Every year, the eye specialist community celebrates World Optometry Day on Monday, March 23rd to recognize the vital role of optometrists in expanding and reinforcing the reach of comprehensive eye care across the globe. For 2026, the World Optometry Council has designated “A Shared Vision: Collaboration in Global Eye Care” as the theme of World Optometry Day 2026. This year’s theme emphasizes the vital role optometrists play in global eye health, diagnosis, and primary care.
In March 2024, the World Council of Optometry (WCO) launched the Competency Framework for Optometry as an outline for optometrists worldwide to deliver vision correction and eye disease detection and treatment services in under-resourced global healthcare settings most effectively. A year later, the framework continues to guide optometrists working in under-resourced communities with limited access to eye specialists and an aging population to optimize their roles as primary eyecare providers within collaborative healthcare models and communities.
UNC Kittner Eye Center’s optometry lead and Assistant Professor of Ophthalmology Michael Mendsen, OD, noted: “Optometrists play a critical role in the diagnosis and management of many eye diseases and disorders of the visual system. Optometrists make up a much larger portion of the eye care workforce which helps provide comprehensive eye exams and plays an integral role in the patient’s primary healthcare team.”