Material Requests

AOA Paraoptometric Section Membership Applications

If your annual state conference is fast approaching or if staff in your office would like to join the Paraoptometric Section, send your request for membership applications to PS@aoa.org. Include quantity needed, contact name, shipping address and telephone number, and the date materials are needed.

"So You Want To Be A Paraoptometric" Brochures

If you will be attending a local job fair in your community, informational brochures explaining the profession are available to you free of charge. To request, "So You Want To Be A Paraoptometric" brochures, e-mail your request to PS@aoa.org. Include quantity needed, contact name, shipping address and telephone number, and the date materials are needed.

Paraoptometric Recognition Week

Paraoptometric Recognition Week Kits Available

The AOA Paraoptometric Section, with the support of the American Optometric Association, has designated September 14-20, 2008 as Paraoptometric Recognition Week.

Now in its sixth year, the recognition week is designed to honor paraoptometrics for their dedication to the patients they serve and to the profession of optometry.

What’s in the Kit?
Posters, balloons, tabletop signs, pins, press releases and more!

Some interesting facts about the poptometric profession and the Section:

The AOA Paraoptometric Section was developed in 1978.
The Section gains approximately 40 new members per month. The membership is made up of optometric assistants, technicians, front office staff and office managers, as well as opticians. Some staff is dually certified as optometric assistants and technicians as well as opticians, NCLE, COA, and COT. All allied health personnel are welcome members of the Section.
Out of 2,070 members, 812 are Certified Paraoptometrics, 605 are Certified Paraoptometric Assistants, and 196 are Certified Paraoptometric Technicians.
In a 2005 survey, 52.1 percent said they worked for a solo practicing optometrist while approximately two in five were employed by optometrists in group practices.
Most paraoptometrics work in small communities - for example, the largest proportion of survey respondents, 31.1 percent, worked in communities of 25,000 or less. Only 6.8 percent worked in urban or suburban communities of 500,000 or greater populations.
82 percent of employers encouraged participation in local, state, and/or national paraoptometric associations, while more than 80.5 percent of employers pay all financial participation in such organizations.
92 percent of employers are strong supporters of continuing education programs for their optometric staff.
Nearly three out of five or 78.5 percent of employers pay some or all of the costs to sending paraoptometrics to continuing education seminars.
Some 53.2 percent of the employers of surveyed paraoptometrics paid all expenses, including registration, travel, and related costs of education.
Two out of five surveyed paraoptometrics had 11 years or more of professional experience.

How will you recognize your Paraoptometric Staff????

The Paraoptometric Section has FREE promotional kits that you may request to celebrate the week in your office.

For More Information

Call: 1.800.365.2219 ext. 4222
Fax: 314/991-4101
Email: jvmurphy@aoa.org