Membership TypEs


Active Full

100% dues

an optometrist who resides in the State of California and/or who practices or engages in other related optometric activities in California

Educator

50% dues

an optometrist who teaches or engages in other academic-related activities at an educational institution approved by the COA Board of Trustees and who does not otherwise engage in the practice of optometry for compensation more than 16 hours per week (for AOA classification, must be at an optometry school accredited or pre-accredited by ACOE)

Partial Practice

50% COA & society/60% AOA

an optometrist who works sixteen (16) hours or fewer per week for compensation in active optometric practice or related optometric activities

Government Service

50% COA & society/100% AOA

an optometrist who is employed by a governmental entity and who is not practicing optometry for compensation in any other setting

Retired

10% COA & society/$100 AOA

an optometrist who is at least fifty-five (55) years old on January 1 of any membership year and who is no longer receiving compensation for optometric-related activities

Life

Complimentary

a member who has retained and paid membership dues for 45 years (including student membership years)

Postgraduate

$0 COA & society/$35 AOA

an optometrist who is a resident or intern in a program accredited or pre-accredited by ACOE or is a full-time enrollee in a graduate program related to the practice of optometry

Student

Complimentary

an individual who is enrolled full-time in a school or college of optometry accredited or pre-accredited by the Accreditation Council on Optometric Education or by an accrediting body that the COA Board of Trustees determines to be equivalent

Applications for a change in membership type submitted before April 30 of any calendar year will be retroactive to the beginning of that year. Applications submitted between May 1 and December 31 will be effective January 1 of the following year. To make a member type change, please contact the membership department at membership@coavision.org or (833) 206-0598.