World Optometry Week 2026 – A Message from the WCO President

 World Optometry Week 2026 – A Message from the WCO President

Dear Colleagues,

 

As World Optometry Week 2026 comes to a close, I extend my sincere appreciation to the optometrists, educators, students, professional associations, and partners who joined the World Council of Optometry (WCO) in celebrating our profession and advancing our theme, “A Shared Vision: Collaboration in Global Eye Care.”

 

Across the globe, optometry leaders and organizations have used this week to highlight the importance of stronger, more integrated eye care systems. From community outreach to national policy discussions, these efforts reflect a shared commitment to expanding access to quality vision care and strengthening the role of optometry within health systems.

 

This year’s World Optometry Week demonstrated how collaboration and innovation can advance clinical care and professional education. On World Optometry Day, WCO and Alcon launched the Dry Eye Management Map, a new interactive tool designed to help clinicians quickly link dry eye causes with evidence-based treatment strategies.

 

View the Dry Eye Management Map

 

WCO also premiered a global on-demand lecture exploring optometry’s role in the rehabilitation of patients with traumatic brain injury (TBI), highlighting how visual assessment, clinical tools, optical strategies, and interdisciplinary teamwork can improve patient outcomes.

 

View the On-Demand Lecture

 

Yet in many countries, optometrists remain underutilized in national health strategies. The evidence is clear: meaningful progress in reducing avoidable blindness and vision impairment will not be achieved without fully integrating optometry into primary and secondary health care systems.

 

Last year, WCO reinforced this vision through the updated Why Optometry document, which provides policymakers and health leaders with a clear roadmap for integrating optometry into healthcare systems through strengthened education, legislation, and workforce development. Fully embedding optometry within people-centred eye care, supported by strong referral pathways, collaborative care models, and modern technologies, will be essential to expanding access and reducing avoidable vision loss worldwide.

 

In 2024, WCO released the WCO Competency Framework for Optometry, outlining the knowledge, skills, and competencies needed for optometrists to contribute effectively to the global eye care agenda. Developed to advance the profession in line with the WHO Eye Care Competency Framework (ECCF), this framework responds directly to the urgent need for a stronger, well-prepared eye care workforce as reported in the 2019 World Report on Vision.

 

Building on WCO’s commitment to strengthening leadership and advocacy within the profession, WCO has also introduced OPAL Advanced Practice in Advocacy, a short online course for graduates of the Optometry Program for Advocacy and Leadership (OPAL). With applicants now selected, the 2026 pilot course will run from May 4–25, bringing together optometrists from around the world to deepen their skills in stakeholder engagement through sessions on NGO collaboration, advanced stakeholder management, grant writing, and more, along with brief participant presentations on current or past advocacy projects.

 

By collaborating across professions, sectors, and borders, we can build stronger systems of care and move closer to a future where no one is left behind because of preventable - vision loss. When fully integrated into health systems, optometry strengthens prevention, enables earlier diagnosis, and supports timely referral and treatment.   As we conclude World Optometry Week, I encourage optometrists and their representative organizations everywhere to continue this momentum. Engage with your governments. Partner with other health professionals. Advocate for policies that recognize optometry as an essential part of integrated eye care.   Together, we can ensure that eye care is accessible, equitable, affordable, and effective for all.   With very best wishes,

 

 

Dr. Cindy Tromans President, World Council of Optometry

World Council of Optometry （WCO）2024 Annual Report

 World Council of Optometry （WCO）2024 Annual Report

2024 Annual Report (PDF)下載 :

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1HG-rUsnVhjhjlpwC6e2m45PKxeTP8lHM/view

https://worldcouncilofoptometry.info/

香港光學會是 WCO 地區會員

https://worldcouncilofoptometry.info/our-members/#1597164269116-cdf0cb39-5831

Your World Council of Optometry (WCO) 2023 Membership

Your World Council of Optometry (WCO) 2023 Membership

 Hong Kong Optometric Association

香港光學會是眼科視光學世界理事會（World Council of Optometry）的會員，積極參與促進海內外視光專業知識的交流。

 

March 22, 2023

Hong Kong Optometric Association
info@hkoa.org.hk

RE: Your World Council of Optometry (WCO) 2023 Membership 

Dear Hong Kong Optometric Association,
 
Thank you for your World Council of Optometry (WCO) membership for 2023. Your membership empowers WCO’s vision and mission of supporting optometrists in promoting eye health and vision care as a human right, and we thank you for your continued support. We continue to adapt to our changing world by utilizing new technology and opportunities that have emerged and focusing these on a new and positive way forward for the optometric profession.  

