Mary Tyler Moore Vision Initiative

People Magazine 11/11/2025

“Mary Tyler Moore’s unforgettable sense of fashion lives on.” – People Magazine

Mary Tyler Moore’s timeless influence continues to shine, not only through her groundbreaking work on screen but also through the effortless elegance she brought to every role. Now, her signature style is being reimagined for a new generation.

In partnership, Elyce Arons, Co-Founder and CEO of Frances Valentine, and Dr. S. Robert Levine, Mary’s husband and Founder and CEO of the Mary Tyler Moore Vision Initiative (MTM Vision), are bringing Mary’s iconic fashion sensibility back to life in a capsule collection launching for Fall 2026. The line captures the spirit of Mary — bold, sophisticated, and full of heart — featuring pieces inspired by her unforgettable looks from the Dick Van Dyke Show, The Mary Tyler Moore Show, and her personal wardrobe.

As we continue Mary’s legacy by helping preserve and restore sight for over 530 million people living with diabetes who are at risk of vision loss, a portion of the proceeds from the collection will support MTM Vision’s mission and research.

Our ultimate goal is to accelerate the development of new ways to preserve (and restore) sight for those who are at risk for or have vision loss from diabetic retinal disease (DRD).

Read more HERE.

Parade 11/5/2025

How Mary Tyler Moore’s trailblazing spirit continues to inspire — from her fearless choice to wear pants on television in 1961 to her lasting impact on fashion and culture today.

Our collaboration with Frances Valentine and Elyce Arons (CEO) celebrates Mary’s signature style while supporting the Mary Tyler Moore Vision Initiative (MTM Vision). A portion of the proceeds will help fund research for better treatments — and ultimately a cure — for vision loss from diabetic retinal disease (DRD).

[Read the full Parade feature] to see how Mary’s influence still shapes fashion and continues to inspire women today…

Woman’s World 11/4/2025

We’re thrilled to be collaborating with Elyce Arons and the Frances Valentine team, honoring the timeless legacy of Mary Tyler Moore. This exclusive feature with Woman’s World highlights how the new collection captures the vibrant spirit and confidence that Mary embodied — a celebration of individuality, optimism, and classic style with a modern twist.

Partnering with Frances Valentine has been an inspiring experience, and we’re proud to see how this collection brings together fashion, history, and heart. The fashion line will launch in fall 2026, donating a portion of the proceeds to help to fund the work of the Mary Tyler Moore Vision Initiative to accelerate better treatments and ultimately a cure for diabetic retinal disease (DRD).

You can read the full Woman’s World article [HERE] for an exclusive look at the pieces inspired by Mary’s iconic charm and the creative vision behind them.

People Magazine 11/3/2025

“I think we broke new ground, and that was helped by my insistence on wearing pants, you know, jeans and capri pants at the time, because I said I’ve seen all the other actresses and they’re always running the vacuum in these little flowered frocks with high heels on, and I don’t do that. And I don’t know any of my friends who do that. So why don’t we try to make this real? And I’ll dress on the show the way I do in real life.” – Mary Tyler Moore

We’re so excited about our partnership with Elyce Arons and Frances Valentine!

Mary Tyler Moore was never afraid to make a statement—on screen or off. Her fearless authenticity reshaped television and inspired generations to challenge convention. Today, The Mary Tyler Moore Vision Initiative (MTM Vision) continues her groundbreaking legacy by accelerating the development of new ways to prevent, reverse, and ultimately cure vision loss caused by diabetic retinal disease (DRD).

Check out the full article HERE.

People Magazine 10/13/2025:

“What Ever Happened to Mary Tyler Moore’s Iconic Hat?”

More than 50 years after The Mary Tyler Moore Show first aired, one of television’s most unforgettable moments — Mary Tyler Moore tossing her hat into the air — continues to inspire joy and independence. That same blue beret remained in Mary’s possession for decades and was kept safely in her office, a lasting reminder of her groundbreaking role as Mary Richards.

The iconic and memorable hat toss also serves as the logo for the Mary Tyler Moore Vision Initiative as we carry forward Mary’s mission of creating a world without vision loss and blindness from diabetes.

