The American Society of Ocularists (ASO) is an international non-profit professional and educational organization founded in 1957 by technicians specializing in the fitting and fabrication of custom artificial eyes. The organization’s bylaws state its purpose: To foster, improve and promote research in and development of ophthalmic prosthetics; to instill mutual understanding and cooperation among all ocularist members; to improve relationships and understanding with ophthalmologists; by education, research and mutual cooperation of the membership to advance the methods, techniques and skills of the ocularist membership and, in general, to provide the public with continual improvement in all fields and activities in which ocularists engage. Research, education and standards form the benefits to our membership.

Research of techniques, stressing the benefits of custom-made ocular prosthetics and product development, are published in the Society’s annual Journal of Ophthalmic Prosthetics.

A training curriculum developed and administered by the Education Committee of the ASO provides courses to prepare ocularists for the certification examination of the National Examining Board of Ocularists (NEBO), an accredited certification organization and member of the National Organization for Competency Assurance (NOCA) and the National Commission for Health Certifying Agencies (NCCA).

Our Standards Committee gives recommendations for standards in the fitting and fabrication of custom-made ophthalmic prosthetics. The Standards Committee and the Education Committee are responsible for the collection and circulation of reported standards in custom-made ophthalmic prosthetics.