UHCO’s Connor Christensen Wins 2020 AOSA Optometry Student Bowl

UHCO’s Connor Christensen Wins 2020 AOSA Optometry Student Bowl

Connor Christensen, a fourth-year student at the University of Houston, College of Optometry, won the American Optometric Student Association's 2020 Optometry Student Bowl.

Due to COVID-19 and the cancellation of a live Optometry’s Meeting, the event was held virtually for the first time in history. Essilor of America, the nation’s leading ophthalmic lens manufacturer and sponsor, pulled out all the stops to celebrate the 29th annual competition.

The event was broadcast on June 25 from the Essilor headquarters in Dallas, Texas. More than 1,500 attendees tuned in to watch the contestants ­­ – students from all the schools and colleges of optometry ­– answer optometry-related questions.

In addition to bragging rights, Christensen took home $1,000, a host of diagnostic lenses from Volk, and UHCO will house the coveted Ventura Cup until next year’s meeting in Anaheim, CA. 

Second-place winner, Alec Waters from the Southern College of Optometry, received $750 and third-place winner, Katelyn Flood of the University of Missouri St. Louis, College of Optometry, received $500. As in previous years, each OSB contestant will get a Volk Pan Retinal 2.2 blue-ringed lens donated by Volk Optical. Keeler also provided each contestant with a generous PPE kit.