To read the full story, visit: https://people.com/where-mary-tyler-moore-iconic-hat-is-today-11823576

Frances Valentine Launch Fall 2026 Capsule Collection Inspired by Mary Tyler Moore

Dr. S. Robert Levine (Mary’s husband) and Elyce Arons, Co-Founder and CEO of Frances Valentine
Photo credit: Hiroko Masuike/The New York Times

Elyce Arons and the Frances Valentine team are creating a capsule collection for fall 2026, inspired by two of Mary Tyler Moore’s most iconic characters: Laura Petrie from The Dick Van Dyke Show and Mary Richards from The Mary Tyler Moore Show. The collection channels the confidence and timeless style that made Mary Tyler Moore a fashion icon. A portion of sales will support MTM Vision’s mission to cure vision loss caused by diabetic retinal disease.

Mary Tyler Moore/The Dick Van Dyke Show

Read More in The New York Times

Fall 2025 Scientific Symposium

Our fourth annual symposium on “Curing Vision Loss from Diabetes” held in Ann Arbor Michigan will bring together a diverse group of stakeholders including researchers, clinicians, people with diabetes, and representatives from industry, government, and regulatory agencies working together to conquer vision loss from diabetic retinal disease.

This in-person and virtual event is hosted collaboratively with the Elizabeth Caswell Diabetes Institute and the Kellogg Eye Center at the University of Michigan November 2-3, 2025.

Nicole Johnson

When Nicole Johnson was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes at 19 years old, she “spiraled into hopelessness”. Flipping pain to purpose, Nicole volunteered, became Miss America, and obtained a Doctor of Public Health degree.

Before she became the first Miss America to publicly use an insulin pump, Nicole Johnson, DrPH, was a 19-year-old English student at the University of South Florida with the world at her feet. When diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes, Nicole’s health care provider presented a negative forecast for her future.

Aside from physical symptoms like fluctuating blood sugar levels, Nicole felt alone—even amongst her family. It was hard not to notice the different place in the house where her food was kept and different preparation routines for only her meals.

Having to manage a chronic disease during this vulnerable life stage caused Nicole to “spiral into hopelessness” and she dropped out of school. Learning to live in the ambiguity of life with diabetes made Nicole angry, and “it felt like everything was being ripped away” from her. In hindsight, Nicole can appreciate the anger because it helped her move forward, a point that not everyone reaches.

“With diabetes, we learn to cope, but we don’t get resolve.”

One week post-diagnosis, Nicole was discharged from the hospital and went to a Breakthrough T1D office (then referred to as JDRF) to volunteer. Motivated by her desire to advocate for other people with diabetes, she also became a spokesperson for the American Diabetes Association and discovered pageants, winning the titles of Miss Virginia 1998 and Miss America 1999. Both times, Nicole sported an insulin pump and became the first contestant to do so.

“On the surface, you’d think I was into pageants. But I wanted to use my involvements to prove people wrong—those that said you can’t do all these things,” Nicole said.

It was during this time that Nicole met Dr. S. Robert Levine and Mary Tyler Moore at a JDRF Gala. “I was able to talk with someone who had first-hand experience of the vision issues, including vision loss, you can have from diabetes. Diabetic retinal disease is one of the scariest parts of diabetes,” she said. “But Mary showed me that despite the challenges, you can serve the greater good. She was such an iconic figure to me as a young woman.”

Advancing her advocacy work, Nicole went back to the University of South Florida for a Doctor of Public Health degree and later created a university program called Bringing Science Home, which helps young people with the transition of caring for their diabetes more independently—a full-circle moment.

Today, Nicole’s life looks a bit different—she’s the Community Education and Screening Education Manager at Sanofi and the mother of a college-aged daughter—but that hasn’t stopped her from staying actively involved with Breakthrough T1D and the American Diabetes Association.

“My daughter doesn’t have diabetes, but she’s the age I was when I was diagnosed. Now, my commitment to diabetes screening and research is no longer about myself, but her.”

“So much progress has been made thanks to organizations like The Mary Tyler Moore Vision Initiative. My wish is that science continues advancing so people with diabetes are given hope that the burdens known to previous generations will not be their reality.”

Spring 2025 Workshop

The Mary Tyler Moore Vision Initiative’s virtual workshop, “Developing Novel Endpoints for Diabetic Retinal Disease Based on the Neurovascular Unit”, kicked-off The Mary Tyler Moore Vision Initiative – Collaborative Community on Ophthalmic Innovation “DRD Cure Accelerator” Working Group’s consensus building on endpoints and biomarkers for DRD diagnosis, risk prediction, progression and treatment efficacy assessment. The identification, validation, and further development of these endpoints will concentrate on measures that recognize that DRD affects the entire retinal neurovascular unit and can assess the relationships between retinal structure and function.

