Announcement of the VDCO 2024

The Association of German Contact Lens Specialists and Optometrists (VDCO) is awarding the Peter-Abel-Award for scientific work for the 28th time. The award is given for innovative and outstanding work in the field of contact optics, eye physiology and optometry.

The award is offered for current scientific work that has led to the attainment of the Ph.D. degree. The winning paper will be characterised by topicality, scientific research and innovation. This year, the Peter-Abel-Award is endowed with € 2,000.00.

Former awardees include Neema Ghorbani Mojarrad, Ph.D., Prof. Lyndon Jones, Ph.D., Prof. Nathan Efron, Ph.D and Dr. Janine Rolfs.

Proceedings

Applicants must submit the completed dissertation or all associated papers that led to the award of the doctoral degree / Ph.D. no more than two years ago by 9 June 2024. An international, independent jury will evaluate all submitted papers.

· file format Adobe PDF

· submitted by mail until 9 June 2024

· presentation the award-winning topic on 27 or 28 September 2024 in German or English

The award ceremony will take place on 27 or 28 September 2024 in Essen, Germany, at the VDCO annual conference as part of SICHT.KONTAKTE2024. Possible travel expenses for one person will be covered.

The VDCO invites you to submit your scientific work for the Gunter Schamberger Award 2024! Since 1989, this award has honoured students who have written a scientific paper in the field of contact lens optics or optometry as part of a university degree in Germany, Austria or Switzerland.

This year, the Gunter Schamberger Award is once again sponsored by Alcon Pharma GmbH and is endowed with 1,000 euros. The award will be presented at the SICHT.KONTAKTE 2024, to which the winner is invited free of charge. The award-winning work can also be exhibited as a poster.

The VDCO and Alcon Pharma look forward to seeing your submission!

Criteria

The submitted scientific papers and, if required, the accompanying poster should fulfil the following criteria:

• scientific work as part of a project work, student research project, bachelor's or master's thesis
• content on the subject of contact lens optics, physiology of the eye and/or optometry
• written in German or English
• format to be submitted: PDF

The submitted work must have been completed between June 2023 and the submission deadline.

Proceedings

All works must be sent by e-mail to the VDCO office (info@vdco.de) by 2 August 2024. A decision on the acceptance of the submitted work and the announcement of the winner will be made by 6 September 2024 at the latest. The winner of the Gunter Schamberger Award will give a five to ten-minute presentation on the submitted topic at SICHT.KONTAKTE.

The VDCO invites you to submit a poster for the Rolf Weinschenk Award 2024! We are looking for the best poster with a focus on "Best Practice and Innovation" in the field of contact lens optics. All posters will be exhibited for three days as part of SICHT.KONTAKTE2024. The Rolf Weinschenk Award is endowed with 500 euros. The winning poster will be determined by a vote of the SICHT.KONTAKTE2024 congress participants. The winner(s) will then be honoured in front of the SICHT.KONTAKTE 2024 auditorium.

Criteria

The submitted scientific papers and the corresponding poster should fulfil the following criteria:

• research results from the field of contact lens optics
• research or degree thesis
• practically innovative orientation
• written in German or English
• poster in landscape format as PDF

Proceedings

All papers must be sent by e-mail to the VDCO office (info@vdco.de) by 13 September 2024. Your poster will be approved by the members of the VDCO Board. You will receive a decision on the acceptance of your work by 18 September 2024 at the latest.

If your poster is accepted, you are invited to SICHT.KONTAKTE 2024 free of charge. The winners of the Rolf Weinschenk Award give a 30-minute presentation on the submitted topic of their work at a VDCO online symposium following the SICHT.KONTAKTE.

The VDCO invites you to submit a poster for the Ralf Bachmann Award 2024! We are looking for the best poster with a focus on "Best Practice and Innovation" in the in the field of optometry. All posters will be exhibited for three days at SICHT.KONTAKTE 2024.

The Ralf Bachmann Award will be given for the first time this year, is sponsored by Ralf Bachmann and is endowed with 500 euros.

The winning poster will be determined by a vote of the SICHT.KONTAKTE 2024 congress participants. The winner(s) will then be honoured in front of the SICHT.KONTAKTE 2024 auditorium.

Criteria

The submitted scientific papers and the corresponding poster should fulfil the following criteria:

• research results from the field of optometry
• research or final thesis
• practically innovative orientation
• written in German or English
• poster in landscape format as PDF

Proceedings

All papers must be sent by e-mail to the VDCO office (info@vdco.de) by 13 September 2024. Your poster will be approved by the members of the VDCO Board. You will receive a decision on the acceptance of your work by 18 September 2024 at the latest. If your work is accepted, you will be invited to SICHT.KONTAKTE 2024 free of charge. Winners of the Ralf Bachmann Award will give a 30-minute presentation on the submitted topic of their work at a VDCO online symposium following the SICHT.KONTAKTE.