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.
Nominations for the Crystal Apple Award are only open to Early Career Section members (ASRS members who have been in practice for nine years or less). The 2026 award nominations deadline was January 5, 2026.
2026 Crystal Apple Award Winner
The ASRS Early Career Section (ECS) has selected H. Culver Boldt, MD, as the winner of the 2026 Crystal Apple Award for excellence in teaching and mentorship. 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. Boldt is the Marion and Frederick Fuerste Professor of Ophthalmology in the Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences at the University of Iowa. He is also the director of the university’s Ocular Echography Service and co-director of the Ocular Oncology Service.
Dr. Boldt, who is fellowship trained in surgical retina, medical retina, and ophthalmic echography, has mentored more than 80 retina fellows. He served as the director of the University of Iowa’s vitreoretinal fellowships for over 20 years. Dr. Boldt previously directed the vitreotretinal service, and currently directs the ocular echography service and co-directs the ocular oncology service.
He was honored as Clinician of the Year for the College of Medicine at Iowa—the only ophthalmologist to receive this award in its decades-long history. Dr. Boldt also serves as a section editor for the Journal of VitreoRetinal Diseases.
Earlier in his career, Dr. Boldt served the Collaborative Ocular Melanoma Study as a clinical investigator, director of its photograph reading center, and Archives Committee member. He has been a principal investigator or sub-investigator for multiple National Eye Institute and industry-sponsored clinical trials for retinal disease and cancer treatment.
Dr. Boldt has published over 200 articles in peer-reviewed journals and 18 book chapters. He served for 6 years on the retina panel for Preferred Practice Plans for the American Academy of Ophthalmology. For decades, he worked with the American Board of Ophthalmology, including serving for 8 years on the board of directors.
Past recipients:
2025 - Sunil K. Srivastava, MD
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