05/07/2026

Multiple AOA Award Winners from Ohio Announced

The AOA announced their award recipients for 2026, and we are proud to congratulate them! Winners from Ohio include Dr. Gregory Nixon, Dr. Michael Earley, Ms. Amy Ngo and iSee Ohio. Each AOA award winner will be recognized at Optometry’s meeting this June in Phoenix, AZ. Learn more about all the award winners at Annual American Optometric Association Award Winners | AOA 

Dr. Greg Nixon is the 2026 AOA Optometric Educator of the Year. 

Gregory Nixon, O.D., holds the positions of associate dean for clinical services and VSP chair for advancement of professional practice at The Ohio State University College of Optometry. His 30 years in academia also included an 18-year history of being a co-owner of a private practice. His primary teaching and clinical interests are in ocular pharmacology, ocular disease and the management of glaucoma. He is the recipient of The Ohio State University Alumni Award for Distinguished Teaching. Dr. Nixon is an active member of the Optometric Glaucoma Society and the Ohio Optometric Association (OOA), where he is chair of the EastWest Eye Conference Education Committee. His work on behalf of the organization has earned him recognition as an OOA Special Merit Award winner in 1999, 2005 and 2006, and as the OOA Young OD of the Year in 2000. He serves on the Board of Trustees of the OOA and the Ohio Professionals Health Program. He is a fellow of the American Academy of Optometry and a distinguished fellow of the National Academies of Practice. 

Students and colleagues agree that Dr. Nixon goes above and beyond in furthering the profession. “Dr. Nixon exemplifies what a professor, clinician, mentor, AOA/OOA volunteer, and optometrist should aspire to be,” said OOA Executive Director, Dr. Elizabeth Muckley. “He has dedicated his career to strengthening our profession through the education of students in the classroom as well as clinic, volunteering to advance the profession of optometry, and through his contributions to the advancement of The Ohio State University College of Optometry.” 

Dr. Michael Earley is the recipient of the Dr. W. David Sullins, Jr., InfantSEE Award. 

The  Dr. W. David Sullins, Jr., InfantSEE Award recognizes an individual doctor of optometry who has made significant contributions to optometry or the community for outstanding public service involving the InfantSEE program.  

Dr. Earley graduated summa cum laude from The Ohio State University College of Optometry with his OD and MS in physiological optics in 1988 and was the recipient of the Beta Sigma Kappa silver medal. He received his Ph.D. in physiological optics from Ohio State in 1992. His dissertation was on the acquired visual losses associated with amblyopia.   

He retired from The Ohio State University College of Optometry in 2025 after 37 years on faculty. During his career, he was a clinical professor, held the VSP chair for advancement of professional practice, and served as the associate dean of academic affairs. He also served as the chair of the Admissions Committee and taught courses in anatomy/histology, neuroanatomy, and clinical diagnostic reasoning. He was in the Binocular Vision and Pediatric Services for 37 years with emphasis on pediatrics and patients with traumatic brain injury.   

In 1998, he was awarded Ohio State’s Alumni Award for Distinguished Teaching and was inducted into the Academy of Teaching. He was awarded the American Optometric Foundation’s Michael G. Harris Award for Excellence in Optometric Education in 2011, was the AOA Educator of the Year in 2013, named a Distinguished Fellow of National Academies of Practice in Optometry in 2017, the Ohio Optometric Association’s Optometrist of the Year in 2022 and the recipient of The OSU College of Optometry’s Distinguished Alumni of the Year award in 2024. He received the AOA President’s Award in 2025. He has served for many years on the InfantSEE® and Children’s Vision committee and Faculty Liaison Committee of the AOA. He is a past president of the Ohio Optometric Association and currently serves as the vice president for iSee Ohio (Ohio Optometric Foundation). 

Ms. Amy Ngo is the 2026 AOSA Student of the Year.  

Amy Ngo is a student at The Ohio State University College of Optometry (OSUCO) class of 2027. She holds a bachelor's degree in biology and minor in health advocacy at the University of Kentucky, where she was a Biology Scholar and honored as the class of 2022 commencement speaker. In Kentucky, she dedicated her time to retina regeneration research and later was a scribe for Retina Associates of Kentucky before transitioning into her optometric studies. At OSUCO, she served as president of the American Optometric Student Association, OOPAC student representative, lead senator for the Interprofessional Council, co-founder and president of Cultural Lenses, and a Gold Key Honor Society member. Some of her achievements include being named as OOA 2025 Student of the Year and OSU AOSA 2026 Student Leader of the Year. Her passion for optometry is rooted in her commitment to delivering high-quality care and improving vision health outcomes for her future patients. 

“I have no doubt that Amy will become a great leader for our profession,” said Dr. San-San Cooley, President of the Ohio Optometric Association. “She understands that leadership is not about titles, but about service, integrity, and lifting others as you advance. She is already shaping the future of optometry by motivating her peers to engage, advocate, and lead, and I am confident she will continue to do so throughout her career.” 

iSee Ohio (Ohio Optometric Foundation) Is the 2026 recipient of the AOA Apollo Award. 

The Apollo Award is the highest honor given to individuals or organizations outside of the optometric profession. This year, the award recognizes iSee Ohio (The Ohio Optometric Foundation) for its exceptional contributions to the visual welfare of the public. 

iSee Ohio is a statewide initiative dedicated to helping children reach their full potential by improving access to comprehensive eye care. Founded in 2003 by members of the Ohio Optometric Association to act as the charitable arm of the association, the organization began by providing public education and scholarships to support the future of the optometric profession.  

In 2008, iSee Ohio expanded its mission to include direct care through in-school eye exam clinics, addressing a critical gap for students who fail vision screenings but do not receive follow-up care. Since then, volunteer optometrists have conducted more than 150 clinics, providing over 4,000 comprehensive eye exams and 3,000 pairs of eyeglasses at no cost to students, families or schools.  

As demand grew, iSee Ohio invested in mobile equipment to bring care directly to schools and communities, significantly increasing access across the state. The program’s success has helped drive major statewide initiatives, including OhioSEE, a public-private effort to expand school-based vision care and eliminate barriers such as cost and transportation.  

Today, iSee Ohio continues to lead through innovation, partnerships and advocacy—working to ensure sustainable access to quality eye care for all children and serving as a model for programs nationwide. iSee Ohio helps children meet their full potential by improving access to quality, comprehensive eye care in their communities... because every child deserves to see.