June 15, 2020

ABB Optical Group and Paragon Vision Sciences Announce Sixth Annual Optometry Student Challenge with Live Industry Voting

Third and fourth-year students eligible to win a $1,500 travel grant to the 2021 Global Specialty Lens Symposium in Las Vegas

Coral Springs, Fla. (June 15, 2020) – ABB Optical Group (ABB), in conjunction with Paragon Vision Sciences, is excited to announce that it is accepting abstract submissions for the sixth annual Optometry Student Challenge.

The Optometry Student Challenge will award travel grants of $1,500 each to three third or fourth-year optometry students to attend the 2021 Global Specialty Lens Symposium (GSLS), held on January 20-23, 2021, in Las Vegas and to present a scientific poster on a topic, of the student’s choice, related to contact lenses. Last year, more than 86 optometry students submitted contact lens related abstracts focused on study projects or student-based case histories.

"Every year we have an incredible response from students who amaze us with their outstanding submissions and we certainly expect the same for this year’s challenge," said ABB’s Director of Specialty Vision Products Andy Jackson. "New to this year’s challenge we have decided to give our industry the opportunity to vote for their favorite poster based on the same criteria our judges utilize to determine our final top three, who will attend the symposium in Las Vegas next January. We ask everyone to participate in the webinar, support their alma mater and learn from these outstanding students’ work.”

In November, ABB and Paragon Vision Sciences will hold a live webinar in which the top six student challenge finalists will present their posters virtually. Attendees will have the opportunity to vote on their favorite poster presentation. Scores will be incorporated in the overall judging of the winners.

Optometry Student Challenge Program Rules

• Third and fourth-year students who are interested in participating must register by August 10, 2020. Registered students must then submit an abstract on their proposed poster topic by October 19, 2020.
• Abstracts must focus on study projects or student-based case histories within the following categories: scleral lenses, corneal reshaping and general contact lenses. One winner and one runner-up will be selected within each of these categories.
• Abstracts will be judged in two categories: case study report and research. Six finalists will be selected and notified by October 30, 2020.
• The finalists will then be required to convert their abstracts into scientific posters for further judging. The posters must be submitted in digital, PDF format to ABB Optical Group no later than November 13, 2020. The live virtual poster presentation will take place November 18, 2020 at 9 p.m. EST.
• Results of this competition will be communicated with the winners and runners-up by November 25, 2020.
• The lead authors of the top three posters will be awarded travel grants of $1,500 each to attend the symposium and present their posters. Additionally, three runner-ups will receive honorable mention prizes of $250 each.

“The optical industry of tomorrow is in the hands of the bright, intelligent optometry students of today,” said the General Manager of the Americas for Paragon Vision Sciences David Raimondo. “We’re proud to once again partner with ABB Optical Group to bring the Optometry Student Challenge as a way to encourage and support the next generation of optometrists. We hope that the new live presentation component will help bring our industry together in support of encouraging these students to continue with their passion.”

For more information on the Optometry Student Challenge, including full contest rules and guidelines, visit ABBOptical.com/OptometryStudentChallenge.

About ABB Optical Group
ABB Optical Group is a leading provider of optical products, services and business solutions in the eye care industry. ABB operates through three business pillars: ABB Contact Lens, ABB Labs and ABB Business Solutions. ABB is focused on the future of eye care professionals, helping them succeed by making practices more efficient and assisting providers to effectively navigate market changes. Visit abboptical.com for more information.

Media Contacts:
Cristina Pasquino, 561-271-7240 cpasquino@abboptical.com