This award honors the most outstanding original contribution published in the Journal of Neuro‑Ophthalmology during the year preceding the NANOS Annual Meeting. Named for Dr. J. Lawton Smith, founding editor of the journal, all eligible articles are automatically considered.

Listed below are all past recipients.

2026

• TBA

2025

• Sui Hsien Wong, MD FRCP — Research on the Treatment for Visual Snow Syndrome with a Mindfulness-Based Intervention (MBCT-vision) and Functional MRI Connectivity Outcomes.

2024

• Francisco Sanchez, MD — Transient Bilateral Central Scotoma on Awakening: A distinct phenomenon

2023

• Merrick S. Reynolds, MS — Sharp Edge Eye Syndrome: A Case Report and Survey of Self-Identified Individuals

2022

• Alvin Liu, MD — Detection of Optic Disc Abnormalities in Color Fundus Photographs Using Deep Learning

2021

• Lasse Malmqvist, MD, PhD — Progression Over 5 Years of Prelaminar Hyperreflective Lines to Optic Disc Drusen in the Copenhagen Child Cohort 2000 Eye Study
• Siwei Zhou, MD — Myelin Oligodendrocyte Glycoprotein Antibody-Associated Optic Neuritis and Myelitis in COVID-19

2020

• Melinda Chang, MD (for her article with John Keltner) — Risk factors for fellow eye involvement in non-arteritic anterior ischemic optic neuropathy (NAION)

2019

• Hong Jiang, MD — Altered Macular Microvasculature in Mild Cognitive Impairment and Alzheimer Disease