FAAO and FCOVD stand for Fellow of American Academy of Optometry and Fellow of College of Optometrist in Vision Development.

What’s involved with obtaining fellowship?

The American Academy of Optometry (AAO) is the national optometry organization dedicated to teaching, research, and education. The distinction is granted after an accumulating of points (granted through case reports, publications, posters, papers, lectures, residency, or leadership contributions) followed by a successful completion of an oral examination in front of panel of optometrists in the field. There are currently around 5000 optometrists in the US with FAAO.
The College of Optometrists in Vision Development (COVD) is a national optometry organization dedicated clinical excellence and research in developmental and behavioral vision care, optometric vision therapy, and rehabilitation. Board certification requires a doctor to have taken over 100 hours of continuing education (in vision development, binocular vision, visual perception/visual information processing and vision therapy), submit 9 separate written manuscripts (in various topics in the field and clinical case reports), and successfully complete a written test, and an oral examination in front of a panel of optometrists in this specialized field. There are currently slightly over 500 optometrists in the US with FCOVD.
To maintain both fellowships, Dr. Ho needs to commit to lifelong learning through regular attendance of continuing education and community involvement. Of course this will also mean this expertise will greatly benefit her patients at Ho Vision Group! Congrats to Dr. Ho on her recent completion of FCOVD!