What Ophthalmology Foundation does

The Ophthalmology Foundation is a U.S.-registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit headquartered in San Francisco that delivers global ophthalmic education and credentialing. Its core products are internationally recognized online examinations administered twice yearly at local centers, fellowships placing 80-100 young ophthalmologists from underserved countries annually at host centers across 20 subspecialties, and a faculty development platform built on a Teaching Skills Series, Educator's Certificates, mentoring (via MentorLoop), CPD, simulation-based education, and Leaders in Education courses. The foundation also operates accreditation programs for ophthalmology residency programs and eye care services. Its technology backbone is a Moodle LMS, with Stripe for payments, Salesforce/Mailchimp for CRM and email, Zoom for live instruction, and a YouTube channel for recorded webinars. The organization is governed by a Board of Directors and a Faculty Development Committee chaired by Dr. Karl Golnik, with operations run by 1-10 staff and a global volunteer educator network.

Name

Ophthalmology Foundation

Legal name

Ophthalmology Foundation

Website

https://ophthalmologyfoundation.org

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

The Ophthalmology Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that delivers globally benchmarked ophthalmic education — including examinations, fellowships, faculty development, and accreditation — to ophthalmologists and residency programs in 75+ countries.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Professional Medical Education

NAICS

Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (6113)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Global Health Institutes & Programs (EDAHAGAM)

akta.pro secondary industries

Schools of Optometry (EDAHAGAN), Faculty-Led & Custom Group Study Abroad Programs (EDAIAAAA)

Keywords

• Ophthalmic education programs
• Medical certification examinations
• Clinical fellowship training
• Faculty development services
• Residency program accreditation

Headquarters

HQ city

San Francisco

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and Sponsorships: The foundation operates as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, relying on donations from individuals and industry sponsors. They explicitly state 'We exist because of caring individuals and esteemed industry sponsors'. BVI Medical is specifically recognized as a donor.
2. Examination Fees: Revenue generated from examination enrollment and payment for internationally recognized ophthalmology examinations offered twice yearly at local centers worldwide.
3. Educator Certificate Administrative Fees: Administrative fees for the Educator's Certificate of Teaching Competence, tiered based on World Bank income rankings of applicants' countries of origin. Fees range from $25-$100 USD depending on tier.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

The Ophthalmology Foundation delivers globally accessible ophthalmic education through internationally recognized examinations administered online at local centers twice yearly, fellowships placing ophthalmologists from low-resource countries at host centers worldwide (80-100 awards annually across 20 subspecialties), and faculty development programs that improve teaching skills of ophthalmic educators. It also provides accreditation services for ophthalmology residency programs and eye care services to help programs meet international standards.

Product overview

The Ophthalmology Foundation offers a platform of ophthalmic education programs comprising core offerings in examinations, fellowships, and faculty development. The Examinations program provides internationally recognized online assessments for ophthalmologists at local centers twice yearly, with new subspecialty exams in retina and glaucoma launching in 2027. The Fellowships program offers 3-month or 1-year training opportunities (80-100 awards annually across 20 subspecialties) for ophthalmologists from underserved countries. Faculty Development encompasses the Teaching Skills Series (with CME credit), Educator's Certificates, Mentoring Programs, Continuing Professional Development, Simulation-Based Education, Leaders in Education Courses, and quarterly webinars covering topics like mentoring, ethics, and AI tools. Accreditation programs support residency training programs and eye care services in meeting international standards. The organization serves as a foundation of ophthalmologists for ophthalmologists, valuing education to elevate global patient care.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Examinations Internationally recognized online ophthalmology examinations offered twice yearly at local centers worldwide, available to individual ophthalmologists for career advancement and credential portability.
• Subspecialty Examinations (Retina and Glaucoma) Advanced subspecialty qualification examinations in retina and glaucoma designed for individual ophthalmologists seeking internationally benchmarked subspecialty credentials at local examination centers worldwide.
• Fellowships 3-month or 1-year funded fellowships placing young ophthalmologists from underserved and low-resource countries at leading global host ophthalmology centers for advanced subspecialty training; 80-100 awards are made annually across 20 subspecialties.
• Faculty Development Programs Comprehensive program improving the teaching skills of ophthalmic educators worldwide through mentorships, online courses (Teaching Skills Series with CME credit), symposia, workshops at supranational meetings, and continuing professional development activities.
• Educator's Certificate of Teaching Competence Standalone paid certificate program for certified eye-care professionals that documents advancement of teaching skills; administrative fee is income-tiered from $25-$100 USD based on the applicant's country's World Bank income classification.
• Accreditation for Residency Programs Accreditation program for ophthalmology residency training programs to drive improvement and meet international standards of training quality; includes an Accreditation Application and Accreditation Fees component.

