HOUSTON, Nov. 7, /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The American Medical Association (AMA) today awarded its 2009 Benjamin Rush Award for Citizenship and Community Service to Manus C. Kraff, M.D., an ophthalmologist from Chicago, IL. The award recognizes physicians who have gone above and beyond their professional call of duty to make an outstanding public service contribution to their local community. Dr. Kraff received the award today during the opening session of the 2009 Interim Meeting of the AMA House of Delegates in Houston, Texas.

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In 2005, Dr. Kraff began providing his services free of charge to those in military service. He has performed more than 200 Custom Laser Vision Correction surgeries for military service men and women who serve and have served in Iraq and Afghanistan after September 11, 2001. Individuals have traveled from Wisconsin, Iowa, Indiana and Kentucky to seek his care. He sees this as his way of giving back to our troops.

"Dr. Kraff's generosity in providing free eye care to those who have put their lives in danger to serve our country demonstrates an extraordinary act of kindness and selflessness," said AMA President J. James Rohack M.D. "Dr. Kraff leads by example and is an inspiration to other physicians, and we are honored that he has been an AMA member for 29 years."

Dr. Kraff is professor of clinical ophthalmology at Northwestern University, and adjunct professor in the department of ophthalmology and clinical professor in the department of ophthalmology at the University of Illinois. Dr. Kraff has received many awards and recognitions in his career, among them the 2007 Life Time Achievement Award in Ophthalmology from the American Academy of Ophthalmology. He also has given more than 25 named lectures and presentations to distinguished ophthalmic societies all over the world.

About the AMA

The American Medical Association helps doctors help patients by uniting physicians nationwide to work on the most important professional and public health issues. Working together, the AMA's quarter of a million physician and medical student members are playing an active role in shaping the future of medicine. For more information on the AMA, please visit www.ama-assn.org.

SOURCE American Medical Association