Crystal Apple Award
The Crystal Apple is a special recognition that is presented to an ASRS member who has gone to great lengths to advance the education and professional development of young retina specialists. In addition to receiving the award, each year's recipient also presents a distinguished lecture during the Early Career Section's Annual Meeting luncheon.
Watch for nominations to open for 2026. Nominations is only open to Early Career Section members (ASRS members who have been in practice for seven years or less).
2025 Crystal Apple Award Winner
The ASRS Early Career Section has selected Sunil K. Srivastava, MD, as the winner of the 2025 Crystal Apple Award for excellence in teaching and mentorship.
Dr. Srivastava is a vitreoretinal surgeon and uveitis specialist at the Cole Eye Institute of the Cleveland Clinic, where he serves as director of both the medical retina and vitreoretinal surgery fellowship programs.
The Crystal Apple Award is a special recognition presented to an ASRS member who has gone to great lengths to advance the education and professional development of young vitreoretinal specialists.
Dr. Srivastava, who is fellowship trained in vitreoretinal surgery, uveitis, and ocular inflammatory diseases, has trained more than 70 medical retina, uveitis, and surgical retina fellows. He also has mentored and trained approximately 100 ophthalmology residents.
As a principal investigator on multiple federally and industry-funded research projects, Dr. Srivastava leads a research laboratory currently focused on imaging biomarkers in inflammatory eye disease, intraoperative imaging, and automated image analysis using artificial intelligence-driven platforms.
His work in ocular imaging and analysis has earned him multiple Innovator Awards from the Cleveland Clinic; he holds 11 US patents in imaging technology and serves on many data safety monitoring boards.
Dr. Srivastava has co-authored more than 325 peer-reviewed publications and delivered over 300 invited lectures globally.
Past recipients:
2024 - Jared S. Nielsen, MD, MS, MBA, FASRS
2023 - Prithvi Mruthyunjaya, MD, MHS, FASRS
2022 - Sharon Fekrat, MD, FACS, FASRS
2021 - R.V. Paul Chan, MD, MSc, MBA, FACS
2020 - Caroline R. Baumal, MD
2019 - Seenu M. Hariprasad, MD
2018 - Audina M. Berrocal, MD
2017 - James Folk, MD and Lawrence Yannuzzi, MD
2016 – Lee Jampol, MD
2015 – Hugo Quiroz-Mercado, MD
2014 – Alexander J. Brucker, MD
2013 – Daniel Martin, MD
2012 – Dean Eliott, MD
2011 – Allen C. Ho, MD
2010 – Andrew P. Schachat, MD
2009 – Robert C. Watzke, MD
2008 – Stanley Chang, MD
2007 – Michael T. Trese, MD
2006 – Harry W. Flynn, Jr., MD
2005 – William Mieler, MD
2004 – Julia A. Haller, MD
2003 – Paul Tornambe, MD
2002 – Not given
2001 – George Williams, MD
2000 – Eugene de Juan, Jr, MD
1999 – Kirk Packo, MD