Optometrist of the Year Honored at Optometry’s Meeting: David L. Parker, OD
- Parker, OD, a former Mississippi state senator and practice owner, was named Optometrist of the Year at Optometry’s Meeting on June 18, 2026.
- Parker operates Olive Branch Eyecare and Horn Lake Eyecare in Mississippi.
- Parker told Healio he was deeply honored to be named optometrist of the year.
David L. Parker, OD, a former Mississippi state senator and practice owner, was named Optometrist of the Year at Optometry’s Meeting on June 18, 2026. According to Healio News, the American Optometric Association (AOA) also granted the Distinguished Service Award to Douglas Morrow, OD, and the Apollo Award to the nonprofit group iSee Ohio.
Parker operates Olive Branch Eyecare and Horn Lake Eyecare in Mississippi. His recognition by the AOA follows a career that combined clinical practice with legislative experience as a state senator, according to Healio News.
Parker told Healio he was deeply honored
to be named optometrist of the year.
Who received the AOA Excellence Awards?
The AOA presented several awards during the event to recognize different forms of contribution to the field of vision care. The recipients included:
- David L. Parker, OD: Optometrist of the Year.
- Douglas Morrow, OD: Distinguished Service Award.
- iSee Ohio: Apollo Award.
The Apollo Award is specifically designated for distinguished service to the visual welfare of the public, according to Healio News.
What is the significance of these awards?
The AOA Excellence Awards highlight a shift toward integrating clinical expertise with public policy and community outreach. By honoring a former state senator like Parker and a public-welfare nonprofit like iSee Ohio, the association recognizes the impact of advocacy and free care alongside traditional medical practice.
The selection of iSee Ohio for the Apollo Award contrasts with the individual honors given to Parker and Morrow. While the Optometrist of the Year and Distinguished Service awards focus on individual professional achievement, the Apollo Award emphasizes systemic efforts to increase visual health access for the general public, Healio News reports.
This dual focus on individual leadership and organizational service reflects the AOA’s broader goals at Optometry’s Meeting, where the organization addresses both the clinical needs of patients and the legislative challenges facing the profession.