John (Jack)
Collins Neill
(1902-1978), was born in
Philadelphia
and became the third generation of optometrists; he graduated from Pennsylvania
College of Optometry (PCO) in 1922.In
the early years he used large scleral lenses and successfully inaugurated the
use of contact lenses for keratoconus.Neill
joined the PCO faculty in 1929, becoming Professor of Optometric Mechanics and
subsequently of Contact Lens Practice and Sub-normal Vision.
In 1931-32 he developed a spectacle mounted ptosis prop utilising a facial
impression.In 1938 he worked with
Feinbloom on telescopic spectacles and developed, with Dr Edwin F. Tate, the
Tate-Neill Binocular Bifocal Telescopic Spectacle.In 1935-41 Neill headed PCO's extra- mural department, one of thirteen
travelling lecturers covering eighteen
US
cities.He published in 1947 the
paper 'Contact Lens Haze' which for the first time explained the cause of
Sattler's Veil.In 1951 he began a
two-year collaboration withDickinson
and Sohnges on the Microlens and with them founded the International Society
of Contact Lens Specialists, serving as Vice-President.He was awarded the Herschel medal in1957 and an Honorary Degree of Doctor
of Science in 1971.Neill was also
made an Honorary Diplomate of the American
Academy
of Optometry in 1974 and became the first Chairman of its contact lens section.In 1957 and 1958 he gave early morning lectures on the University of the
Air on WFIL-TV.He also had a
private practice in
Philadelphia
specialising in contact lenses and low vision.
