Meet Ocutech Co-Founder & President: Dr. Henry A. Greene

Henry Greene, OD, FAAO, a Pennsylvania College of Optometry graduate, is a leader in clinical low vision care and developing telescopic low vision aids for the visually impaired.

From 1974 through 1977, he studied low vision rehabilitation at the Industrial Home for the Blind in Brooklyn, New York, with Dr. George Hellinger, an early pioneer in the field of low vision. While in New York, Dr. Greene published papers regarding the vision issues associated with hearing loss while a consultant at the St. Francis de Sales School for the Deaf. From 1977 through 1980, he directed the Low Vision Clinic at the Blind Association of Western New York in Buffalo.

After moving to North Carolina in 1980, he joined the faculty of the Department of Ophthalmology at the University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill to establish their low vision program, where he ultimately rose to the rank of Professor.

In 1984, Dr. Greene co-founded Ocutech Inc., the developer and manufacturer of telescopic low vision aids. Serving as the principal investigator on three NEI-sponsored SBIR projects, he secured over $1.6 million dollars in funding. This support led to the creation of the Ocutech VES Keplerian and Autofocus bioptic telescopes, both of which, in their updated versions, have been prescribed to thousands of visually impaired individuals worldwide by low vision practitioners.

As part of NEI-sponsored clinical trials, Dr. Greene developed the first clinical protocol for determining a prognosis for prescribing bioptic telescopes and originated the concepts of the “Visual Radius” and the “Social Range” to understand the impact of visual impairment on socialization and emotional wellbeing. Dr. Greene has received five patents for his innovative work in developing low vision telescopic aids.

In 1999, Dr. Greene and his colleagues were honored with the Winston Gordon Award presented by the Canadian National Institute for the Blind in recognition of their contribution to the development of the Autofocus Bioptic. In 2008, he was awarded the William Feinbloom Award from the American Academy of Optometry, acknowledging his significant contributions to low vision rehabilitation. Dr. Greene remains dedicated to teaching clinical low vision care and regularly conducts workshops on bioptic prescribing at professional meetings, optometry schools, and academic centers across the US, Europe, the UK, the Middle East, and India.

In 2013, Dr. Greene made history by becoming the first optometrist appointed to the North Carolina Department of Motor Vehicles Medical Review Board. In this role, he played a crucial part in revising the state’s vision assessment guidelines and was instrumental in developing North Carolina’s Bioptic Driving program.

In 2023, Dr. Greene received the Presidential Medal of Honor from his alma mater, The Pennsylvania College of Optometry. The award recognized his long career in advancing the specialty of low vision care and his devoted service to his patients and profession.

Dr. Greene is also an avid photographer and traveler, having visited over 50 countries. Visit his photography website here.