Bradford School of Optometry and Vision Science at the University of Bradford hosted an inaugural lecture on the evening of October 27 to honour the contribution of the late Professor David Pickwell to the profession and the local community.
The lecture, 'Those brown eyes turning blue? Can it be true?', considering eye conditions affecting the iris, was given by University of Sheffield's Professor Ian Rennie, an eye cancer specialist who works at the Royal Hallamshire hospital.
Pickwell, who died in January 2006 in Yorkshire, studied ophthalmic optics in London and in 1954 became the first full-time lecturer in ophthalmic optics at Bradford Technical College. This became the University of Bradford in 1966 and Pickwell became senior university lecturer and later head of the department.
He was passionate about the development of optometry as a graduate profession and was involved in many initiatives to raise the status of education in ophthalmic optics. This work led to him becoming president of the British Optical Association from 1972-3 and president of the International Optometric and Optical League from 1978 to 1984. He became the University's first Professor of Optometry in 1984.
Having retired in 1992, Pickwell worked as a Methodist church minister in Bradford for a further 10 years until 2002.
Throughout his career he believed that the different eye care professions should develop in close co-operation and mutual respect. An expert in binocular vision and orthoptics, his book Binocular Vision Anomalies has remained popular since its first publication in 1984.
Dr Jim Gilchrist, current head of Bradford's School of Optometry and Vision Science, said: 'David Pickwell was influential and highly respected in both the UK and internationally. He served our University for over 25 years and the optometry profession and his community in Yorkshire for over 40.
'He laid the foundation for the Bradford School of Optometry and Vision Science as we now know it and so we are delighted to be able to honour him with the launch of this prestige lecture series.'
? For further details, visit www.bradford.ac.uk/optometry/news-and-events