by Satina Richardson
The Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology (ARVO) has named Ellen Antwi-Adjei, OD, MPH, a Vision Science Graduate Program PhD candidate, the recipient of the 2026 Emerging Advocate Award. The honor recognizes ARVO members who have dedicated their careers to advancing eye and vision research through advocacy at all levels.
“To me, advocacy is not peripheral to science — it is essential,” she said. “It ensures that discoveries leave the laboratory and reach those who need them most. Receiving ARVO’s Emerging Advocate Award affirms that the voices of early career scientists are critical in shaping the future of vision research and eye health policy.”
Antwi-Adjei, who is from Ghana, where preventable vision loss is common, says advocacy for accessible eye care has always shaped her professional identity because she knows how profoundly untreated vision problems affect individuals and communities.
This conviction led her to volunteer in rural eye camps as a student and later organize events such as Optometry Week and World Glaucoma Week as a practicing optometrist. Working with local practitioners and non-governmental organizations, she helped host health talks, offer free vision screenings, provide glasses and refer patients for surgery.
“In one memorable outreach moment at a school for the deaf in the Ashanti region, several children who had been labeled as inattentive were found to have significant refractive errors and other ocular conditions, including early signs of glaucoma,” she said. “Providing them with corrective lenses and referrals not only improved their sight but also transformed their educational experience and self-confidence.”
These experiences also reinforced a deeper professional belief.
“Working in clinics has reinforced this conviction: many people from rural areas present with advanced disease and vision loss that could have been prevented with earlier detection.”
Her advocacy continued when she began her doctoral studies at UAB. She volunteered to teach ocular health at the McWane Science Center and at local elementary schools. Nationally, she participated in Prevent Blindness’ Eye on Capitol Hill and ARVO’s Advocacy Day.
Her current research sits at the intersection of clinical care, public health and translational science, complementing her commitment to equity in eye care. AntwiAdjei works on the Alabama Screening and Intervention for Glaucoma and eye Health through Telemedicine (ALSIGHT) study, a CDC-funded project comparing telemedicine-based screening with conventional in-person eye exams.
“Within this study, I evaluate portable visual field devices to improve glaucoma detection and monitoring in underserved communities,” Antwi-Adjei said. “Our findings show that telemedicine is a scalable, cost-effective tool for early detection and for improving equitable access to care. Portable perimeters have shown great potential for detecting and monitoring glaucoma in these settings, improving triage and care.”
This research supports her advocacy in two ways:
- It provides evidence that ophthalmic telemedicine can deliver quality care in rural and underserved settings and that portable diagnostic devices and algorithms can help clinicians triage patients and monitor disease progression.
- It has allowed her to build partnerships with community clinics, educators and legislators, extending her impact beyond the laboratory.
Her advocacy work also extends internationally. In March 2025, she was invited to speak at the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women about gender equity in vision science, nutrition and policy. She will return in March 2026 to discuss translating policy into practice.
Looking ahead, she plans to continue advocating for patient care and policy changes that make a real-life impact.
“My immediate goals include expanding telemedicine and portable screening technologies in rural and underserved communities — both in the U.S. and in Ghana — using evidence from the ALSIGHT study to advocate for policy support,” she said. She adds that her aim is to ensure no one loses vision because of where they live or their socioeconomic status.