Ophthalmic Photographers Society Inc

TO ENCOURAGE AND MAINTAIN THE HIGHEST LEVELS OF QUALITY IN OPHTHALMIC PHOTOGRAPHY, TO STIMULATE DEVELOPMENT OF NEW AND IMPROVED TECHNIQUES AND EQUIPMENT, TO PROVIDE CONTINUING EDUCATION AND TECHNICAL INFORMATION, TO ESTABLISH AND MAINTAIN A WELL-COORDINATED GROUP TO REPRESENT THE PROFESSION OF OPHTHALMIC PHOTOGRAPHY, TO PROVIDE A COMMON MEETING PLACE FOR PERSONS INTERESTED IN OPHTHALMIC PHOTOGRAPHY, AND TO ESTABLISH AND RECOGNIZE STANDARDS OF COMPETENCE IN OPHTHALMIC PHOTOGRAPHY THROUGH CERTIFICATION.

THE BOARD OF EDUCATION, IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS, IS RESPONSIBLE FOR PRODUCING (IN PERSON OR VIRTUAL) SEVERAL EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS EACH YEAR. THE LARGEST BEING THE THREE-DAY ANNUAL EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS HELD IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE ANNUAL PROGRAM OF THE AMERICAN ACADEMY OF OPHTHALMOLOGY. IT INCLUDES MULTIPLE TIMELINES ON ALL ASPECTS OF OPHTHALMIC IMAGING. TYPICAL OPS ANNUAL EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS INCLUDE A SCIENTIFIC PAPER SESSION OF ABSTRACTS PRESENTED ON A VARIETY OF OPHTHALMIC IMAGING TECHNIQUES AND INNOVATIONS, LECTURES AND WORKSHOPS ON NEW AND EMERGING TECHNOLOGIES, VENDOR FORUMS, AND SOCIAL FUNCTIONS. ALSO HIGHLIGHTED DURING THE ANNUAL MEETING IS A PHOTOGRAPHIC EXHIBIT HIGHLIGHTING A PEER -REVIEWED SELECTION OF THE YEAR'S BEST OPHTHALMIC IMAGES FROM AROUND THE WORLD. THE BOE ALSO PRODUCES REGIONAL EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS- THESE CAN BE IN PERSON OR VIRTUAL. IN PERSON PROGRAMS ARE TYPICALLY A ONE OR TWO DAY PROGRAM. VIRTUAL EVENTS ARE SIMILAR THOUGH MAY BE HELD IN CONJUNCTION WITH AND/OR SUPPORTED BY LOCAL OR NATIONAL LEVEL OPHTHALMIC TECHNICIAN ASSOCIATIONS. NORMALLY PRESENTED AS A LOGICAL PROGRESSION OF LECTURES AND WORKSHOPS. THIRDLY, THE BOE, IN RESPONSE TO CHANGING WORLD CIRCUMSTANCES, HAS SIGNIFICANTLY EXPANDED ITS ONLINE PRESENCE HOSTING WEBINARS (WHICH MAY BE RECORDED OR LIVE EVENTS) AND APPRECIABLY INCREASING THE FREQUENCY OF OUR WEBINAR COURSE OFFERINGS TO INCLUDE WEEKLY EVENTS.

THE OPS BOARD OF CERTIFICATION'S MISSION IS TO ACCREDIT AND RECOGNIZE QUALIFYING OPHTHALMIC IMAGERS THAT MEET A STANDARD OF EDUCATION, EXPERIENCE AND COMPETENCY TO PREFORM FLUORESCEIN, ICG ANGIOGRAPHY AND OPTICAL COHERENCE TOMOGRAPHY. THE OPS BOC SERVES AS THE FORMAL BODY RESPONSIBLE FOR THE CERTIFICATION OF RETINAL ANGIOGRAPHERS AND OPHTHALMIC COHERENCE TOMOGRAPHERS. THE BOC'S FOREMOST CERTIFICATION IS THE CERTIFIED RETINAL ANGIOGRAPHER (CRA) PROGRAM. THE NATIONAL COMMISSION FOR CERTIFYING AGENCIES (NCCA) ACCREDITED THE CRA PROGRAM IN 1999, AND REACCREDITED IN 2005, 2010 AND 2015. CRA CERTIFICATION REQUIRES SUBMISSION OF WORK EXAMPLES THAT MEET ESTABLISHED STANDARDS AS WELL AS SUCCESSFUL COMPLETION OF WRITTEN AND PERFORMANCE EXAMINATIONS. TO DATE, MORE THAN 740 OPHTHALMIC PHOTOGRAPHERS HAVE ATTAINED THE CERTIFIED RETINAL ANGIOGRAPHER (CRA) CREDENTIAL. THE BOC LAUNCHED A CERTIFICATION PROGRAM FOR OPTICAL COHERENCE TOMOGRAPHER-CERTIFIED (OCT-C) IN JULY OF 2007 AND UPDATED IT IN 2014. OCT-C CERTIFICATION REQUIRES SUBMISSION OF WORK EXAMPLES THAT MEET ESTABLISHED STANDARDS AND SUCCESSFUL COMPLETION OF A WRITTEN EXAMINATION.

THE JOURNAL OF OPHTHALMIC PHOTOGRAPHY IS A PEER-REVIEWED JOURNAL GENERALLY PUBLISHED TWO TIMES PER YEAR BY THE OPHTHALMIC PHOTOGRAPHERS' SOCIETY. IN PRODUCTION SINCE 1980, THE JOURNAL HAS FEATURED ARTICLES ON FUNDUS CAMERA OPERATION, SLITLAMP BIOMICROGRAPHY, NEW INSTRUMENTATION, CASE PRESENTATIONS, AND INNOVATIVE TECHNIQUES IN OPHTHALMIC DIAGNOSTIC IMAGING.