PERC and The AOA Foundation - Optometry Cares are proud to announce Dr. Alelujah Ramirez of Houston, Texas and Dr. Jessi Sampson of Sutton, West Virginia, as the recipients of the 2026 Golden Opportunity Award!

Established in honor of Dr. David Golden, this award recognizes two exceptional early-career optometrists who have demonstrated extraordinary vision, leadership, and commitment to serving underserved communities through independent practice ownership.

Alelujah Ramirez, O.D.
Owner, Iris Eye Care & Eyewear (Houston, TX)
Dr. Ramirez is a first-generation optometrist and daughter of immigrants who overcame significant educational and financial barriers to pursue practice ownership. She is launching a bilingual, community-focused practice, expanding access to quality vision care in an underserved Houston community while helping address longstanding language, access, and continuity-of-care barriers.

"This award means more to me than I can fully express - it is a validation of the vision I have carried since optometry school and a reminder of why independent practice ownership matters so deeply to me. Growing up in an immigrant household, I witnessed the barriers families face when navigating a healthcare system that wasn't built with them in mind, and Iris Eye Care is my answer to that gap. The Golden Opportunity Award gives me the resources and confidence to build something lasting for my patients and my community."

Jessi Sampson, O.D.
Opening New Independent Practice (Sutton, West Virginia)
Dr. Sampson grew up in rural West Virginia and experienced firsthand the challenges of limited access to eye care. She is returning to her hometown to establish an independent practice, expanding access to quality vision care in an underserved Appalachian community where residents currently lack a local eye care provider within 100 miles.

"It is an incredible honor to be selected as a recipient of the Golden Opportunity Award. Coming from a rural background, I understand firsthand the challenges many communities face in accessing quality eye care, and starting a private practice to help meet that need can be a daunting undertaking. This award is a meaningful affirmation of the value of private practice optometry and the impact it can have on expanding access to care. I am grateful for this recognition and excited for the opportunity to serve my community for years to come."

Now in its third year, the Golden Opportunity Award provides financial support of $50,000 to each outstanding optometrist pursuing practice ownership. By empowering optometrists who embody excellence, equity, and innovation, the award helps elevate the future of independent optometry. 

For more information about the Golden Opportunity Award and how to support this initiative, please visit https://www.percalliance.com/Programs/Golden-Opportunity