Members of the American Optometric Society believe that all optometrists are entitled to have a meaningful voice in their profession, that the profession’s leaders should be accountable to the “rank and file” of the profession, and that the AOA's proposal for board certification and how the ABO came into existence is a clear example of why these principles are important.

The AOA's proposal for board certification harms optometry, is deceptive and misleading to the public, is unnecessarily complex and costly, is the wrong direction for the AOA to be going.  The ABO was not advisable or necessary in order to ensure optometry's future as a full and respected participant in health care reform and third party plans. There are honest, less expensive, more focused, and more compelling ways to protect optometry's access to third party participation, and these should be explored and fully developed. Moreover, and just as importantly, the Society’s members are appalled by the tactics of the AOA and some of its member state associations in how they approached debating and voting on the AOA's proposal, which were and will always be an embarrassment to the profession.

There has been much confusion about the mission of the Society. To be clear, the Mission of the American Optometric Society is to mobilize a broad base of support to bring about positive change, prevent our profession from being damaged and divided into two classes by the AOA leadership, and to hold the AOA accountable for its actions. Our mission is not to sue the AOA or any state organization. Rather than abandoning these organizations and weakening our profession, the AOS was formed as a foundation for constructive change based on the premise that there is strength in numbers and that optometry needs to be led by an organization that cares and listens, and is accountable, to its members. Your membership in the AOS helps your profession, it does not harm it, and, indeed, the AOS will ultimately strengthen the AOA by making it more representative and cohesive.

Joining the American Optometric Society signals your support for the Society's efforts to return the AOA to the organization it once was, responsive and representative, to reverse the AOA's course of action, to minimize the detrimental impact from the formation of the American Board of Optometry and it's Board Certification program, and to explore alternative approaches of meeting the needs of optometrists as the health care industry evolves.

Please consider showing your support by joining today.