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration10 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• COECSA (College of Surgeons of East, Central and Southern Africa)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCOECSA Partnership is listed under Partnerships and Special Programs for Examinations. This regional collaboration supports the COECSA examination pathway and provides examination opportunities for ophthalmologists in the East, Central, and Southern Africa region.
• Arab Board of Health Specializations (ABHS)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFeatured as a new Global Partner Spotlight under examination updates. The Arab Board of Health Specializations represents a key regional partnership for providing internationally benchmarked subspecialty examinations in the Middle East and North Africa region.
• International Ophthalmologic Fellowships FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for fellowship program management. The International Ophthalmologic Fellowships Foundation creates and manages high-impact fellowships, which the Ophthalmology Foundation then supports and promotes through its global network of host centers.
• International Council of Ophthalmology (ICO)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDr. Karl Golnik, Committee Chairperson, spent almost a decade as Education Director at the International Council of Ophthalmology. The organizations share educational philosophy and collaborate on international ophthalmic education standards.
• Chinese Women's Medical AssociationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerInitiative partner for Leaders in Education course held in Shantou, Guangdong, China in May 2026. The partnership with the Chinese Women's Medical Association enables localized faculty development programming in China.
• Host Centers (Global Network)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFellowship host centers around the globe provide training opportunities for ophthalmologists from low-resource countries. The foundation recruits and partners with these centers to offer 80-100 fellowship awards annually across 20 subspecialties.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• International Council of Ophthalmology (ICO): Global umbrella body for ophthalmology that runs international examinations, fellowships, and educator programs. The Ophthalmology Foundation's chairperson Dr. Golnik previously led education at ICO, making it the most directly comparable peer in mission and offerings.
• European Board of Ophthalmology (EBO): Administers the European Board of Ophthalmology Diploma and subspecialty examinations. Directly comparable as a peer in international ophthalmology credentialing and subspecialty examinations.
• Seva Foundation: Global eye health nonprofit that funds training, fellowships, and capacity-building for ophthalmologists in low-income countries. Comparable mission and beneficiary overlap with the foundation's fellowship program.

Regional players

• Pan-American Association of Ophthalmology (PAAO): Regional ophthalmology association serving the Americas with education, training, and fellowship programs. Comparable regional peer delivering ophthalmic education and faculty development outside the foundation's primary markets.
• Himalayan Cataract Project: Nonprofit focused on training ophthalmologists and providing eye care primarily in South Asia and sub-Saharan Africa. Comparable mission in building ophthalmic capacity in underserved geographies.
• Asia-Pacific Academy of Ophthalmology (APAO): Regional professional body for ophthalmology in Asia-Pacific, running congresses, training programs, and examinations. Comparable regional peer for fellowship and educator development in a major geography.

Broad incumbents

• International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness (IAPB): Global alliance coordinating eye health NGOs, professional bodies, and training initiatives. Comparable as a convening body for international ophthalmic education and workforce development.
• American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO): Largest professional membership association for ophthalmologists, running its own examinations (OKAP), continuing education, and the Ophthalmic Educators Symposium. Overlaps directly with the foundation's faculty development and examination programs but at much greater scale.
• Orbis International: Global nonprofit focused on eye care in low- and middle-income countries through training, fellowships, and hospital partnerships. Overlaps with the foundation's mission to build ophthalmology capacity in underserved regions.
• Royal College of Ophthalmologists: UK-based professional body that administers ophthalmology examinations, training accreditation, and fellowship pathways. Directly comparable to the foundation's examination and accreditation offerings for an international audience.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@ophthalmologyfoundation
• Facebookfacebook.com/Ophthalmology-Foundation-107287054666506
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/ophthalmology-foundation

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles11 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Ophthalmology Foundation