CLEVELAND, Ohio--The National Optometry Hall of Fame will induct seven new members on Oct. 12, during this year’s EastWest Eye Conference here.

The 2006 inductees are John Costabile, OD, secretary-treasurer of the North Carolina State Optometric Society for more than 30 years and a specialist in the area of diagnostic and therapeutic pharmaceutical agents; Anthony Cullen, OD, a clinician, educator, researcher, administrator and volunteer whose research activities have included ocular circulation and angiography, contact lenses, and non-ionizing radiation effects; Merton Flom, OD, a research educator in binocular vision; and Gideon Lang, OD, who became active politically and pursued changes in the Social Security Act to grant all recipients choice in selecting an eyecare practitioner.

Other inductees are John D. Robinson, OD, executive director of the North Carolina State Board of Optometry; Jack Runninger, OD, a lecturer, author and humorist who was active in state and national optometric organizations for more than 50 years; and Damien Smith, OD, a leader in international optometry for 30 years and a former president of the World Council of Optometry.