Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology

ARVO is the largest and most respected eye and vision research organization in the world. Our members include nearly 12,000 researchers from over 75 countries. ARVO encourages and assists research, training, publication and knowledge-sharing in vision and ophthalmology.

Mission

ARVO advances research worldwide into understanding the visual system and preventing, treating and curing its disorders.

Brief History

The Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology, Inc. (ARVO) was founded in 1928 in Washington, DC by a group of 73 ophthalmologists. ARVO was originally named the Association for Research in Ophthalmology (ARO), but the word "vision" was added in 1970 to better reflect the scientific profile of our members.

The Association's membership today numbers about 12,750 and continues to grow. Some 45% of members reside in over 80 countries outside the U.S. The membership is multidisciplinary and consists of both clinical and basic researchers. About 40% are MDs, 38% are PhDs and 22% are optometrists, osteopaths and veterinarians.

In 2001 the ARVO Board of Trustees established the ARVO Foundation for Eye Research to assure a stable support mechanism for a broad array of educational initiatives designed to enhance the conduct and dissemination of eye research. Complementary to ARVO's mission, ARVO Foundation exists to provide ongoing support for innovative and novel vision research, particularly work with translational impact that fosters collaboration between clinicians and basic scientists.