 We have been working to bring our members resources to help further global optometry and are looking forward to many new developments in 2023:

• Hosting multiple webinars on the relevant topics of myopia and diabetic retinopathy
• Presenting the online Optometry Leadership & Advocacy Course (OPAL) 
• Continuing our Dry Eye initiative (microsite coming soon)
• Continuing our Myopia Standard of Care and microsite
• Continuing our Grant Program for individuals and educational mentors
• Released our Legislation, Registration, and Standards Toolkit
• Spread our mission through lectures given by our leadership at regional conferences
• Continuing our official relation status with WHO (World Health Organization)
• And more activities listed on our website!

We are also maintaining positive relationships with global health care organizations and our six world regions and look forward to our continuing partnership to expand the breadth and depth of our work. Your membership allows us to continue advancing optometric education and legislation around the world and represents your commitment to optometry globally, and to your patients and colleagues locally.  
 
We encourage you to display your WCO membership certificate in your office and utilize the enclosed WCO logo for personal or practice use on promotional materials (not to be shared or distributed).   
 
The WCO can only continue to work on behalf of global optometry with the ongoing support of dedicated members. Thank you for your ongoing support! If you have any questions, please contact kathleen.alonso@worldoptometry.org. 

World Council of Optometry (WCO)

 眼科視光學世界理事會會員名單：

https://worldcouncilofoptometry.info/our-members/#1597164269116-cdf0cb39-5831

WORLD COUNCIL OF OPTOMETRY 2022 CERTIFICATE OF MEMBERSHIP

WORLD COUNCIL OF OPTOMETRY
2022 CERTIFICATE OF MEMBERSHIP
 

THIS ACKNOWLEDGES THAT
HONG KONG OPTOMETRIC ASSOCIATION
IS A COUNTRY MEMBER IN GOOD STANDING OF THE WORLD COUNCIL OF OPTOMETRY
MEMBER NUMBER # 297455
 
VALID THROUGH DECEMBER 31, 2022 

 https://worldcouncilofoptometry.info/our-members/#1597164269116-cdf0cb39-5831

Fees Waived for First 1,000 Registrants! - Eyes Around the World

 Fees Waived for First 1,000 Registrants! - Eyes Around the World

 WCO Presents:

Eyes Around the World A Global Day of Learning

 

 Dear colleagues,

WCO has received word from many of our members regarding the significant economic hardships they have faced in their practices over the past year. In light of this and in keeping with the spirit of our mission to support our profession worldwide, we have made the decision to waive the fees for the first 1,000 registrants for the program the ‘Eyes Around the World – A Global Day of Learning’.
 
We hope this gesture of goodwill can be the first steps towards recovery and healing in the optometric world, which has been so affected by the events as of late. We hope you will join us for this wonderful event and thank you for being a part of the WCO community.

For those who have already registered, we will be processing refunds, which you should receive within 5-10 days. All registrants after the first 1,000 will see a registration fee of $15. 

 

 

Register Now!

 

A Full Day of Continuing Education! wcoeducation.org

 This exciting continuing education day will encompass 3 time zones over 24 hours on 20 November 2021, with the goal to engage optometrists from around the world as we share and learn.

The conference program will include speakers from 12 countries with presentations aimed at both practicing clinicians and optometric educators.

 Presentations will cover clinically relevant topics such as diabetes, dry eye management, myopia management and specialty contact lenses. Optometric educators will find sessions on navigating the changing world of online clinical and didactic teaching and other valuable topics.

ALL LECTURES will be available online to registrants following the event. Multiple lectures will be COPE & CET authorized.

Visit the event site for information on all of the available lectures. 

 

 

 

Contact Us with Any Questions! For details on registration and technical assistance, write to India Vision Institute here. For queries on the event and lectures, please email the World Council of Optometry at enquiries@WorldOptometry.org. Learn More About Our Event Speakers! This global continuing education event will feature speakers from 12 different countries around the globe! Thank you to all the speakers who graciously heeded our call for presentations. Learn more!

