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Membership Categories

 

2026 MEMBERSHIP CATEGORIES

 

Graduate

An optometrist who received the degree of optometry in 2026 and plans to practice in Florida, but is not yet licensed.
 

Active Member, New Licensee*

An optometrist licensed to practice optometry in Florida and who graduated from optometry school in 2026.

Active Member, 1*

An optometrist licensed to practice optometry in Florida and who graduated from optometry school in 2025.
 

Active Member, 2*

An optometrist licensed to practice optometry in Florida and who graduated from optometry school in 2024.
 

Active Member, 3*

An optometrist licensed to practice optometry in Florida and who graduated from optometry school in 2023.
 

Active Member, 4*

An optometrist licensed to practice optometry in Florida and who graduated from optometry school in 2022.
 

Active Member, 5+*

An optometrist licensed to practice optometry in Florida and who graduated from optometry school in 2021 or prior.
 

Partial Practice

An optometrist licensed to practice optometry in Florida who works sixteen (16) or fewer hours per week in compensated activities related to optometry. The optometrist's status must be certified annually by the optometrist and approved by the association.
 

Optometric Educator

An optometrist who is a full-time educator primarily engaged in school related activities such as teaching, research, and administration at a school or college in the United States, accredited or pre-accredited by the Accreditation Council on Optometric Education, and who is directly compensated by such school or college. An optometric educator member is permitted to engage in the practice of optometry for no more than sixteen (16) hours per week.
 

Associate

An optometrist who is licensed in Florida but practices and resides in another state. The member must also be a member of the state optometric association where he/she resides as well as the American Optometric Association.
 

Student

A student of optometry in a program at a school or college accredited or pre-accredited by the Accreditation Council on Optometric Education. Student membership may continue until the end of the calendar year in which an eligible student member has received the degree of Doctor of Optometry.


Post-Graduate

  1. A non-practicing optometrist who is a full-time student in an accredited institution of higher learning.
  2. An optometrist who is engaged full-time as a resident or fellow in a residency program approved by the Council on Optometric Education.

Federal Service

  1. Any Florida licensed optometrist on active duty in the Armed Forces of the United States, or any licensed optometrist who is unlicensed in Florida and is an American Optometric Association Armed Services Member stationed on active duty in Florida.
  2. Any Florida licensed optometrist on active duty in the Commissioned Corps of the United States Public Health Service, or any licensed optometrist who is unlicensed in Florida and stationed on active duty in the Commissioned Corps of the United States Public Health Service in Florida.
  3. Any Florida licensed optometrist who is a full-time employee of the Veterans’ Administration or other Federal government entity, or any licensed optometrist who is unlicensed in Florida and is a full-time employee of the Veterans’ Administration, or other Federal government entity, stationed in Florida.

Special Class

An optometrist not engaged in clinical or private practice of optometry, and not in the military service; and who is accepted as a special class member by the constituent affiliated society/association shall be eligible for special class membership in this Association.

Additional membership categories include retired, life and corporate membership and have additional eligibility requirements. 

*If you completed a residency after graduating from optometry school and are applying for active membership, this may affect your active ascending dues category.
 
If you have any questions about membership category eligibility requirements, please click here to contact us.

 

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