George W. Blankenship, MD
George W. Blankenship, MD, past president of the Academy, died on Jul. 26, 2020 at the age of 79 due to complications of COVID-19.
An Academy member since 1973, Dr. Blankenship was a Life Fellow who served on several Academy committees throughout his prestigious career. In addition to being appointed Academy president in 2001, he served on the EyeCare America’s Diabetes EyeCare Program Committee, Diabetic Retinopathy Outcomes Task Force and Membership Advisory Committee. In 1995, he was a councilor representing the Association of University Professors of Ophthalmology. Dr. Blankenship was also very active with the Volunteer in Medicine Clinic. He was awarded the Academy’s Senior Achievement Award in 1994.