Carl C. Awh, MD, Receives the 2026 ASRS Founders Award
Congratulations to Dr. Awh on an incredible and well-deserved achievement!
Tennessee Retina is proud to announce that Carl C. Awh, MD, FASRS, has been named the recipient of the 2026 American Society of Retina Specialists (ASRS) Founders Award, one of the organization's highest honors recognizing exceptional contributions to the field of retina.
Presented annually by the American Society of Retina Specialists (ASRS), the Founders Award honors individuals whose work has significantly advanced vitreoretinal surgery, retinal disease treatment, research, and patient care.
Dr. Awh currently serves as president of Tennessee Retina and previously served as president of the ASRS (2020–2021) and president of the Foundation of the ASRS (2021–2022). Throughout his career, he has been dedicated to improving outcomes for patients through clinical research, surgical innovation, and physician education.
His accomplishments include:
- Serving as an investigator in more than 130 clinical trials, including principal investigator for over 50 studies.
- Developing dozens of commercially successful vitreoretinal surgical devices.
- Holding 28 issued or pending U.S. patents related to vitreoretinal surgical devices and treatments.
- Sharing his expertise as an invited lecturer in more than 30 countries across nearly every continent.
Dr. Awh's dedication to advancing retinal care has had a lasting impact on both patients and the retina community worldwide. His leadership, innovation, and commitment to excellence continue to shape the future of vitreoretinal medicine.
The award will be presented during the 2026 ASRS Awards Ceremony on Thursday, July 16, in Montréal.
