Dr. Earl L. Smith III

Professor Smith received his OD (1972) and PhD (1978) from the University of Houston and subsequently joined the faculty of the UH College of Optometry. During his tenure in the College of Optometry, he held the Greeman-Petty Professorship in Vision Development and served as the Chair of the Basic Sciences Department, the Associate Dean for Graduate Studies and Research, the Dean of the College of Optometry, and as the Interim Chief Health Officer of the University of Houston. Dr. Smith currently holds the position of Professor Emeritus.

Professor Smith’s research interests are focused on the optics of the eye. For his research on the role of vision in regulating refractive development, he received the Glenn Fry Award (1996) and the Prentice Medal (2010) from the American Academy of Optometry, the Korb Award for Excellence from the Contact Lens and Cornea Section of the AOA (2011) and was recognized as a Distinguished Scholar by the National Academy of Practice in Optometry (2012). Professor Smith has published over 200 refereed papers and received 38 years of research funding from the National Institute of Health’s (NIH) National Eye Institute (NEI). He is also an accomplished lecturer, having received teaching awards at the department, college, and university levels. In 2021, Professor Smith received the Farfel Award from the University of Houston, the highest honor awarded to a UH faculty member.

Professor Smith has been an active member of the vision science community. He is a Fellow of the American Academy of Optometry, a past ARVO Fellow (inaugural class), a past President of the American Optometric Foundation (2002), a past President of the Association of Schools and Colleges of Optometry (2010), a past Member and Chair of NIH NEI’s Central Visual Processing Study Section (1998-2003), a past member of NIH’s National Advisory Eye Council (2005-2008), and a past Director on the Boards of the National Alliance for Eye and Vision Research and the Alliance for Eye and Vision Research.

For his accomplishments in teaching and his impact on the profession of optometry, the Texas Optometric Association presented Professor Smith with the Educator of the Year (2003) and Optometrist of the Year (2009) awards, the AOA inducted him into National Optometry Hall of Fame (2015) and was admitted to the Leadership & Legacy Society of the American Academy of Optometry (2022).

Video presented at ASCO’s Annual Business Meeting