About the Current Fellows Page
Renewal Dues
In order to be a member in good standing and retain the distinction of Fellow of the American Academy of Optometry (FAAO), members must pay annual dues as set by the Board of Directors. The membership term in the Academy is based on a calendar year, January 1 to December 31. A member who fails to remit payment by April 30 will be deactivated on May 1. See below for further information regarding dues fees.
Reinstatement
Lapsed Fellows have the option to reinstate their Fellowship within a five-year time span by paying all back dues, a $60 reinstatement fee, and $5 interest per month of lapsed membership. After five years, the individual must complete the Candidacy for Fellowship process again should they wish to become a Fellow again.
For assistance with reinstating your membership, please email membership@aaoptom.org. Please note, upon reinstatement, Maintenance of Fellowship will be required. If you were previously required to complete Maintenance of Fellowship, your MOF date will be adjusted so you have a full 10 years to earn the 15 points required.
Annual Dues
| Annual Dues | Price | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Fellows | $400 | Includes online subscription to the Optometry and Vision Science journal. |
| Senior Fellows | $290 | In accordance with the Academy’s bylaws, Senior Fellowship is awarded to any Fellow who has reached age 65. Includes an online subscription to the Optometry and Vision Science journal. |
| Emeritus Fellows | $90 | In accordance with the Academy’s bylaws, Emeritus Fellowship is awarded to any Fellow who has been a Fellow for at least 30 years and has reached age 70. Includes an online subscription to the Optometry and Vision Science journal. |
| Emeritus Senior Fellow | $0 | Formerly named Retired Senior Fellow, the Emeritus Senior Fellow status is awarded to any Fellow who has reached the age of 65 and who has fully retired and is no longer earning any income from the optometric field. Includes an online subscription to the Optometry and Vision Science journal. Please email membership@aaoptom.org to inquire. Emeritus Senior Fellows pay full member price for annual meeting registration rates. |
| Honorary Fellow, Life Fellow, Life Emeritus Fellows | $0 | Requests for such considerations by the Board of Directors must be submitted in writing to the Academy office. Includes an online subscription to the Optometry and Vision Science journal. |
Payment
Payment may be made online after logging in with your member email and password or using the unique Payment URL that will be emailed out each Fall for the upcoming dues cycle. Once you have logged in, select the “Renew” option from your Personal Snapshot page and follow the prompts. If you have forgotten your password, follow the prompts by clicking on the “Forgot my Password” link on the log in screen. Dues payments are not refundable.
Payment may also be made by check to:
American Academy of Optometry
925 S Semoran Blvd
Suite 120
Winter Park, FL 32792
Note: Academy dues are not used for political/lobbying purposes.
Not Certain of your Membership Status
Contact the Academy at (321) 319-4860 or by email at membership@aaoptom.org.
Maintenance of Fellowship
Maintenance of Fellowship (MOF) was approved by the membership as a bylaws amendment at the business meeting in 2009 at Orlando. All new Fellows and those reactivating Fellowship on or after November 2010 must meet the MOF requirements. All other Fellows are encouraged to participate in the MOF program as well.
Fellows of the Academy are required to renew their Fellowship status every 10 years starting after the annual Academy meeting in 2010. The program is required for any new or reactivated Fellow admitted in 2010 and subsequent years. The program is voluntary for Fellows admitted prior to 2010. Each Fellow is responsible for acquiring 15 points during a consecutive 10 year period.