 

 

 

世界眼科視光學理事會 (World Council of Optometry) 與 CooperVision 攜手合作， 制定並推廣一套治療近視加深的護理標準

The World Council of Optometry and CooperVision Partner to Define and Promote a Standard of Care to Treat Myopia Progression

 Dear Colleagues,

I am very pleased to share with you that the World Council of Optometry has entered into a global partnership with CooperVision to raise awareness of myopia progression and encourage optometrists to embrace a standard of care to manage the condition. You can read our announcement of the partnership by clicking here. The press release is attached along with translations in Arabic, Chinese (HK & SG), English (GB), French, and Spanish (ES & MX) to facilitate your distribution to members and colleagues.
Despite the increased prevalence, growing severity, detrimental impacts on visual health and proven treatments, a standard of care to apply methods to stem myopia progression does not exist. As a global organization committed to promoting eye health and vision care, WCO is proud to take an active leadership role to define and promote a standard of care that will be centered around evidenced-based approaches without bias toward any particular treatment methodologies.
CooperVision has been a leader in the myopia management category over the past decade. Our partnership will establish a global resource to include multi-lingual myopia management resources, programming, and other elements to increase access across certain sectors and countries in support of the global optometry community.
In order for our efforts to have a positive impact on the billions of people affected by myopia, we need your help. We are asking you to make the treatment of myopia progression a top priority within your regions, associations and practices. As we work together to share our collective knowledge and best practices, we will make significant progress to address this widespread epidemic facing the global optometry profession. I look forward to sharing more about this exciting partnership over the weeks and months to come.
 

Sincerely,

Paul Folkesson 

President 

World Council of Optometry

 

 

 

世界視光會建議護眼小知識

 世界視光會建議護眼小知識

  新冠肺炎肆虐全球（covid-19），影響世界各地商業活動及人類生活，有好多辦公室由工作間轉移到在家工作。學校停課，學生接受課堂教育轉為在家以視像在線教學。往往視像會議、網上教學、網購等等成為了covid-19 底下的新常態。

 

工作、教育及娛樂等等，變成沒有電腦螢幕不可，局勢造成的副產品，人類經常接觸電腦、電子產品等等，都會傷害人類眼睛健康，同時感覺眼睛不適。 

 

眼睛經常與電腦對望，長達數多小時 ，經常遇到眼睛不適的投訴包括：眼睛疲勞、頭痛、視力模糊、眼乾及頸梗膊痛，以上各類症狀都可能由於長時間保持同一姿勢凝望電腦有關。

 

World Council of Optometry (WCO) 世界視光理事會建議了一系列的保護眼睛方法，以舒緩因電腦工作而引起的症狀。

 

        

WCO 世界視光理事會（WCO）是針對視光專業人員，其協會和機構的全球組織。會員資格是視光組織和機構，來自48個國家/地區的89個協會，理事會，學校和學院的會員資格，代表著全球200,000多名視光師。世界視光理事是與世界衛生組織建立正式關係的第一個也是唯一的視光機構。香港光學會也是旗下機構會員之一。

https://worldcouncilofoptometry.info/our-members/#1597164269116-cdf0cb39-5831

建議包括：

增加眨眼次數，眼睛長期凝望電腦螢幕會增加發展成乾眼症的機會。

 有報告指出，一個人正常眨眼次數為每分鐘15～2``0次，看書時為10次，操作電腦時為4～5次。 若眨眼次數減少到每分鐘10次左右，眼睛仍然可以維持淚液膜的完整，但若減到每分鐘4～5次時，就會出現眼睛乾澀的症狀了。刻意增加眨眼次數，將會增加淚水分泌，同時減少淚水暴露在空氣中蒸發。 

 

調教電腦螢幕與眼睛的距離及位置，建議眼睛與電腦螢幕保持的距離範圍是50cm至70cm， 眼睛保持在電腦螢幕中央10cm至12cm。

電腦工作時需要保持坐姿正確，兩隻腳都應該放在地板上 ，鍵入時，手臂應要自然下垂。

調教電腦螢幕位置避免室內光線與螢幕造成反光， 高架照明的光亮度與電腦螢幕必須配合，可以考慮使用低功率燈泡的座枱燈作輔助燈 。

跟隨 20-20-20守則， 建議電腦工作時候，工作每20分鐘，作一個20秒的小休， 視線目光以20呎為標準。 

電腦工作時的休息時間建議，每使用電子工具產品，每兩小時持續凝望螢幕，需要有一個15分鐘時間的休息。

尋求更多的專業意見， 假如使用電腦工作時持續有不舒適的症狀時候，應諮詢閣下的視光師或者其他眼睛護理人員，尋求更多的資訊。