Nominations open for BCLA Professional Awards 2027

Nominations open for BCLA Professional Awards 2027

Nominations are now open for the 2027 BCLA Professional Awards, giving members of the British Contact Lens Association the opportunity to recognise the individuals who are helping to drive excellence, innovation and progress across the contact lens and anterior eye profession.

The awards celebrate outstanding achievement across clinical practice, research, education and professional development, shining a light on those who are making a difference to patients, colleagues and the wider profession.

Any BCLA member can nominate a person they believe is deserving of an award, while self-nominations are also being accepted.

BCLA Chief Executive Brad Parkes said: “Our Professional Awards are a chance for the profession to recognise the people who are making a real difference, whether through outstanding clinical care, innovation, research or the contribution they make to those around them.

“We know there are exceptional people doing brilliant work across the contact lens and anterior eye community, and these awards give us an opportunity to celebrate that work and share their achievements with the wider profession.

“As we approach our 50th anniversary, it feels particularly appropriate that we should take the time to recognise the expertise and innovation that has helped shape our profession and will continue to drive it forward.”

Nominations are open until 2 April 2027, with the winners to be announced and celebrated at BCLA Celebrates on Saturday 19 June 2027, as part of the BCLA Clinical Conference & Exhibition, which takes place on 19 and 20 June.

The 2027 Professional Awards categories open for nominations are:

• BCLA Young Contact Lens Practitioner Award – recognising an outstanding early-career practitioner who is making a significant contribution to contact lens practice.
• BCLA Myopia Management Practitioner Award – celebrating excellence and innovation in the management of myopia.
• BCLA Hospital Contact Lens Practitioner Award – recognising exceptional contribution to hospital-based contact lens practice.
• BCLA Dry Eye Management Practitioner Award – celebrating practitioners demonstrating excellence in the management of dry eye and ocular surface conditions.

The awards provide an opportunity to recognise not only established achievements, but also the innovation and ideas that are helping to shape the future of the profession.

BCLA is also inviting applications for the BCLA Industry Award, which recognises an individual or team working within industry who has made an outstanding contribution to the contact lens profession or the field of anterior eye.

The award recognises entrepreneurial work in contact lens and anterior eye science, research and technology, including the development or application of new products and technologies, innovative uses of existing technology, and work that has had a significant impact on the health and comfort of contact lens wearers, dry eye sufferers or eyecare professionals.

BCLA exhibitors and sponsors are also encouraged to nominate an individual or team they believe has made an outstanding contribution to the contact lens profession or anterior eye field.

Whether recognising innovation, research, technology or an individual’s wider contribution to the profession, the Industry Award provides an opportunity to celebrate the people behind the work.

With nominations closing on 2 April 2027, BCLA is encouraging members to think about the colleagues, practitioners and innovators who have made a difference and put them forward for recognition.

For more details visit www.bcla.org.uk.