Membership

Our Members

There are three categories of membership in the Asia Pacific Council of Optometry.

 Ordinary Members : professional optometric organizations

 Affiliate Members : organizations of special interest whose activities generally support the mission of the Council.

 Distinguished Person Members : a lifetime honor bestowed upon individuals who have made a distinguished contribution anywhere in the world to promote the advancement of primary eye and vision care by optometrists and/or persons who have served the Council in a meritorious manner.

COUNTRY ORGANIZATION
Australia Optometry Australia
Established in 1918 with 5 State Bodies and a National Board currently
Bangladesh Bangladesh Optometry Society (BOS)
Cambodia Optometrist Society of Cambodia (OSC)
Established in 2007 with 178 member currently
Canada Canadian Association of Optomitrists (CAO)
Established in 1941 with 10 Provincial Member Associations currently
Fiji Fiji Optometrist Association (FOA)
Established in 1980 with 12 members currently
Hong Kong The Hong Kong Association of Private Practice Optometrists (HKAPPO)
Established in 1999 with 72 members currently
Hong Kong The Hong Kong Optemetric Association (HKOA)
Established in 1965 with around 330 members currently
Hong Kong The Hong Kong Society of Professional Optometrists (HKSPO)
Established in 1982 with 602 members currently
India Indian Optometric Association (IOA)
Established in 1962 and with more than 4000 practicing members and more than 1500 students members currently
Japan Japan Optometric Association (JOA)
Japan All Japan Optometric and Optical Association (AJOOA)
Established in 1956 with 5532 members currently
Korea Korean Optometric Association (KOA)
Established in 1976 with below to 50,000 members currently
Malaysia Association of Malaysian Optometrists (AMO)
Established in 1984 with more than 1,000 members currently
Nepal Nepalese Association of Optometrists (NAO)
Established in 2004 with more than 250 members currently
New Zealand New Zealand Association of Optometrists (NZOA)
Established more than 100 years with 869 members currently
Philippines Optometric Association of the Philippines (OAP)
Established in 1948 with 250 members currently
Singapore Singapore Optometric Association (SOA)
Established in 1978 with 238 members currently
Sri Lanka Sri Lanka Optometric Association (SLOA)
Established in 1961 with more than 475 members currently

COUNTRY ORGANIZATION
Bangladesh Optometrists Association of Bangladesh
Established in 2013 with 107 members graduated with B. Optom Course currently
China China National Optometry Center
Established in 1992 with 42 colleagues currently
India India Vision Institute
Established in 2011 registerd as Trust  with a trust comprising representatives from different fields
Malaysia Management and Science University
Established in 2002 with more than 1000 staff currently
Philippines College of Optometry, Manila Central University
Established in 1959 with 11 faculty members and 279 students currently
Philippines School of Optometry, Centro Escolar University
Established in 1928 with 16 faculty members and more than 6000 alumni currently
Taiwan School of Optometry, Chung Shan Medical University
Established in 1999 with 13 colleages currently
Vietnam Pham Ngoc Thach University of Medicine
Developed from Training Center for Health Care Professionals formed in 1989, Pham Ngoc Thach University of Medicine (PNTU) was officially established in January 2008.

Dr. Damien Smith (1995)
Dr. Claro Cinco (2001)
Dr. Akio Kanai (2015)
Prof. George Woo (2023)

Current Members: APCO now represents 26 optometric organizations from Australia, Bangladesh, Cambodia, Canada, China, Fiji, Hong Kong, India, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, Nepal, New Zealand, Philippines, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Taiwan and Vietnam.

If you are not a member, we invite you or your organization to join us!

How to become a member

Please complete the membership application form (Ordinary MembershipAffiliate Membership) if your organization meets the qualification and would like to apply for membership in the Asia Pacific Council of Optometry. Forward the completed form and accompanying documents (Executive Committee List) to the Administrative Officer, APCO.

Inquiries on membership should be directed to:

Ms. Linda Liu
Administrative Officer, Asia Pacific Council of Optometry

secretariat@asiapacificoptometry.org