometry. She was a founding member of the Vision Institute of Canada and served as the first woman president of the regulatory College of Optometrists of Ontario. Dr. Cooper served on faculty at the University of Waterloo as Director of their International Optometric Bridging Program and is currently a Board member of Optometry Giving Sight (OGS) USA and Board Chair of OGS Canada.

Dr. Cooper has been involved with WCO since 2006, serving first as a North American representative on the Board of Directors, followed by Chair of the Legislation, Registration, and Standards Committee, and ultimately as WCO President from 2011-2013. She also served as WCO Managing Director from 2018-2023.

“Receiving this award is incredibly meaningful to me, as WCO has been and will always be my passion,” she shared. “I have been fortunate over the years to work with incredible teams of colleagues and staff whose dedication allows WCO to move forward and accomplish so much.”

WCO International Optometrist Award

Dr. Abraham Bromberg is the recipient of the WCO International Optometrist Award for his extraordinary contributions and commitment to the development of the profession of optometry and vision care globally.

A leader in Mexican optometry for over 50 years, Dr. Bromberg received a Bachelor of Optometry from the National Polytechnic Institute (Instituto Politécnico Nacional) in Mexico City in 1967, earned his Doctor of Optometry degree from UC Berkeley in 1969 and an MSc in Physiologic Optics from the University of Houston in 1980. He has played a pivotal role in advancing optometry in Mexico and Latin America.

Dr. Bromberg has served as president for both the College of Optometrists of Mexico City and the Mexican Association of Faculties, Schools, Councils (AMFECCO). He is now president of the Consejo Optometría México, a nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting professional optometry through social media and continuing education. His contributions have been recognized with numerous awards, including honors from the State of Puebla, State of Mexico, AMFECCO, and the Essilor Award for Outstanding International Contributions to Optometry from the American Academy of Optometry (AAO). He became a Member of the Berkeley Hall of Fame in 2023.

“We as optometrists have a responsibility to help people see better and to prevent diseases that may affect the eye or the body,” he stated.

Memorial Lecture in Honor of Ms. Karen Sparrow

Dr. Sandra Wang-Harris has been chosen to deliver the Memorial Lecture in Honor of Ms. Karen Sparrow. This memorial lecture honors the memory of Ms. Karen Sparrow, a public health optometrist who devoted herself to addressing the needs of underserved populations and regions with limited access to eye care. Ms. Sparrow, a longtime WCO volunteer, exemplified the spirit, passion, and commitment to public health optometry that embodies the mission of WCO.

Dr. Wang-Harris earned her Doctor of Optometry degree from The Ohio State University and a Master of Public Health degree from Walden University. In 1999, she established the first eye clinic for HIV-positive patients in Northern Alabama, USA, igniting her passion for working with underserved populations. She has worked in Nepal, Panama, Trinidad and Tobago, East Timor (Timor Leste), The Gambia, Kazakhstan, and the Federated States of Micronesia. In 2024, she returned to the United States to serve as an Associate Professor at the University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Optometry.

Dr. Wang-Harris will present this lecture during the 5th World Congress of Optometry. “It is a great honor to be selected as the speaker for the Karen Sparrow Memorial Lecture,” she shared. “Karen’s life and work embodied true compassion, tirelessly giving of herself to those less fortunate. Her love for the optometry profession and her care for others, both at home and in distant lands, exemplify the spirit of a true humanitarian optometrist.”

Those attending the Optometry’s Meeting | 5th World Congress of Optometry conference are encouraged to attend this lecture on June 26, 2025 (Thursday, 3:00 p.m. local time) at Room 211B of the Minneapolis Convention Center.

Click HERE for the press release.

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