The Academy is pleased to present David A. Karcher with the 2017 Distinguished Service Award. Approved by the Board of Trustees each year, this award honors an individual or organization for ongoing notable service to ophthalmology and the Academy.
Since August 1981, David A. Karcher has served as the executive director/CEO of the American Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgery. Under his leadership, ASCRS has expanded from primarily an organization of cataract surgeons to a resource for anterior segment surgeons and their practices from around the globe. Karcher has worked effectively over the years with the Academy’s leadership to better serve the profession. Joint initiatives have included federal advocacy, health policy, support of Academy state-based advocacy, quality-of-care initiatives and communication to members and the public.
That both the Academy and ASCRS have developed a strong collaborative relationship owes in large measure to Karcher’s leadership and his commitment to the profession of ophthalmology and the patients served by the members of both organizations.
It is with great pleasure that the American Academy of Ophthalmology awards David A. Karcher with the Distinguished Service Award at AAO 2017.