AMERICAN ORTHOPTIC COUNCIL

The American Orthoptic Council (AOC) was founded in 1935 with the main purpose of establishing standards for orthoptists in the United States. Besides examining and certifying individual orthoptists, the AOC also is responsible for setting and monitoring standards for the education of orthoptists, and grants accreditation to orthoptic programs in the United States. It encourages and helps to provide continuing education for recertification, and establishes guidelines for the professional and ethical conduct of certified orthoptists. The Council has more recently expanded its scope to include political and other means of support for the orthoptic profession, is involved in long-range planning of the field, and assists in recruitment and public perception of orthoptics. The AOC supports orthoptic educational goals by publishing of The American Orthoptic Journal since 1943, and assisting in the planning and presentation of educational workshops and symposia at national meetings. The AOC is now also involved in establishing an increased number of training programs to help fill the large orthoptic needs of our population, and supports a Basic Science Course, which allows more programs to meet the stringent teaching requirements. Finally, it acts as a support organization for the AACO on many levels.

Currently, there are twenty members of the AOC. They are representatives from the American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO), the American Ophthalmological Society (AOS), the American Association for Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus (AAPO&S), the American Association of Certified Orthoptists (AACO), and the Canadian Orthoptic Council (COC). Seven orthoptists and thirteen ophthalmologists from these five organizations make up the AOC.

American Association of Certified Orthoptists

The American Association of Certified Orthoptists (AACO), established in 1940, is the professional association for orthoptists in the United States. It is composed of a close network of orthoptists and orthoptic students across North America, dedicated to the support of the Profession and to the benefit of the individual orthoptist member. The AACO is run by orthoptists, for orthoptists. Its missions are to provide continuing education to its members, to assist members with issues relating to orthoptic practice, to improve the care of children and adults with disorders of binocular vision and ocular motility, and to promote Orthoptics as a Profession within the medical community, and the community at large. The AACO meets once per year in conjunction with the American Academy of Ophthalmology to offer a scientific program, provide continuing education for orthoptists, and conduct the business of the Organization.