Become an AGS Member

Become a Member

The AGS provides an excellent forum to its members through continuing education and ample opportunities for collegial discussions on elevating care for our patients.


Apply for Membership

Membership Benefits Overview

Thanks for your interest in becoming a member of the American Glaucoma Society. Members of AGS join a group of top glaucoma surgeons that are dedicated to upholding the mission of AGS: “To promote excellence in the care of patients with glaucoma and to preserve or enhance vision by supporting glaucoma specialists and scientists through the advancement of education and research.”

Membership is $525 per year and is free for Fellow-In-Training members and the first two years of Provisional memberships.

The major benefits of being an AGS member include:

  • A subscription to Ophthalmology® Glaucoma, the official journal of the AGS. 
  • Discounted registration and early registration access for the AGS annual meeting, which is held in a different location each year, alternating between east coast and west coast destination cities. The AGS annual meeting usually offers between 20–27 hours of CME credit.
  • Early access to the priority housing block at the host hotel. Guaranteed stay at the hotel if reservations are made when priority housing opens, as well as access to the most discounted portion of the housing block.
  • Access to a members-only Open Forum that allows for threaded discussions and access to archived discussions on glaucoma-related topics and clinical issues. The Open Forum is a place for members to gain insight into difficult cases and ask questions or get opinions about medical situations that may not have clear cut answers. The Open Forum is the most popular member benefit, with an average of 10–30 contributions per day.
  • Volunteer opportunities on a variety of committees, including the annual meeting program planning committee, education and communication committee, patient care committee, research committee, and finance committee, as well as a variety of other committees and ad hoc task forces. 
  • Access to a search that allows members to search for fellow members and see additional contact information, professional affiliations and AGS committee involvement.
  • The AGS is a member society of the World Glaucoma Association. AGS members are eligible to receive free access to the International Glaucoma Review (IGR).

Who We Are

The American Glaucoma Society (AGS) comprises Glaucoma Specialists who are dedicated to sharing clinical and scientific information for the benefit of patients, colleagues, fellows and residents.

Since the establishment of the Society, the number of members has increased from 13 founding members in 1986 to over 1,600 today, from 17 countries, including members who are currently in glaucoma fellowship training, fellowship-trained glaucoma specialists, and scientists active in glaucoma research.

Our Mission & Vision

Dues

Membership dues for each year shall be paid no later than December 31 of the preceding year. If dues are not paid by June 30 of the membership year, benefits are put on hold until they are paid.

Any member defaulting in dues payments in two successive years shall be reported to the Board of Directors and dropped from the membership of the Society.

Apply for Membership

Applications for membership are considered twice a year, once in September for the following year, and once again in January for the current year.

September applicants will be notified in late December of their acceptance status and January applicants will be notified in late April of their acceptance status.

Fellow-in-Training applications are accepted year round. You will usually hear back 3–5 weeks after you submit the application.

Notification of membership approval status will occur approximately 90 days AFTER the application deadline.

If you’re unsure which category you’re eligible for, please review the membership requirements.

Apply for an Active Membership

Link here

Apply for an Associate Membership

Link here

Apply for an International Membership

Link here

Changing Membership Levels

Applications for current AGS Members transferring to the next membership level:

Apply for a Provisional Membership

Link here

Apply for a Fellow-in-Training Membership

Link here

Fellow-in-Training transferring to Provisional Membership

Link here

Provisional transferring to Active Membership

Link here

Membership Requirements

There are six types of membership in the American Glaucoma Society. All members must agree to adhere to the Code of Ethics of the American Academy of Ophthalmology.

Please read the requirements below to ascertain which type of membership suits your qualifications. 

Membership as an Active Member in the American Glaucoma Society shall be open to those ophthalmologists in the United States, United States territories, and Canada who are actively engaged in the clinical practice, teaching, and/or research of glaucoma as their major involvement in ophthalmology. Members shall be recognized as leaders in the subspecialty of glaucoma, and considered experts in teaching, research, patient care, and/or community service in ophthalmology and glaucoma.

Applicants for Active Membership are expected to have attained a high level of professional accomplishment documented by excellence in the areas mentioned. Candidates shall be graduates of an accredited allopathic or osteopathic medical school, and shall have satisfactorily completed an approved ophthalmology residency program. In addition, candidates shall:

  1. Be certified by the American Board of Ophthalmology, the American Osteopathic Board of Ophthalmology, or by the Royal College of Surgeons (Canada) in Ophthalmology.
  2. Be a Fellow of the American Academy of Ophthalmology.
  3. Have completed at least one year of glaucoma fellowship training in an Association of University Professors in Ophthalmology Fellowship Compliance Committee (AUPO FCC)–compliant glaucoma fellowship program* with successful completion thereof, certified by the Fellowship Program Director.
  4. Have completed at least four years of active clinical practice training primarily in the area of glaucoma after completion of the fellowship. At least 50% of the candidate's practice shall be limited to the management of patients with glaucoma.

