Armenian EyeCare Project to Honor Founder and President Dr. Roger V. Ohanesian with Lifetime Achievement Award at Annual Gala in Newport Beach
Armenian EyeCare Project (AECP) will welcome friends, donors, supporters, healthcare professionals, and community leaders to its annual Gala on November 14 in Newport Beach, where AECP Founder and President Dr. Roger V. Ohanesian will be honored with a Lifetime Achievement Award. The recognition celebrates more than three decades of leadership and service that has transformed the delivery of eye care throughout Armenia.
Since embarking on his first humanitarian mission to Armenia in 1992, Dr. Ohanesian has led efforts that grew into one of the country’s most impactful and long-term healthcare initiatives. Through AECP, he has helped establish a comprehensive eye care system, restore sight to countless individuals, train generations of physicians, and create sustainable programs that continue to improve eye health nationwide.
Dr. Ohanesian first traveled to Armenia in 1992, where he witnessed firsthand the devastating effects of the 1988 earthquake, the collapse of the Soviet healthcare system, and the ongoing conflict that had left countless individuals without access to quality medical care. Confronted by preventable blindness, inadequate medical infrastructure, and significant unmet needs, he recognized that Armenia required more than temporary medical missions. It needed a long-term solution. That realization led to the founding of the Armenian EyeCare Project.
From the outset, Dr. Ohanesian championed a groundbreaking model centered on sustainability, local capacity building, and medical education. He established Armenia’s first ophthalmology subspecialty fellowship training programs, enabling talented Armenian physicians to receive advanced training in the United States and return home equipped to lead their specialties. This commitment to education laid the foundation for Armenia’s emergence as a regional center of excellence in eye care.
Under his leadership, AECP introduced numerous landmark initiatives that transformed eye care across Armenia. Among the most notable was the launch of the “Bringing Sight to Armenian Eyes” program and the deployment of the Mobile Eye Hospital, which brought state-of-the-art surgical care directly to underserved communities throughout the country. As AECP expanded, it established subspecialty clinics in Yerevan, strengthened partnerships with Armenia’s Ministry of Health and leading international institutions, modernized surgical education through a dedicated wet-lab training center, and helped shape Armenia’s national blindness prevention strategy.
Through the 2010s, Dr. Ohanesian’s vision continued to drive national innovation. AECP launched Armenia’s first national Retinopathy of Prematurity (ROP) Program, helping save the sight of vulnerable premature infants. The organization also established the Center of Excellence for the Prevention of Childhood Blindness in Yerevan; expanded pediatric eye care services through collaborations with Children’s Hospital Los Angeles (CHLA) and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID);
In recent years, AECP has continued to expand its reach through Diagnostic Eye Clinics, upgraded Primary Eye Clinics in the regions of Armenia, enhanced diabetic management initiatives in partnership with the World Diabetes Foundation, and nationwide training programs for ophthalmologists, nurses, and family physicians focused on pediatric vision screening. These efforts reflect Dr. Ohanesian’s enduring commitment to creating a comprehensive and sustainable eye care system that serves all Armenians, regardless of geography or socioeconomic status.
Today, the impact of Dr. Ohanesian’s work can be measured not only in infrastructure and programs, but in transformed lives. Hundreds of thousands of Armenians have benefited from screenings, surgeries, treatments, and preventive care. Millions of dollars of advanced ophthalmic medical equipment have been donated to Armenia. Dozens of local physicians have received advanced subspecialty training, and hundreds of volunteer ophthalmologists from around the world have participated in AECP medical missions, helping build local expertise and strengthen Armenia’s healthcare system for future generations.
Beyond his accomplishments as a surgeon, educator, and humanitarian, Dr. Ohanesian is widely respected as a leader whose passion for Armenia has inspired countless colleagues, volunteers, physicians, donors, and partners. His efforts have been recognized with numerous prestigious honors, including the Presidential Medal of Armenia, one of the nation’s highest civilian distinctions, and the ASCRS Chang-Crandall Humanitarian Award, among other international recognitions.
As AECP celebrates this well-deserved Lifetime Achievement Award, the organization also celebrates a legacy that extends far beyond any single honor. Dr. Roger Ohanesian’s vision has restored sight, strengthened healthcare systems, empowered medical professionals, and created opportunities for future generations to benefit from improved eyecare.
“Roger did not simply establish an organization; he built a movement dedicated to bringing sight, hope, and development to Armenia,” said AECP Vice President Dr.John Hovanesian. “Roger’s
At this year’s Gala, AECP proudly honors a physician, humanitarian, educator, and visionary whose life’s work has given the priceless gift of sight to countless individuals and helped create a brighter future for Armenia. Join AECP on November 14 at the Balboa Bay Resort in Newport Beach as we honor Dr. Roger Ohanesian’s lifetime of service and reaffirm our shared commitment to ensuring that every Armenian has access to quality, sustainable eye care.
For additional event information, please call 949-933-4069 or visit www.eyecareproject.com/
