Who Can Join & Membership Types

IACLE membership is comprised of contact lens educators from all eye care professions including optometrists, ophthalmologists, opticians and others, as well as industry representatives involved in contact lens education.

Membership is open to eye care professionals involved in contact lens education as follows:

Educators who are:

  • A staff member of a recognized teaching institution who is significantly involved either part-time or full-time in the coordination, implementation and/or direction of the contact lens curriculum.

Individuals who are:

  • Positively contributing to contact lens education, but are not formally affiliated with a recognized institution.
  • Visiting faculty at a recognized institution.

Industry representatives who are:

  • Actively involved in IACLE activities and the promotion of contact lens education, and contribute positively to the association.

The IACLE Board must approve all membership applications. Our members must comply with our “Code of Conduct” – download (pdf), continue to meeting membership criteria, policies, terms and conditions.

Membership Types

A member is classified under one of the following two membership types:

  1. Full Member
  2. Associate Member
  3. Honorary Member

1. Full Member

An individual is eligible to be a Full Member of the association (IACLE) if the individual is significantly involved either part-time or full-time in the coordination, implementation and/or direction of the contact lens curriculum of a recognized teaching institution.

If you do not qualify for Full Membership you may be eligible to apply for Associate Membership.

Full Member Application


2. Associate Member

An individual is eligible to be an Associate Member of the association (IACLE) if the person is positively contributing to contact lens education, but not formally affiliated with a recognized institution.

Associate Member Application



3. Honorary Member

An individual is eligible to be an Honorary Member of the association (IACLE) if the person is a previous Full Member or Associate Member of the association (IACLE) who has retired from a position involved in the coordination, implementation and/or direction of the contact lens curriculum at a recognized teaching institution or who has retired from a position involved in positively contributing to contact lens education, but not formally affiliated with a recognized institution, as the case may be, but is allowed to retain their membership in the association (IACLE) as recognition of their past contributions.