Become an Active Member

Note: Active Membership in the society will require completion of an AUPO-FCC clinical glaucoma fellowship for all applicants completing their fellowship in 2019 or after. The AUPO-FCC Fellowship Guidelines establish minimum standards for glaucoma subspecialty training that are endorsed by the AGS Board of Directors. This new, more specific requirement for AGS Active members simultaneously creates an equitable environment for all membership applicants. Associate Membership is available to U.S. and Canadian applicants who have not completed an AUPO-FCC fellowship in 2019 or later, or for other reasons, do not meet the requirements for active membership. Having the new membership requirements apply to those completing their fellowships in 2019 or later allows time for the small number of non-compliant fellowships to apply for an approved AUPO-FCC designation.

Membership as an Associate Member is available to persons considered deserving of membership but who fail to meet the requirements for Active Membership.

Such candidates may include:

  • Glaucoma fellowship-trained ophthalmologists who do not otherwise meet the criteria for Active Membership
  • Non-practicing ophthalmologists involved in basic research or persons other than practicing physicians, whose primary interest is in the basic scientific disciplines related to the study of glaucoma

Become an Associate Member

Membership as a Fellow-in-Training is available to ophthalmologists in the United States, United States territories and Canada who have satisfactorily completed an approved residency program in ophthalmology and are actively engaged in an AUPO FCC compliant fellowship (if fellowship is to be completed in 2019 or later) or a one- or two-year post-residency clinical and surgical glaucoma fellowship in the US or Canada with at least one active AGS member.

A Fellow-in-Training Member must be recommended by his or her Fellowship Director, who must be an Active Member of the American Glaucoma Society. However, election as described in section 3.4 is not required for Fellow-in-Training Members.

A Fellow-in-Training Member may hold this status for a maximum of two years of fellowship training.

Become a Fellow-in-Training Member

Membership as an International Member is limited to practicing physicians residing outside of the United States or Canada, but who have completed at least one year of clinical fellowship training in glaucoma in the United States or Canada from AUPO FCC compliant fellowships or a one- or two-year post-residency clinical and surgical glaucoma fellowship in the US or Canada with at least one active AGS member.

Candidates shall document completion of at least four years of active clinical practice primarily in the area of glaucoma after completion of fellowship. At least 50% of the candidate’s practice shall be limited to the management of patients with glaucoma.

Become an International Member

Membership as a Provisional Member is available to persons who have satisfactorily completed at least one year of post-residency fellowship training in glaucoma in an AUPO FCC compliant glaucoma fellowship program or a one- or two-year post residency clinical and surgical glaucoma fellowship in the US or Canada with at least one Active AGS member and certified by the Director of the Fellowship Program, and are not currently enrolled in an ophthalmic post-graduate training program.

Provisional Membership can be renewed for four consecutive years with payment of dues. After four years, Provisional Members are eligible to apply for Active Membership if their fellowship was completed before 2019. If their fellowship was completed in 2019 or later, and the training was completed in an AUPO-FCC-compliant fellowship, Provisional Members are eligible to apply for Active or Associate Membership; otherwise, they are eligible to apply for Associate membership.

Become a Provisional Member

Members of all classes who have reached the age of 65 or who have been members for 25 years — whichever occurs first — may choose to become Emeritus Members. Active Members who develop a total disability precluding medical practice also may be considered for Emeritus Membership.

Please contact the AGS offices if you feel you’re eligible for Emeritus membership. This category is a free, lifetime membership.

Become an Emeritus Member

Sponsors

A new application must be sponsored by two Active AGS Members. AGS will automatically contact the individuals you name on your application to verify sponsorship. Make sure you’ve contacted your sponsors before submitting the application.

Once sponsored, you do not need to be sponsored again when transferring to different membership categories in AGS.

Limitations

Active Members have the right to vote, the right to hold office, and the right to membership on committees.

Associate and Provisional Members shall exercise all the rights and enjoy all the privileges of Active Members except the right to vote, the right to hold office, and the right to membership on the Executive Committee, Nominating Committee, Bylaws and Strategic Planning Committee, Finance Committee or the Audit Committee.

International, Emeritus, Honorary, and Fellow-in-Training Members shall exercise all the rights and enjoy all the privileges of Active Members except the right to vote, the right to hold office and the right to membership on committees.

All members must agree to adhere to the principles of ethics of the American Academy of Ophthalmology.

Resignation

A member may resign at any time by delivering his/her resignation in writing to the President or the Secretary.

A resignation shall be effective upon receipt, or upon such later date as shall be specified in the resignation.

Deadlines

Applications for membership are considered twice a year:

  • Fall applications close September 1st, for the following year
  • Spring applications close on January 12th for the current year.

September applicants will be notified in late December of their acceptance status and January applicants will be notified in late April of their acceptance status.

There is no application deadline for Fellow-in-Training Membership; these applications are presented throughout the year.

Election to membership is made by the affirmative vote by ballot of a majority of the Active Members after the Executive Committee has reviewed the nomination and determined eligibility.