The Canadian Association of Optometrists (CAO) is the national voice of optometry, providing leadership and support to its members to enhance the delivery of eye health and vision care for all Canadians. [1] CAO was formally constituted with the proclamation of a federal act to incorporate the Canadian Association of Optometrists on June 30, 1948.
Optometrists are independent primary health care providers and represent the front line of vision health. Optometrists practice in a range of settings: most work in private practice, while others work in clinics, hospitals, community health centres, corporate optometry, research, teaching, and administration. Recognized at home and internationally as a leading advocate for the profession, CAO is dedicated to providing leadership and support to its +8,300 members (Optometrists, Students, and Optometric Assistants) to enhance the delivery of healthy eyes and clear vision for all Canadians.
More than 5,900 optometrists comprise the membership of CAO, representing approximately 85% of doctors of optometry (ODs) in Canada. [2]
At a meeting in Ottawa on July 7, 1941 six provincial representatives resolved to organize the Canadian Association of Optometrists. The first President was Dr. Herb McClung of Saskatchewan, who had promoted the idea of a national association since 1924.
The association pursued national recognition and CAO was formally constituted with the proclamation of a federal act to incorporate the Canadian Association of Optometrists on June 30, 1948.
Optometry is a specialized health care profession that involves examining the eyes and related structures for defects or abnormalities. Optometrists are health care professionals who typically provide comprehensive eye care.
The Southern College of Optometry is a privately owned educational institution located in Memphis, Tennessee. It specializes in optometry and offers a comprehensive program in this field.
Vision therapy (VT), or behavioral optometry, is an umbrella term for alternative medicine treatments using eye exercises, based around the pseudoscientific claim that vision problems are the true underlying cause of learning difficulties, particularly in children. Vision therapy has not been shown to be effective using scientific studies, except for helping with convergence insufficiency. Most claims—for example that the therapy can address neurological, educational, and spatial difficulties—lack supporting evidence. Neither the American Academy of Pediatrics nor the American Academy of Ophthalmology support the use of vision therapy.
The Optometric Extension Program Foundation (OEPF) is an international, non-profit organization dedicated to the advancement of the discipline of optometry, with recent emphasis on behavioral optometry and vision therapy.
The American Optometric Association (AOA), founded in 1898, represents approximately 37,000 doctors of optometry, optometry students and para-optometric assistants and technicians in the United States.
An eye care professional is an individual who provides a service related to the eyes or vision. It is any healthcare worker involved in eye care, from one with a small amount of post-secondary training to practitioners with a doctoral level of education.
The School of Optometry and Vision Science is one of the professional schools at the University of Waterloo. It is a school within the university's Faculty of Science and is the larger of the two optometry schools in Canada. The School is the only English speaking Optometry School in the country; the Francophone Université de Montréal program operates in Quebec.
Salus University is a private university in Elkins Park, Pennsylvania, specializing in degree programs for the health care professions.
Marshall B. Ketchum University is a private university focused on graduate programs in healthcare and located in Fullerton, California. MBKU expanded from the Southern California College of Optometry which was founded in 1904. The university was officially established as a multidisciplinary university with the addition of School of PA Studies in 2011 and College of Pharmacy in 2013. Along with Hope International University, the campus bookends the north and south sides of the Cal State Fullerton campus respectively.
The Herbert Wertheim School of Optometry & Vision Science at the University of California, Berkeley is an optometry school at the University of California, Berkeley. It offers a graduate-level, four-year professional program leading to the Doctor of Optometry degree (OD), and a one-year, ACOE-accredited residency program in clinical optometry specialties. It is also the home department for the multidisciplinary Vision Science Group at UC Berkeley, whose graduate students earn either MS or PhD degrees.
VSP Vision Care (VSP) is a vision care health insurance company operating in Australia, Canada, Ireland, the United States, and the United Kingdom. It is a doctor-governed company divided into five businesses: “eye care insurance, high-quality eyewear, lens and lens enhancements, ophthalmic technology, and connected experiences to strengthen the relationship between patients and their eye doctors.” It has about 80 million members worldwide and is the largest vision insurance company in the United States.
Kevin Fickenscher, M.D., CPE, FACPE, FAAFP currently serves as the president/CEO of CREO Strategic Solutions, LLC – a consulting, advisory and management services company involved in all aspects of the telecare field – from care delivery to both undergraduate and continuing education related to virtual care delivery. He is also extensively involved in leadership development for organizations of all sizes. CREO is an organization which provides a network of senior-level people resources with extensive backgrounds in all aspects of healthcare. He has also previously served as the director for healthcare at The MITRE Corporation, a federally funded research and development corporation providing services to the federal government; interim CMO for AMC Health, a remote care management programs; and CEO of the American Medical Informatics Association (AMIA), the leading association of informaticians throughout the world. Prior to serving as CEO and president of AMIA, he was chief strategy and development officer for healthcare at Dell. He also developed and led the Information Systems Consulting Group and the International Healthcare as an executive vice president at Perot Systems prior to Dell purchasing the company in 2009. Fickenscher also served as the national director and partner for clinical transformation within the Global Health Solutions Group at Computer Sciences Corporation. Prior to these key roles, he served as the chief medical officer for a number of healthcare organizations, including: WebMD, Catholic Healthcare West – now part of CommonSpirit, a regional healthcare system based in San Francisco, California; and, Aurora Health Care, an integrated health system in eastern Wisconsin.
The eye care system in Ghana can be said to be one in its infant or growing stages. Today there are less than 300 eye care professionals taking care of the eye needs of over 23 million Ghanaians.
The Australian College of Optometry (ACO) is an Australian non-profit working to improve the eye health and well-being of various Australian communities. Established in 1940, the ACO's goal is to deliver public health optometry, vision research and professional education.
Teleophthalmology is a branch of telemedicine that delivers eye care through digital medical equipment and telecommunications technology. Today, applications of teleophthalmology encompass access to eye specialists for patients in remote areas, ophthalmic disease screening, diagnosis and monitoring; as well as distant learning.
Konrad Pesudovs is an Australian optometrist and outcomes researcher in ophthalmology; recognised as the leading optometrist researcher worldwide in terms of H-Index and total citations. He is SHARP Professor of Optometry and Vision Science at the University of New South Wales (2020-). He was the Foundation Chair of Optometry and Vision Science at Flinders University from 2009 to 2017.
Susan A. Cotter is a professor of optometry at the Southern California College of Optometry (SCCO) at Marshall B. Ketchum University where she teaches in the classroom and clinic, works with the residents, and conducts clinical researches. Her scientific work is related to related to clinical management strategies for strabismus, amblyopia, non-strabismic binocular vision disorders, and childhood refractive error.
The Association of Optometrists (AOP) is the leading representative membership organisation for optometrists in the United Kingdom.
EyeCarePro Inc. is a digital marketing company focused on optometrists in the US and Canada. The company's CEO is Daniel Rostenne. The company's target audience includes eye care professionals, family practices and corporate groups. Services include client management systems and a variety of web and digital marketing services geared toward eyecare professionals.
The Optometrists and Dispensing Opticians Registration Board of Nigeria (ODORBN) is a government agency responsible for regulating the practice of Optometry and Dispensing Opticianry in Nigeria. It was established by the Optometrists and Dispensing Opticians (Registration, etc.) decree of 1989, now Cap 09 laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004. The Board evaluates training quality to ensure practitioners acquire the necessary knowledge and skills for their practice, while also ensuring that practitioners conduct themselves lawfully and professionally in their daily activities.