Become a Member

The Colorado Optometric Association provides many benefits that will enhance your practice and your career. Along with the tangible and educational benefits of membership, the COA and AOA provide many intangible benefits that are important for you individually as well as for optometry as a profession.

Membership in the COA gives you a united voice for optometry

The COA and AOA are your advocates before state and federal legislators, national third party providers, Medicare, Medicaid, the Colorado State Board of Optometry and other professional organizations. Both the COA and AOA constantly monitor these groups at the state and federal level to ensure that the interests of you and your patients are protected. Because optometry is a legislated profession, representation in these arenas is by far the most valuable benefit of your membership. You can be a part of optometry's voice by serving on a COA committee and being politically active.

Educational excellence

The COA is the leading provider of quality continuing education in Colorado.  The Colorado Vision Summit is a top educational opportunity in a family vacation destination, and COA members are eligible for reduced registration rates. The AOA provides top-notch clinical education at the annual  Optometry's Meeting conference.

Public exposure for optometry

Your membership in the COA and AOA helps keep a steady stream of information about primary care optometry in front of the public. AOA has a longstanding public relations program through the print media and public service announcements. The AOA also develops media for use in print and television that can be used on the state level to promote optometric care.

Public service

In conjunction with the AOA, the COA participates in the InfantSEE® program, which is a national program that provides no-cost evaluations for babies in their first year of life. This program helps detect early childhood eye disorders such as amblyopia and strabismus for thousands of children across the country.

The AOA sponsors the  Healthy Eyes Healthy People initiative. This program is part of the larger  Healthy People 2020 program, a national multidisciplinary collaborative effort to identify the most significant preventable threats to health and establish national goals to reduce these threats.

Optometric community

The COA is the largest network of optometrists in the state of Colorado. Many professional opportunities, friendships, mentorships and professional relationships have grown from contacts made at COA events.

COA has four local affiliated societies: The Denver Metro Optometric Society (DMOS), Southern Colorado Optometric Society (SCOS), Northern Colorado Optometric Society (NCOS) and the Western Colorado Optometric Society (WCOS). Joining a local society is a GREAT way to network and meet local colleagues, as well as get CE credits under your belt. You can check out what our local societies are up to.

In  Viewpoints, the COA publishes information such as birthdays, births, marriages, special accomplishments and changes in practice location to keep everyone up to date on important life events.

The annual Golf Tournament is always a great time to catch up with friends and enjoy a day in the sun. Celebrating Colorado Optometrists is an annual event which celebrates all members with good food, good company, and COA's annual awards program.

Professional recognition

Membership in the COA and AOA shows your patients you are a member in good standing of the professional optometric community. COA provides a framed certificate recognizing your first year of membership and an updated certificate for each year of membership thereafter. COA/AOA members who have achieved 10 years, 25 years, 40 years and 50 years of membership are recognized at COA's annual Celebrating Colorado Optometrists event. The annual Distinguished Service Award, Optometrist of the Year and Young Optometrist of the Year Awards give outstanding professionals individual recognition. The AOA Optometric Recognition Award (ORA) recognizes continuing education achievements.

Patient Education Resources

Membership in the COA gives you access to AOA pamphlets, video programs, vision care manuals and eye charts through the AOA Order Department at special AOA member pricing. The AOA also provides promotional information for nationwide programs such as Save Your Vision Month, National Diabetes Month and Glaucoma Awareness Month.

The COA sponsors the  Kids Welcome Here® program, which provides free posters and literature to your practice to help inform parents about the importance of eye care in early childhood.

Insurance and retirement plans

Planning for your future and protecting yourself, your family and your practice are essential for your peace of mind. COA/AOA membership gives you access to:

• Medical and Dental plans
• Life/Disability/Hospital Indemnity insurance programs
• Retirement Planning Program
• Low-cost Professional Liability Insurance

Money savings discounts for you and your practice

Your COA/AOA membership offers many cost cutting, value added benefits:

• Reduced rates at continuing education events and conferences
• Practice appraisals
• Equipment leasing
• Custom telephone message service
• Human Resources Assistance for your practice
• Student Debt Consolidation Service

Check out a full list of AOA benefits.