This fellowship will celebrate the legacy of Dr. Jan Bergmanson’s internationally recognized work in the field of cornea, contact lenses, ocular anatomy and corneal pathology. Funding will be used for research, education, and special training of post-graduate advanced fellowships in cornea and contact lenses at the University of Houston College of Optometry.
In the fall of 1996, Doctors Jan Bergmanson and Norman Leach, founded the Texas Eye Research and Technology Center (TERTC) dedicated to conducting research studies in the areas of daily and overnight contact lens wear and associated care solutions; dry eyes and tear physiology; orthokeratology and corneal reshaping; corneal and conjunctival physiology and histopathology; refractive surgery environmental effects (such as UV exposure) on ocular tissues and ocular therapeutic agents. The post-graduate advanced fellowships in cornea and contact lenses will be housed at the Texas Eye Research and Technology Center (TERTC) at the University of Houston College of Optometry.
Our goal is to initially raise a minimum of $100,000 by December 2022 to establish the Jan Bergmanson Advanced Practice Fellowship Endowment in Cornea and Contact Lenses. Following that, we would like to establish a permanent $1,000,000 endowment that will offset the costs of having a fellow for future years.
This is a unique undertaking in optometry where post-graduate fellows are trained in clinical research, advanced clinical practice in contact lens care, and cutting-edge anterior segment therapeutic care. This endowment will ensure that Dr. Bergmanson’s passion and focus on clinical and basic research and advanced practice will remain a vital part of the college’s strong tradition of evidence-based training.
Recently listed as one of the 30 most influential people in the world in the contact lens care field and a pioneer in specialty contact lenses, Dr. Jan P.G. Bergmanson is a Professor of Optometry at the University of Houston College of Optometry (UHCO), where he teaches and cares for patients in clinical practice. He is among the top 200 most-published optometrists in the world and a “legendary figure,” according to the Global optometrist top 200 research ranking.
Dr. Bergmanson is certified in Texas as a Therapeutic Optometrist and as an Optometric Glaucoma Specialist and is the founding Director of the Texas Eye Research and Technology Center (TERTC). He has achieved international awards and recognition for his role as an educator, researcher, and clinical practitioner. His career has spanned patient care, basic and applied clinical sciences with a focus on the following topics:
Dr. Bergmanson received his optometric training and PhD at City University, in London. In addition, he obtained a Doctor of Optometry degree from the Pennsylvania College of Optometry, now Salus University. Dr. Bergmanson is one of only a few optometrists who have earned a doctoral degree in anatomy and has put that talent to use by writing an authoritative textbook on ocular anatomy and physiology, which is now in its 28th edition.
This work, together with peer reviewed publications in the field of ocular anatomy has earned him a reputation as a leading anatomist in the world. His contributions in ocular pathology are also noteworthy. For instance, in the complex disease known as keratoconus, which was first described 150 years ago and affects 1 in 2,000 but still has an unexplained etiology and poorly understood pathophysiology, Dr. Bergmanson has made major contributions to our current understanding of this disease.
He and his co-workers have explained exactly what makes these corneas thinner or what we lose in keratoconus and what weakens the cornea to the point of ectasia. These discoveries have helped us understand this relatively common pathology and also better care for patients’ with this visually debilitating disease that has a significant negative effect on quality of life.
Over his career, Dr. Bergmanson has authored more than 154 clinical and peer-reviewed scientific publications with more than 2000 citations to his work and has inspired a generation of clinicians to think critically, and to practice and publish at the highest levels in the field.
Dr. Jan Bergmanson is a Fellow of the American Academy of Optometry, where he is a Diplomate in the Cornea, Contact Lens & Refractive Technologies Section. His scholarly contributions also include eight chapters in textbooks, eight letters to the editors, two position papers, one annually updated text book “Clinical ocular anatomy & physiology,” now in its 28th edition and one patent. His illustrations are widely reproduced in literature. He is a fellow of the Scleral Lens Education Society, a member of the Texas Optometric Association (TOA), American Optometric Association (AOA), Association of Contact Lens Educators, and International Association of Contact Lens Educators. He is a council member of the International Society for Contact Lens Research, was elected to Life Fellowship of the College of Optometry in the United Kingdom, and is a lifetime honorary member of the Swedish and Dutch Optometric Associations.
This fundraising initiative is led by the following committee members.
UHCO Alumnus
Vice President, TrueForm
UHCO Alumnus
Retired, Oil business
Clinical Assistant Professor, University of Michigan
UHCO Alumnus
Proprietor. Duchman Family Winery.
Vice President, Huntington Private Bank Wealth & Investment Portfolio Manager II
Post Doctoral Fellow
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Postdoctoral Fellow
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Dr. Bergmanson is an outstanding culinary professional and this recipe
is exclusively for you to enjoy!
Recipe from: Jan Bergmanson
This dish was invented in Stockholm, Sweden at the Hasselbacken (Hazelnut Hill) chef school, the premier school of this kind, but unfortunately it has closed since my departure from Stockholm. Same cutting technique is used here as in RK surgery. Smaklig måltid!
Set oven to 375 or 200C.
Cut potatoes in half along the long axis.
RK cut the potato halves across their long axis – the cut should not be complete but should be through 90% of the potato body.
Put the potatoes on a baking plate with just enough olive oil to provide coverage of the plate.
Place the plate in oven for 20 minutes.
Remove plate from oven to sprinkle parmesan cheese on top of potatoes.
Let it cook for another 20 minutes, at end of which it will be golden brown but not burned (remember all ovens are different).
Created by faculty, staff and students of the UH College of Optometry this is a must read for any foodie or cooking enthusiast.
Your gift will be tax deductible to the maximum amount allowed by law.
To give by phone, please text BERGMANSON to 71-777.
Please contact:
Marianne Dwyer
Chief Development Officer for Medicine and Health
University Development, University of Houston
Email: mdwyer@central.uh.edu.
Phone: 713-743-4137