| Requirements | Points |
|---|---|
| i. Attendance at an Academy annual meeting* (Minimum of one meeting required per 10-year period) Note: For those completing a virtual oral exam, it is strongly recommended to attend an Academy meeting within two years of earning your Fellowship. | 3 points |
| ii. Attendance at any CE-qualifying event at an Academy annual meeting (No maximum) | 1 point / 2 hours of CE |
| iii. Present a one-hour lecture or any workshop at an Academy annual meeting (No maximum) | 2 points / presentation |
| iv. Present a scientific paper or poster, or serve as a symposium speaker at an Academy annual meeting (No maximum) | 1 point / presentation |
| v. Serve as a volunteer in the Academy Eligible volunteer roles include serving on an Academy committee, on a task force, as an assigned Academy mentor, on the OVS or Clinical Insights in Eyecare Editorial Boards, as a peer-reviewer for OVS or the Clinical Insights in Eyecare journals, or as an Academy Chapter President. | 1 point / year |
| vi. Complete Academy Online CE courses (Maximum of 2 points) | 1 point / 2 hours of CE |
| vii. Author an article in an accepted peer-reviewed journal** (Maximum of 2 accepted journal articles) Note: Must be the first, second, or last author only. Must be published during the 10-year MOF period. | 3 points / article published in OVS or Clinical Insights in Eyecare 2 points / article published in any other accepted journal |
| viii. Author a book chapter** (Maximum of 6 points) Note: Must be published during the 10-year MOF period. | 3 points / chapter |
*Attendance points to be awarded for any full registration accompanied by CE course attendance or presenting at the annual meeting as listed in items ii, iii, and iv.
**Maintenance of Fellowship Committee will approve the awarding of points for scholarly activity
MOF Resources
List of Approved Journals
(updated November 2023)
Acta Ophthalmologica
American Journal of Ophthalmology
American Journal of Ophthalmology Case Reports
BMC Ophthalmology
BMJ Open
Brain
Brain Injury
British Journal of Ophthalmology
Canadian Journal of Ophthalmology
Canadian Journal of Optometry
Clinical & Experimental Ophthalmology
Clinical & Experimental Optometry
Clinical & Refractive Optometry
Clinical Insights in Eyecare
Clinical Ophthalmology
Contact Lens and Anterior Eye
Cornea
Current Eye Research
Cutaneous and Ocular Toxicology
Documenta Ophthalmology
European Journal of Ophthalmology
Experimental Eye Research
Eye
Eye & Contact Lens
Frontiers in Neuroscience
Journal Francais D’Ophtalmologie
Gerontologist
Graefe’s Archive for Clinical and Experimental Ophthalmology
Indian Journal of Ophthalmology
International Ophthalmology
Investigative Ophthalmology and Visual Science
JAMA Ophthalmology
Japanese Journal of Ophthalmology
Journal of AAPOS
Journal of American Geriatrics Society
Journal of Cataract and Refractive Surgery
Journal of Current Ophthalmology
Journal of Dry Eye Disease and Ocular Surface Disease
Journal of Glaucoma
Journal of Neuro-Ophthalmology
Journal of Ocular Pharmacology and Therapeutics
Journal of Optometry
Journal of Pediatric Ophthalmology & Strabismus
Journal of Refractive Surgery
Journal of Vision
Journal of Visual Impairment and Blindness
Klin Monatsbl Augenheilkd
The Lancet
Molecular Vision
Neuro-Ophthalmology
Ocular Immunology and Inflammation
Ocular Surface
Ophthalmic Epidemiology
Ophthalmic Genetics
Ophthalmic Plastic Reconstructive Surgery
Ophthalmic Research
Ophthalmic Surgery Lasers & Imaging Retina
Ophthalmology and Therapy
Der Ophthalmologe
Ophthalmologica
Ophthalmology
Optometric Education
Optometry & Vision Science
Optometry & Visual Performance
PLOS One
Progress in Retinal and Eye Research
Retina, the Journal of Retinal and Vitreous Diseases
Spektrum Der Augenheilkunde
Survey of Ophthalmology
Translational Vision Science & Technology (TVST)
Vision Development and Rehabilitation
Vision Research
Visual Neuroscience
Journals not currently on the approved list must be evaluated and approved by the Scientific Review Committee of the Academy. Contact membership@aaoptom.org for more information.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q. What is the purpose of maintaining my Fellowship?
A. To ensure the substantial qualifications met at the initial conferring of Fellowship are continued and to further encourage a commitment to lifelong learning and professional excellence.
Q. How will MOF points be tracked?
A. Points earned by completing activities i. through vi. will automatically be uploaded to the MOF portal annually. Activities vii. and viii. must be submitted through the MOF portal for MOF Committee approval.
