A pioneering clinician-scientist at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, Dr. Abramson has transformed understanding and treatment of eye cancers worldwide.
CLARKSBURG, Md., May 1, 2026—In recognition of his immense contributions to vision science and advancements in treatments for childhood eye cancers, global research nonprofit BrightFocus Foundation and the Helen Keller Eye Research Foundation will honor David H. Abramson, MD, FACS, with the 2026 Helen Keller Prize for Vision Research.
The award will be presented May 4 at a dinner and ceremony during the annual meeting of the Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology (ARVO).
Dr. Abramson is the founding chief of the Ophthalmic Oncology Service at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, where he is a tenured professor of surgery, pediatrics, and radiation oncology, in addition to professor of ophthalmology at Weill Cornell Medical Center.
He has developed treatments that have changed the way eye cancers are managed worldwide. Dr. Abramson untangled the complex story of second cancers in retinoblastoma survivors, clarifying the role of the gene and treatment on the development of subsequent cancers. Along with colleagues, he identified the cell of origin of retinoblastoma, a rare childhood eye cancer. He and collaborators are responsible for changing the management of orbital rhabdomyosarcoma and retinoblastoma, and he was on the executive committee of the Collaborative Ocular Melanoma Study.
“This year’s Helen Keller Prize celebrates research that has reshaped the landscape of eye cancer detection and care worldwide,” said Stacy Pagos Haller, president and CEO of BrightFocus Foundation. “We are proud to honor Dr. David Abramson, whose scientific insight and clinical leadership have transformed outcomes and brought new hope to families facing these devastating diseases.”
“Helen Keller was struck blind and deaf by an illness suffered in infancy. The title Helen Keller Laureate thus has unique significance for Dr. David Abramson, who conquered blinding and often fatal childhood cancers of the eye,” said Robert E. Morris, MD, president of the Helen Keller Eye Research Foundation.
Established in 1994, the Helen Keller Prize for Vision Research recognizes excellence as demonstrated by several significant professional research contributions to vision science or for a single research contribution of exceptional importance to vision science and is chosen by an international panel of biomedical physicians and researchers. Past recipients include pioneers whose work has fundamentally advanced the field.
Dr. Abramson graduated from Harvard College, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, where he was honored as the outstanding graduate, and completed his ophthalmology residency and then fellowship in ophthalmic oncology at Columbia-Presbyterian, in addition to special training in radiation oncology at Columbia and pathology at the Armed Forces Institute of Pathology.
He has published more than 800 peer-reviewed articles and received many honors, including the Lifetime Achievement Award from the American Academy of Ophthalmology, the Weisenfeld Award from the Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology, the Franschetti Medal, Bjerrum Medal, Stallard Medal, Alcon Research Institute Award and many named lectures. He has collaborated and published with more than 300 colleagues in medicine and science.
About BrightFocus Foundation
BrightFocus Foundation is a premier global nonprofit funder of research to discover cures for diseases of mind and sight. Through its programs Alzheimer’s Disease Research, Macular Degeneration Research, and National Glaucoma Research, the Foundation has awarded more than $310 million in innovative research grants, laying the groundwork for new treatments, risk factors, and prevention strategies. The Foundation also serves as a trusted source of information for those affected by these diseases. Learn more at brightfocus.org.
About Helen Keller Eye Research Foundation
Based on the legacy of Helen Keller, the Helen Keller Eye Research Foundation strives to prevent blindness and deafness by advancing research and education. The Foundation aspires to be a leader in integrating sight, speech, and hearing research with the greater biomedical research community, creating and coordinating a peer-reviewed, worldwide network of investigators and institutions.
Media Contacts
Julia Roth
BrightFocus Foundation
jroth@brightfocus.org
Laura Beckwith
Helen Keller Eye Research Foundation
(205) 933-9389
lbeckwith@helenkellerfoundation.org
BrightFocus Foundation is a premier global nonprofit funder of research to defeat Alzheimer’s, macular degeneration, and glaucoma. Since its inception more than 50 years ago, BrightFocus and its flagship research programs—Alzheimer’s Disease Research, Macular Degeneration Research, and National Glaucoma Research—has awarded more than $300 million in research grants to scientists around the world, catalyzing thousands of scientific breakthroughs, life-enhancing treatments, and diagnostic tools. We also share the latest research findings, expert information, and resources to empower the millions impacted by these devastating diseases. Learn more at brightfocus.org.
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