(0:00) Welcome

S. Robert Levine, MD, Founder and CEO, Mary Tyler Moore Vision Initiative (MTM Vision).

Setting the Stage: The need for new, consensus, DRD endpoints to faciliate medical product development and transform the clinical capacity to save and restore vision in people with diabetes.

(6:26) Session 1: Clinical Assessment of Retinal Structure

Moderator: Jennifer Sun, MD, MPH, Scientific Co-Director, MTM Vision

Speakers:

  • (7:23) Paolo Silva, MD, Associate Professor of Ophthalmology, Joslin Diabetes Center, Harvard Medical School. Retinal nonperfusion and future risk of vision threatening complications.
  • (15:09) Yali Jia, PhD, Professor of Ophthalmology and Biomedical Engineering, Jennie P. Weeks Professor of Ophthalmology, and associate director of the Center for Ophthalmic Optics & Lasers, Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU). AI driven assessment of nonperfusion on optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA).
  • (24:04) Elliott Sohn, MD, FASRS, FARVO, Professor, Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, University of Iowa. Retinal neurodegeneration may precede microvascular changes characteristic of diabetic retinopathy in diabetes mellitus.
  • (33:16) Stela Vujosevic, MD, PhD, FARVO, FEBO, Professor and Head of the Medical Retina Unit, University Eye Clinic, San Giuseppe Hospital, Milano, Italy. Disorganization of retinal inner and outer layers (DRIL/ DROL) and visual function in diabetic retinopathy (DR).
  • Discussion (Q&A)

(1:00:50) Session 2: Cellular and Molecular Markers of DRD

Moderator: Patrice Fort, PhD, Director, MTM Vision Ocular Biorepository & Resource Center

Speakers:

  • (1:02:03) Chandra Balaratnasingam, MD, PhD, Clinical Professor, University of Western Australia Medical School, Centre for Ophthalmology and Visual Science (affiliated with the Lions Eye Institute). The pathophysiology of DRD and its relation to visual function.
  • (1:12:17) Patrice Fort, PhD, Director, MTM Vision Ocular Biorepository & Resource Center. Changes in the retinal neurovascular unit at the cellular level in DRD.
  • Discussion (Q&A)

(1:34:58) Session 3: Assessment of the Function of Retinal Neurovascular Unit

Moderator: Thomas Gardner, MD, MS, Science Co-Director, MTM Vision.

Speakers:

  • (1:35:45) José-Alain Sahel, MD, Distinguished Professor and Chairman of the Department of Ophthalmology University of Pittsburgh Medical School, The Eye and Ear Foundation Endowed Chair. Measuring functional vision through mobility testing and virtual reality (learning from IRD).
  • (1:44:27) Jason McAnany, PhD, Professor; Director, Clinical Psychophysics and Electrophysiology Laboratory, Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, University of Illinois. Mechanistic insights from visual function testing in DRD.
  • (1:52:31) Luis Lesmes, PhD, CEO, Adaptive Sensory Technology. Contrast sensitivity in DRD.
  • Discussion (Q&A)

(2:13:46) Session 4: Validating Novel Clinical Outcome Assessments

Moderator: S. Robert Levine, MD, Founder and CEO, MTM Vision.

Speakers:

  • (2:16:25) Olivia Meyerhoffer, Global Value Lead, Boehringer-Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals. Priorities and concerns from patients with diabetes.
  • (2:27:36) Amanda Bicket, MD, Assistant Professor, Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, University of Michigan. Gait assessment as an outcome to assess functional vision.
  • Discussion (Q&A)

(2:51:15) Session 5: Translation to Action

Moderator: Malvina Eydelman, MD, CEO, Collaborative Community on Ophthalmic Innovation (CCOI).

Speakers:

  • (2:51:15) Malvina Eydelman, MD, CEO, CCOI. Role of CCOI in building consensus on endpoints for DRD.
  • (3:06:25) Michael Abramoff, MD, PhD, The Robert C. Watzke, MD Professor in Retina Research, Professor of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, University of Iowa. Practical matters in identifying/validating endpoints and biomarkers for medical product development.
  • (3:14:50) Katie Capanna, MBA, Associate Office Director for Strategic Development, Office of Strategic Programs & Technology Innovation, Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Center for Devices and Radiological Health (CDRH). FDA Home as a Healthcare Hub: CDRH Initiative to Enable Healthier Living.
  • Discussion (Q&A)

(3:45:08) Concluding Remarks

Thomas Gardner, MD, MS, Science Co-Director, MTM Vision.

