MEMBERSHIP
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Membership benefits
See below how we have created value for our members.
Access to AOC resources
Click to view American Academy of Ophthalmology ONE Network
The AAO ONE network includes the following for FREE:
More than 700USD in value.
1-American Journal of Ophthalmologyaccess.
2-Ophthalmology Retina access.
3-Ophthalmology Science access.
4-Ophthalmology Journal access.
5-Survey of Ophthalmology.
6-Canadian Journal of Ophthalmology.
7-Indian Journal of Ophthalmology.
8-Clinical and Experimental Ophthalmology.
9-Journal of Academic Ophthalmology.
10-Eye Net Archives.
11- Ophthalmology Clinics of North America.
12- Asia Pacific Journal of Ophthalmology.
13-Taiwan Journal of Ophthalmology.
AND
AAO FOCAL POINTS educational booklets.
AND
Free access to the EYE TUBE surgical educational videos from beginner to advanced.
AAO and Ophthalmology Podcasts.
Other AOC resources
From time to time we will post access to resources to promote Eye care in Africa.
Free AOC 2025 Virtual Congress
Free attendance of Biennial virtual AOC Congress (2025, 2027, etc)
The AOC host a virtual congress every two years. This event serves to offer CPD points, networking connections, AGM attendance & exposure to the latests developments in eye care services in Africa.
Big discount for AOC 2026 Congress Cape Town
Big discount for Biennial in-person Congress (2026, 2028, etc)
The AOC hosts an in-person congress every two year in a different African country. The inaugural congress was host in Kigali, Rwanda in 2024. The next one will be in the beautiful Cape Town, South Africa from 31 July – 2 August 2026.
AOC members will recieve a significant discout to attend this premier eye care event in Africa.
AOC AGM Attendance
Attendance of AOC AGM
You will be granted access to attend the AGM of the AOC and have voting rights at the meeting.
Membership categories
The AOC has several membership categories.
Active Individual Membership (AIM): Open to any fully licensed Ophthalmologist who works in Africa that supports the purpose statement of the AOC. These members will have full voting rights at any general meeting or on councils and committees that they participate in as long as their membership is active and in good standing.
Active Organisational Membership (AOM): Open to any fully recognized National, Regional or Subspecialty Eye Society based in Africa that supports the purpose statement of the AOC. The representatives of these organisations have full voting rights (as individuals) at any general meeting or on councils and committees that they participate in as long as their membership is active and in good standing. The AOM representatives form the backbone of the AOC Advisory Council (AOC Council) The Chair of the AOC Council sits on the Board of Trustees.
International Individual Membership(IIM): Open to any Ophthalmologist residing outside Africa who is full licensed and supports the purpose statement of the AOC. These members may serve on AOC committees but have no voting rights at the General Assembly.
International Organizational Membership (IOM): Open to Organisations based outside the African Region that support the AOC purpose statement. The IOM representatives have representation on the AOC Advisory Council where they have limited voting rights as determined by the Chair of the AOC Council depending on the agenda.
Associate Member (AsM): Open to any person who is or works with medical professionals but is not an ophthalmologist (Individual Associate Member- IAsM)), or to non-eye care organisations engaged in a field allied with, or in a basic science related to, ophthalmology (Organisational Associate Member –OAsM). This includes ophthalmologists in training. All categories of associate members are entitled to participate in only such programs of the AOC as the Board of Trustees shall from time to time decide . Associate members from Africa will have voting rights in matters that directly impact their professional categories. Those occasions will be defined by the General Secretary.
Source: maps created by Better Evidence Program at Ariadne Labs with data from AOC as of May 2023 (https://www.ariadnelabs.org/better-evidence/)