The request for an India chapter was made during the early 2019, followed by email communications and meetings at the Academy 2019 Orlando meeting. The official approval for the Chapter was received on the 21st February, 2020. Our primary goal is to promote collegial exchange of ideas in the areas of optometry and vision science that will persistently elevate the quality of optometric care and vision research in the country.
The main objective of this Chapter is to support the declared objectives of the American Academy of Optometry by:
1. Providing a forum for the members to keep abreast of the recent scientific and clinical developments in optometry.
2. Assuming the responsibility of leadership within the India in the field of professional optometry, in the promotion and maintenance of the highest ethical principles, and actually working to provide the highest quality education in eye and vision care.
3. Recruiting all optometrists and optometry students who are eligible for membership in the American Academy of Optometry and to guide them through the Fellowship process
Current Officers
President: Jameel Rizwana Hussaindeen, MPhil, PhD, FAAO, FCOVID-I, BVPPO Clinical Diplomate
Sankara Nethralaya, Unit of Medical Research Foundation
Vice-President: Lakshmi Shinde, FLVPEI, FIACLE, FAAO
International Association of Contact Lens Educators
Secretary Treasurer: Prasad Sawant, MOptom, FLVPEI, FBFS, FIACLE, FBCLA, FAAO
Sawant Optometry Clinic
Executive Committee
Vijayakumari Gothwal, Bpt, MAppSc, PhD, FAAO, Low Vision Research Diplomate
LV Prasad Eye Institute
Prema Chande, MOptom, FIACLE, FAAO
Lotus College of Optometry, Mumbai
Late Rajeswari Mahadevan, PhD, FBFS, FIACLE, FBCLA, FAAO
Sankara Nethralaya, Unit of Medical Research Foundation
Nilesh Thite, MOptom, FIACLE, FAAO
International Association for Contact Lens Educators
Anuradha Narayanan, BSOpt, PhD, FBDO, FAAO, MSc (Psychology) PG Dip Health
Elite School of Optometry, Unit of Medical Research Foundation
Other Members
Dr. KK Yadav, MMS, LLB, PhD, FAAO
Ghaziabad, UP, India
Ms. Sarika G, BSOpt, FAAO
Sankara Nethralaya, Unit of Medical Research Foundation
Ms. Aditi Deshpande (Moghe), MOptom, FAAO, FIACLE
Bharati Vidyapeeth Deemed to be University, School of Optometry, Pune
Mr. Kuldeep Raizada, PhD, BCO, BADO, FAAO
International Prosthetic Eye Center, Hyderabad