Q. Is there another way to obtain MOF points?
A. Obtaining the Diplomate distinction and Diplomate renewal completion satisfies the 15 points required for MOF.
Q. What happens if I obtain all of my MOF points before the 10-year deadline?
A. Once the 15 points are accumulated, no further action is needed until the next renewal period begins. Additional points cannot be carried forward from one renewal period to the next.
Q. When does my 10-year MOF certification period begin?
A. It starts after you obtain or reinstate your Fellowship in the Academy. You will be automatically enrolled by the Academy at this time. For instance, if you became a Fellow in 2023, your MOF certification period would begin on January 1, 2024, and end on December 31, 2033.
Q. What happens if I don’t meet the 10-year deadline?
A. Fellows will be granted a one-year probationary period to fulfill the requirements for MOF. There will also be a $150 probationary service fee assessed due to administrative costs incurred by the late renewal. If the requirements are met during the probationary period, MOF certification for another 10-year period will be granted with the start date from the original renewal date. For example, if the MOF certification period was 2011-2020, and probationary renewal was granted in 2021, the next 10-year renewal period will be recorded as 2021-2030.
If a Fellow does not meet the requirements during the probationary period, the FAAO designation will be rescinded and normal procedures for reinstatement must be followed to regain active status in the Academy. Reinstatement entails completing the Candidate for Fellowship application process again to earn the FAAO designation.
Points earned during the probationary period may not be used for the next renewal period.
Friends to Fellows Member Referral Program
In December 2018 the Academy’s Membership Committee launched a new recruitment program called “Friends to Fellows”. The program is simple in that we are offering two monetary incentives for current Fellows to refer non-member colleagues.
Incentive #1: $100 off annual meeting registration if you refer a new Candidate for Fellowship.*
The Academy will offer you $100 off annual meeting registration for Academy 2022 San Diego if you refer a new Candidate for Fellowship who applies by February 1, 2022.
Incentive #2: Complimentary registration for referring a new Candidate for Fellowship who successfully completes the Fellowship process.**
We encourage you to serve as an unofficial mentor to the Candidate(s) you refer.
Reach out to your friends and encourage them to join the Academy and become a Fellow. The committee has already drafted a Friends and Fellows letter you can send to your friends. Feel free to edit or customize. It’s that easy.
* Applicant must complete and submit the full application along with full dues payment and any applicable fees. Fellows will receive a promotional code to use at registration. It is only valid for the next year’s meeting. Not applicable for new Candidates who have graduated optometry school in the past three years. Discount may only be used once per year and doesn’t increase with the number of Candidates. Applicant must apply by February 1 for the Fellow to receive the promotional code for that year’s meeting. Candidate must submit the name of the referring Fellow at the time of his/her application.
** Complimentary registration must be used for the annual meeting immediately following the induction of the new Fellow (mentee). Complimentary registration cannot be transferred or deferred. If the Fellow qualifies for Incentive #1 and Incentive #2 in the same year, the Fellow will receive full complimentary registration for the meeting as outlined in Incentive #2 guidelines. Discount can only be used once per year and doesn’t compound with the number of Candidates. Candidate must submit the name of the referring Fellow at the time of his/her application.
Get Involved! Volunteer at the Academy
Welcome to the Academy’s Volunteer page. Here you can learn more about the important work and vital contributions of our volunteers. You also will find additional information to help you discover existing opportunities to volunteer with the Academy and its initiatives.
If you are a current volunteer, thank you for your continued dedication to the organization. The Academy would not achieve its ongoing success without the generous contributions of our volunteers’ time, talents, and expertise.
***Please note, all available volunteer opportunities for 2022-2023 are filled. Be sure to check back frequently as any available opportunities will be posted here.
If you completed the survey and were not called upon to fulfill a position, please know we still have you on the list. Should opportunities arise, you will be contacted regarding your interest in serving. Thank you for your willingness to serve the Academy.***
Interested in Becoming Involved?
The process of becoming a volunteer begins by completing our Volunteer Interest Survey. This in-depth survey takes 15-20 minutes to complete and is designed to match your skills and interest with volunteer opportunities to keep you engaged and growing within the Academy. The survey also includes a place to submit your name for consideration to serve on specific committees.
Prior to completing the survey, we encourage you to read about the Academy’s committees to familiarize yourself with time commitments, expectations, and responsibilities.
