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Distinguished Service Award

The Distinguished Service Award is given to an optometrist who has made an outstanding contribution over time to the achievement of WCO’s Vision and Mission. This is the highest award that WCO can bestow on an individual.

See the past winners here.

Nominations for the next Distinguished ServiceAward are now invited.

The selection panel will be chaired by the President and will include two Past Presidents, with the Company Secretary in attendance.

This award will be presented during the WCO’s General Delegates’ Meeting in April 2013, in Malaga, Spain.

Nomination criteria

  • There should be clear evidence of a real and important contribution over time to the achievement of WCO’s Vision and Mission.
  • Nominees and nominators must be a member of a WCO member organisation whose fees are up to date.
  • Serving Governing Board members or those who have been serving Governing Board members in the past two years are not eligible for this award.

Nomination guidelines

Suggested areas to include in the supporting statement are:

  • Evidence of active involvement in international optometric development over a number of years.
  • Activities throughout the nominees career in areas of international advocacy, education, policy development or humanitarian outreach.
  • Specific contributions to WCO's work to help achieve its Vision and Mission.   

How to nominate

To nominate an optometrist for this award, please complete this form and return to enquiries@worldoptometry.org or apply online.

Nominations must be received by 1 October 2012.

Find out more
For more information on WCO awards, including the selection panel, nominations and definitions, please download a copy of the Awards Standing Orders.

Our vision

Our Vision is of a world where optometry makes high quality eye health and vision care accessible to all people.

Our mission

In order to achieve our Vision, our Mission is to facilitate the development of optometry around the world and support optometrists in promoting eye health and vision care as a human right through advocacy, education, policy development and humanitarian outreach.