In 1997, on behalf of friends and disciples, Professor Jean-François Cuendet was commissioned by the Academia Ophthalmologica Internationalis to create the "Bernardo Streiff Gold Medal." honoring the memory of Professor Bernardo Streiff (1908-1988), Head of the University Eye Clinic, Lausanne, Switzerland, and AOI member. The Bernardo Streiff Gold Medal is awarded by election of the Academia every four years to an ophthalmologist who has contributed most, through history, ethics and education, to the advance of ophthalmology.

Honoree: Gullapalli N. Rao

Laudatio: Peter G. Watson (AOI President)

Gullapalli Rao was educated at the Guntur Medical College, India; All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi; and at the Tufts Medical School; University of Connecticut; University of Rochester, U.S.A. He is a Diplomat of the American Board, FACS, FRCS, FNAMS, D.Sc.

He is the Founder Director and Distinguished Chair of Eye Health, L V Prasad Eye Institute of the L. V. Prasad Eye Institute, Hyderabad, India which is a complex of a modern eye hospital with advanced training programs for ophthalmologists and paramedical personnel, an eye research centre, and also provides a rehabilitation program. The L. V. Prasad Eye Institute has developed high quality eye care models for underserved areas and regularly trains not only ophthalmologists but also hospital administrators and allied health personnel from developing countries.

Professor Rao is also Adjunct Professor, University of New South Wales, Australia (1993 -), Adjunct Professor of Ophthalmology, University of Rochester, USA (2002 -), formerly Associate Clinical Professor of Ophthalmology, and Director, Cornea Research Laboratory, University of Rochester, Rochester, New York and Medical Director, Rochester Eye Bank.

His main scientific interests are corneal diseases and community eye health. He authored over 240 published papers in journals all over the world, 18 chapters and one book. He sits on the editorial board of the American Journal of Ophthalmology, Cornea, The Ocular Surgery, CLAO Journal, Ophthalmic Surgery and Lasers and a number of other journals. He is the former Editor-in-Chief of the Indian Journal of Ophthalmology.

Professor Rao has been a visiting professor at several Universities in the U.S., Japan, Europe, Hong Kong , South Korea, Australia, China, South Africa, Africa, South East Asia, South America and India . He gave lectures at many international ophthalmology research and public health meetings. He was the Academic and Clinical Supervisor for 20 fellows in Cornea at the University of Rochester and over 200 past and present fellows in Hyderabad, India, from all over the world. Professor Rao had and still has a wide number of national and international responsibilities: Medical Advisory Board, Eye Bank Association of America (1983-88 & 1996-99); Castroviejo International Corneal Society (Board of Directors, 1985-89 & 2009-); Hyderabad Eye Institute (Chairman, 1986-); Indo-American Eye Care, Inc. (Chairman, 1986-94); President, Eye Bank Association of India (1995-98). From 2004 till 2004 he was the Chairman of the Board of Trustees and President of the International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness (2004-2008). He received grants from many national and international governmental agencies and corporations and non-governmental organizations as well as several honours and awards from many international organisations including All India Ophthalmological Society (1982, 1984, 1986); Ranbaxy Research Award for excellence in Clinical Research (1995); Senior Honour Award, American Academy of Ophthalmology (1998); Member, Academia Ophthalmologica Internationalis (1998-), Doctor of Science honoris causa of the University of New South Wales, Australia (2001), Padma Shri from the Government of India -2002 (Republic Day Honours given by the President of India), Fellow qua Surgeon ad eundem of the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Glasgow (2003);

HRH Prince Abdulaziz bin Ahmed bin Abdulaziz Al-Saud for the Prevention of Blindness Award (2004), First "G. B. Bietti International Award for Prevention of Blindness" by the Italian Society for Prevention of Blindness (2005), International Blindness Prevention Award by the American Academy of Ophthalmology (2006), Pisart Vision Award by Lighthouse International (2007), Honorary Doctorate of Science from University of Melbourne, Australia (2007), AAO-Essilor Award for Outstanding International Contributions to global eye care by the American Academy of Optometry (2009).