ARVO advances research worldwide into understanding the visual system and preventing, treating and curing its disorders.
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 12,000 and continues to grow. Some 45% of members reside in over 75 countries outside the U.S. The membership is multidisciplinary and consists of both clinical and basic researchers. About 29% are MDs, 27% are PhDs, and 35% are optometrists, osteopaths and veterinarians.