About the AOP

The Association of Optometrists (AOP) is the authoritative voice of optometry.

As the leading professional organisation in the UK for optometrists, the AOP promotes the profession and development of high professional and clinical standards, as well as representing the needs and interests of individual optometrists and dispensing opticians.

With more than 10,000 members, the AOP represents and promotes the interests of its members in Parliament and to Government and other institutions in the UK and European community.

Formed in 1946, the AOP campaigns to remove barriers that prevent patients accessing eye care, including over-restrictive regulations, the underfunding of the NHS Sight Test and insufficient primary eye care provision in England and Northern Ireland.

The AOP provides professional advice on commercial, economic, legal and administrative aspects of the profession and industry to its members and the wider community.

The AOP serves its members by:

• promoting and protecting them
• providing them with relevant services
• representing and supporting them
• enhancing their professional and business effectiveness
• expanding the role of optometry in primary and secondary eye care

The aims of the AOP

The principal activities of the AOP are to:

• Represent individual optometrists, whatever their mode of practice. The Association also represents a small number of dispensing opticians.
• Promote the professional and clinical independence of its members and the profession.
• Encourage and assist in the development and promotion of high standards of practice.
• Establish suitable arrangements for the defence, in disciplinary and professional matters, of all members, whether in practice as principals, assistants, employers or employees.
• Advise on commercial, economic, legal and administrative aspects of practice.
• Represent the interests of all of its members in negotiations for fees, other remuneration, conditions and terms of service, where appropriate.
• Represent and promote the interests of all of its members to Parliament, Government and other institutions in the United Kingdom and the European Community.

The AOP's strategy for achieving its aims can be seen by clicking on the pdf link below.

Optical Confederation - The voice of UK optics

The Optical Confederation – The voice of UK optics was launched in April 2010 to bring together the voices of the representative bodies within the optical profession to speak with a united voice for patients, professionals and the sector. The Confederation is committed to greater cohesion for the five optical bodies: the Association of British Dispensing Opticians (ABDO); The Association of Contact Lens Manufacturers (ACLM); the Association of Optometrists (AOP); the Federation of Manufacturing Opticians (FMO) and the Federation of Ophthalmic and Dispensing Opticians (FODO).

Central (LOC) Fund

The Central Fund supports the AOP in several projects which are of benefit to the profession as a whole, rather than to AOP members alone - for example the work that the AOP does towards the Optical Confederation's Children's Campaign is, in part, subsidised by the Central Fund. The AOP is grateful for the Fund's continuing support.