Jean Smart Honored With Mary Tyler Moore Visionary Award at 2025 Variety FYC TV Fest

May 12, 2025

By: Lauren Coates

For the second year in a row, Variety partnered with the Mary Tyler Moore Vision Initiative to present the Mary Tyler Moore Visionary Award, presented this year to Jean Smart at the 2025 Variety FYC TV Fest. Introduced last year, the Visionary Award honors women who carry on Moore’s legacy through “groundbreaking achievements in storytelling.” Vision Initiative founder Dr. Robert Levine opened the 2025 ceremony with introductory remarks about the award and his late wife.

“I was married to my sweetheart, Mary Tyler Moore, for over 33 years. When she died in 2017, I promised that I would do all I could to honor her legacy, and I can’t think of a better way to honor her than to celebrate a woman who is Mary’s Hollywood icon peer, Jean Smart. Jean is a brilliant comedic actress with extraordinary dramatic range,” he said. “Beautiful, yet accessible, brave, and kind, a risk taker, a trailblazer, generous, possessing great grace.”

Levine ended his introduction with a quote from Smart’s “Babylon” character Elinor St. John. “‘A child born in 50 years will stumble across your image flickering on a screen and feel he knows you like a friend. You’ve been given a gift. Be grateful.’ Jean, I am so grateful that you’ve shared the gift of your great talent with us, and that we have it on film to treasure forever.”

Smart’s “Hacks” co-star Kaitlin Olson took to the stage to present her Smart with the award. “Working with Jean and making her laugh or cry or impress her in any way is truly the highest compliment. Jean sets the bar, it just doesn’t go any higher. She’s also the only woman I’ve worked with on screen who’s taller than me, and I like that a lot too,” Olson joked.


The “Always Sunny” star revealed a surprise video message from Carol Burnett, who made a cameo in the most recent season of “Hacks.” “I’m so happy that Jean’s receiving Variety’s Mary Tyler Moore Award today. Mary shattered the glass ceiling with her talent and changed the way women are depicted on screen. She was also known for her extraordinary compassion, and it’s fitting that Jean receive this award since she too is famous for her kindness. From ‘Designing Women’ to ‘Watchmen,’ to ‘Mare of Easttown,’ to ‘Hacks,’ Jean is shaping cultural views about women for a whole new generation of viewers. Congratulations Jean, we’re all looking forward to watching you on screen for many, many more years to come. To put it simply, you are the best. Love you.”

Following Burnett’s well-wishes, Smart took to the stage to accept her award from Olson. Smart began her speech reflecting on her and Moore’s shared status as diabetics. “We were both type-one diabetics. I was 13 when I developed my diabetes, and of course, that was the worst thing that could ever happen to you as a kid. They tell you, ‘not only can you not eat sugar, you have to take shots.’ I mean, what’s the worst two things you can say to a child?”

In addition to having personal ties to the Vision Initiative’s cause, Smart says she was honored to receive the award because of how highly she thinks of its namesake. “I only got to meet Mary a few times, and I always wished I could have gotten to know her better. I recently read something that reminded me of when I was a kid, because I was the family ham.”


“Mary said that her grandfather remarked when she was maybe eight or 10, cavorting and jumping and flipping, whatever she was doing. He said, ‘That child is either gonna go on the stage or go to jail.’ Well, thank God she went on the stage, and thank God I did too. I so wish that Mary could have seen ‘Hacks.’ I flatter myself to think she really would’ve enjoyed the show.”

Smart ended her speech reflecting on Moore’s legacy and passing on her words of wisdom. “I cannot tell you what a compliment this is in so many ways. I also wish my mom and dad were here, they would love this and appreciate this. Mary had one more thing that she said, which was, ‘It’s not my business to care about what other people think of me.’ I had to look at that a few times, because first it sounded kind of humorous, but it’s true. As an actor, you can’t preoccupy yourself with wondering how well people think of you, or how poorly people might think of you, and what you do. Just try to please yourself and the people around you. With Mary, it was obvious that her friends and family loved her, and her coworkers loved her just as much. I’m so, so, so humbled and honored. Thank you so much.”

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