American Optometric Association
The American Optometric Association (AOA),[1] founded in 1898, represents approximately 37,000 doctors of optometry, optometry students and paraoptometric assistants and technicians in the USA.
Overview
The AOA has offices in St. Louis, Missouri (the headquarters) and Alexandria, Virginia, employing approximately 100 people.[citation needed] It counts nearly half of practicing optometrists in the USA as its members. Serving patients in nearly 6,500 communities across the country, optometrists are the only eye doctors in 3,500 communities and provide two-thirds of all primary eye care in the United States.[citation needed] The AOA is a federation, with US state, student and armed forces optometric associations representing members at the state or affiliate level. The Association also has four special interest sections: The Contact Lens and Cornea Section, the Vision Rehabilitation Section, the Sports Vision Section and the Paraoptometric Section.[citation needed]
The AOA and its affiliates work to provide the public with quality vision and eye care by:[citation needed]
- Setting professional standards and helping member optometrists conduct patient care efficiently and effectively,
- Lobbying government and other organizations on behalf of the optometric profession, and
- Providing research and education leadership.
AOA mission
"Advocate for the profession and serve optometrists in meeting the eye care needs of the public."[citation needed]
The objectives of AOA are centered on improving the quality and availability of eye and vision care. The AOA fulfills its missions in accordance with the following goals:[citation needed]
- Health care and public policy related to eye care will uniformly recognize optometrists as primary health care providers and ensure the public has access to the full scope of optometric care.
- Optometrists and other professionals will look to the American Optometric Association for professional standards, research and education leadership which serve to enhance and ensure competent, quality patient care.
- The public, optometrists and other professionals will turn to the American Optometric Association for reliable and current information related to optometry, eye care, and health care policy.
Journal
The AOA had its own journal, Optometry – Journal of the American Optometric Association, published by Elsevier until 2012.[2][3]
Colocation
In 2015, the World Council of Optometry (WCO) relocated to the AOA headquarters in St Louis.[4]
See also
References
External links
- Articles with unsourced statements from November 2015
- Articles with dead external links from November 2015
- 1898 establishments in the United States
- Organizations established in 1898
- Non-profit organizations based in St. Louis, Missouri
- Medical associations based in the United States
- Eye care in the United States
