Selected by National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, & Medicine (NASEM), Dr. Robert Chun Contributed Expertise on Visual Field Testing for Disability Determinations to the Report
The Report, Which Addresses Best Practices for the Use of Visual Perimetry Devices in Connection with Disability Evaluations, Can be Found HERE
New York, NY — SUNY College of Optometry today announced that Dr. Robert Chun, Associate Clinical Professor, participated in the creation of a highly influential report on visual field testing methods for disability determinations. Dr. Chun helped prepare this report as part of his appointment to the consensus committee convened by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (NASEM), the leading scientific body in the United States.
The committee brought together leading vision experts to assess current practices and recommend standards for evaluating visual impairments. In recognition of his significant contributions to low vision rehabilitation, vision science research, and public health, Dr. Chun was the only optometrist to participate among the distinguished group of experts.
“It's an honor to participate in the creation of a report dedicated to ensuring that disability assessments are both scientifically rigorous and fair,” said Dr. Robert Chun, Associate Clinical Professor at SUNY Optometry. “Having worked extensively with patients living with vision loss, including athletes competing at the highest levels of their sport, I am proud to have contributed my clinical and research experience to this important national effort.”
Dr. Chun has dedicated his career to understanding the functional aspects of vision impairment, with a particular focus on inherited retinal diseases such as Retinitis Pigmentosa and Stargardt disease. His research includes seminal work on virtual reality-based magnification systems for low vision patients, as well as the development of novel methods for assessing vision impairment and monitoring disease progression.
In May, Dr. Chun was invited to speak at the SUNY Chancellor’s State of the University address, where he reflected on his professional journey and career. A photo from that ceremony is attached, and more photos are available upon request.
Outside the clinic and classroom, Dr. Chun has served as a certified vision impairment classifier for the International Paralympic Committee since 2015. As one of only two experts in the U.S., he travels internationally to evaluate Paralympic athletes, ensuring fair competition by assessing athletes' visual function using specialized methods. His expertise is also regularly sought by other major governing bodies like the International Blind Sports Federation and the United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee. Through this work, Dr. Chun has deepened his understanding of how sport and a sense of community can empower individuals living with vision loss by offering connection and purpose.
In addition to his clinical and volunteer work, Dr. Chun has contributed to several major National Eye Institute (NEI)-funded studies and recently published important findings on a pivotal clinical trial examining the use of smartphone-based head-mounted displays to improve reading performance among low vision patients.
Dr. Chun’s appointment to the NASEM committee in September, and his role in the preparation of this report, underscores SUNY Optometry’s leadership in vision science and public health. The report is expected to have a lasting impact on disability determination practices in the United States and abroad, and will likely serve as a key reference for shaping future policy and standards.
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About SUNY Optometry
Founded in 1971 and located in New York City, the State University of New York College of Optometry is a leader in education, research, and patient care, offering the Doctor of Optometry degree as well as MS and PhD degrees in vision science. The College conducts a robust program of basic, translational and clinical research and has 65 affiliated clinical training sites as well as an on-site clinic, the University Eye Center. SUNY Optometry is regionally accredited by the Commission on Higher Education of the Middle States Association of Colleges and Secondary Schools; its four-year professional degree program and residency programs are accredited by the Accreditation Council on Optometric Education of the American Optometric Association. All classrooms, research facilities and the University Eye Center, which is one of the largest optometric outpatient facilities in the nation, are located on 42nd Street in midtown Manhattan. To learn more about SUNY Optometry, visit www.sunyopt.edu.