2026 Dr. Edward S. Bennett GPLI Educator of the Year

Presented to Dr. David Libassi

About the Recipient

Dr. David Libassi graduated from The New England College of Optometry in 1981. Following graduation Dr. Libassi participated in the New England College of Optometry Contact Lens Fellowship program, successfully completing the program in June of 1982. In July of 1982 Dr. Libassi joined the SUNY College of Optometry and served as Assistant Chief of the Contact Lens Service until 1985. In 1985 Dr. Libassi became Chief of the SUNY Contact Lens Service and served in that capacity until 1991. In 1991 Dr. Libassi relinquished the role of service chief and became the Supervisor of the SUNY Cornea & Contact Lens Residency Program, a responsibility he continues to enjoy until the present day. From 1995 to 2005 Dr. Libassi served as the Principal Investigator for Collaborative Longitudinal Evaluation of Keratoconus (CLEK) Research at SUNY. In total Dr. Libassi has over 37 years of clinical experience in the area of Cornea and Contact Lens teaching and patient care. As a full time faculty member of the University Optometric Center, Dr. Libassi provides didactic lectures in both the basic and advanced contact lenses courses as well as supervising third year, fourth year, and clinical residents during multiple patient care sessions each week. Dr. Libassi has focused his professional continuing education lectures in the area of therapeutic contact lens correction for the diseased cornea.

David Libassi, OD
SUNY College of Optometry
(212) 938-5872
dlibassi@sunyopt.edu