ST. LOUIS—The World Council of Optometry (WCO), an international membership-based nonprofit organization for individual optometrists, industry professionals and optometric organizations, has announced the theme for World Optometry Week 2025—Eyes to the Future: Optometry Improving Global Wellness. WCO’s World Optometry Week 2025 celebration will begin on March 17, 2025 and conclude with World Optometry Day on March 23. This annual observance highlights optometry's critical role in global health and wellness and the contribution of optometrists worldwide to increasing access to eye health care as a human right, the announcement said.

With this year’s theme, WCO said it aims to emphasize optometry’s far-reaching impact and its vital role in shaping the future of eyecare worldwide.

“As an optometrist and the president of WCO, I am proud to see how the care we offer our patients helps lead to increased awareness of health issues, more involvement in prevention of vision and overall health problems, along with early diagnosis, quality eyecare and integration of vision and eye health as a part of universal health care,” said WCO president Sandra Block. “We know that visual impairment can negatively affect our patients, so we need to collectively work with the health care team to ensure the best outcomes possible.”

Launched in March 2024, the WCO Competency Framework for Optometry highlights the competencies required for optometry to participate most effectively in the international eyecare agenda. This expanded scope is crucial in meeting the growing demand for eyecare, WCO said, especially in areas with limited access to eyecare in communities or hospital settings. By integrating optometrists into health care teams, countries can better prevent and treat eye diseases and address the needs of their populations.

The WCO is offering optometrists use of its multilingual World Optometry Week Social Media Resources to support advocacy efforts for World Optometry Week and World Optometry Day. Additional assets will be added in the coming weeks, the group said.