The optometry community mourns the loss of W. David Sullins, Jr. Dr. Sullins served in the U.S. Navy as a Lieutenant during the Vietnam era, and became the first optometrist to ever attain the rank of Rear Admiral. He later served as deputy director of the Medical Service Corps until 1995, when he retired from the Navy. He also helped found the Armed Forces Optometric Society. The U.S. Navy created the annual Admiral David Sullins Award to honor the most outstanding junior officer in the Medical Service Corps. Dr. Sullins also served as president of the American Optometric Association and chairman of the AOA Council on Optometric Education.

For the first time, scientists have regenerated a damaged optic nerve from the eye to the brain. In the March 1 issue of the Journal of Cell Science, researchers at the Schepens Eye Research Institute report their results in regenerating optic nerve tissue in lab mice. The researchers say this could have huge implications for other damaged central nervous system tissue. For example, this may increase the possibility that patients with spinal cord injuries could walk again.