American Optometric Association
Encyclopedia
The American Optometric Association (AOA) represents optometrists nationally in the USA. It consists of State Optometric Associations, which are made up of local optometric societies.
The objectives of AOA are centered on improving the quality and availability of eye and vision care. The AOA fulfills its missions in accordance with the following goals:
AOA mission
"Advocate for the profession and serve optometrists in meeting the eye care needs of the public."The objectives of AOA are centered on improving the quality and availability of eye and vision care. The AOA fulfills its missions in accordance with the following goals:
- Health careHealth careHealth care is the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of disease, illness, injury, and other physical and mental impairments in humans. Health care is delivered by practitioners in medicine, chiropractic, dentistry, nursing, pharmacy, allied health, and other care providers...
and public policyPublic policyPublic policy as government action is generally the principled guide to action taken by the administrative or executive branches of the state with regard to a class of issues in a manner consistent with law and institutional customs. In general, the foundation is the pertinent national and...
related to eye care will uniformly recognize optometrists as primary health care providers and ensure the public has access to the full scope of optometric care. - Optometrists and other professionals will look to the American Optometric Association for professional standards, researchResearchResearch can be defined as the scientific search for knowledge, or as any systematic investigation, to establish novel facts, solve new or existing problems, prove new ideas, or develop new theories, usually using a scientific method...
and educationEducationEducation in its broadest, general sense is the means through which the aims and habits of a group of people lives on from one generation to the next. Generally, it occurs through any experience that has a formative effect on the way one thinks, feels, or acts...
leadership which serve to enhance and ensure competent, quality patient care. - The publicPublicIn public relations and communication science, publics are groups of individuals, and the public is the totality of such groupings. This is a different concept to the sociological concept of the Öffentlichkeit or public sphere. The concept of a public has also been defined in political science,...
, optometrists and other professionals will turn to the American Optometric Association for reliable and current information related to optometry, eye care, and health care policy.