The Ruskell Medal 2008

Entries are now invited for the Ruskell Medal 2008, the winner of which will receive the Company's Bronze medal and a purse for £750.

Since receiving its Royal Charter in 1629, the Worshipful Company of Spectacle Makers has been to the fore in encouraging research into ways and means of helping the visually impaired to see better. In spite of wars, revolutions, plagues and other disturbances, its members have played a prominent role in most of the innovations and improvements in the field of vision sciences that we now take for granted. However, while many of them acquired international reputations and high scientific honours, it is only recently that the Company has sought to bestow its own marks of recognition. Twenty years ago, it presented the first of the seven gold medals awarded to date for a life’s work of “outstanding contribution to the understanding or improvement of vision”. Some twelve years later it introduced a silver medal to recognize exceptional work by those aged 40 and under.

Finally, in 2001, the Company struck a bronze medal, originally just known as The Master’s Prize but now named the Ruskell Medal in honour of the late Professor Gordon Ruskell, to encourage new entrants to the profession to contribute to the better understanding or improvement of vision.

This award, which it is hoped will be made annually, is directed at those making their initial “first author” published contribution to the advancement of basic, clinical or technical ophthalmic science. Entries are therefore invited from persons holding a first degree, diploma or other acceptable qualification obtained within three years preceding the closing date of 28th March 2008. While holders of’ Doctorates are not eligible to enter, those in training for such qualifications are. The competition is also open to graduates in Optometry who hold a dispensing and/or technical qualification such as SMC(Tech)(1) .

Entrants are required to submit an essay on an aspect of ophthalmic or vision science, industrial ophthalmics or other related subject. The essay should report original work: reviews and editorials will not be considered(2). The work should have been published or accepted for publication in a refereed journal, or presented at a national or international meeting.The entrant should normally be the sole or first named author(3).

Five copies of the essay(4) should be forwarded to the Clerk of the Spectacle Makers’ Company, together with a covering letter:

The winner will be announced early in the Spring of 2008. He or she will then be invited to receive the bronze medal, and a purse of £750 at a Court Luncheon in Apothecaries' Hall. The winner may also be called upon to present a lecture on his or her work at a time and venue to be decided by the Company.

(1) Those uncertain of their eligibility should contact the Clerk.
(2) Potential entrants may find it helpful to note that the last four medals have been awarded for the following papers:
The benefits of Electronic Vision Enhancement systems for the visually impaired.
The development of a critical flicker/fusion frequency test for a potential vision testing in media opacities.
Functional evidence for cone-specific connectivity in the human retina.
Perimetric Sensitivity and Response Variability in Glaucoma with Single Stimulus and Multiple Stimulus Presentations.
(3) The judges may consider essays of which the entrant is not the first author, but only if a letter describing the entrant’s contribution is submitted by the senior author.
(4) Copies may be reprints or typed manuscripts.