Become a student member of the AOA.

When you’re a member of the American Optometric Student Association (AOSA), you’re automatically a member of the AOA. Learn more about why you should join today, and get access to scholarship information, discounts and national board exam support.

Become a member

Student resources

Financial Aid

The AOA offers students and doctors of optometry tools for obtaining financial aid and also paying back loans, managing finances, finding scholarship opportunities and creating a budget so you can focus on what matters.

Residency Programs

The AOA provides members with a list of accredited optometric residency programs from the Accreditation Council on Optometric Education (ACOE). Openings also include technician programs and optometric degree programs at schools and colleges of optometry.

Academic Checklist

Your education calendar must be firm but flexible when it comes to your optometry education requirements. Through it all—applying to a program, meeting optometry school prerequisites, going to grad school, taking the board exams and graduating—members of the AOA and its affiliate the AOSA are supported as students, recent graduates, optometric residents and, finally, as new doctors of optometry.

Leadership Society

The AOA+ Leadership Society is a program for students who want to build leadership skills, advance their careers through networking, personal and professional development and gain specialized education outside of the classroom. Enhance your resume by adding this academic achievement!

Ecucation Opportunities

Local Meetings

Connect with doctors of optometry, optometric students and optometric staff and expand your knowledge and gain new certifications at these upcoming events.

EyeLearn

AOA’s member-exclusive centralized education portal, EyeLearn, offers an expanding online catalog of educational modules, webinars and resources to help advance clinical proficiencies, the practice of contemporary optometry, and practice management for doctors of optometry, future doctors of optometry, and paraoptometric staff. In an effort to support professional development for the field of optometry, select courses may be available to all individuals in the profession.

Upcoming Events

2023-09-28
IOA Annual Meeting

Schaumberg, IL

2023-10-06
MOA 68th Annual Fall Conference and Vision Expo

Flowood, MS 39232

Event Calendar
Featured Event

Optometry's Meeting

Washington, D.C.

With expert-led continuing education and professional development (CEE/TQ, AOA CE hours, CPC and COPE credit) available for doctors, paraoptometrics and students, Optometry’s Meeting delivers education that supports every member of the care team. From courses focused on office-based surgical skills and procedures to practical guidance on everything from building a medical contact lens practice to financially preparing for every stage of your career, Optometry’s Meeting is packed with discovery, interdisciplinary collaboration and experiential opportunities.

Like no other meeting, Optometry's Meeting gives every doctor, student and paraoptometric or industry professional the unprecedented opportunity to effect lasting change in our profession and make the AOA a stronger, more effective advocate for the quality eye health and vision care services you provide your patients.

Related News

AOA and AFOS: ‘Cut through the noise’ and empower licensed doctors of optometry to provide greater access to care to veterans

Eye care is the third-most requested health service by veterans at the VA—and doctors of optometry provide the majority of that care. Yet, as the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) considers new national standards of practice for more than 50 health professions at its facilities, optometrists are making a winning case for expanding their role at an understaffed VA and are galvanizing against baseless attacks from organized medicine, ophthalmology and a few unbending legislators.

3 coding questions cracked

Does Medicare allow you to bill fundus photos and an optical coherence tomography on the same day for two different diagnoses? The answer to this question, and more, from the AOA’s experts.

Born to serve: Active duty paraoptometric professionals provide critical care

September is Paraoptometric Appreciation Month, celebrating optometric practice staff around the country. Two paraoptometric professionals who provide eye care as active-duty veterans in the United States Armed Forces share their stories.