Korean Ophthalmological Society

The Korean Ophthalmological Society (KOS) was founded on November 1, 1947, and has since grown to become one of Korea’s leading medical societies consisting of 2,138 members. The first academic meeting of the KOS was held in Seoul in 1949. In 1958, the society published its first journal, the Journal of the Korean Ophthalmological Society, in Korean. In 1987, the society also began publishing the Korean Journal of Ophthalmology (Korean J Ophthalmol), which is currently the official English journal of the KOS. The entire text of the Korean Journal of Ophthalmology is accessible through Pubmed and will soon be registered in the Scientific Citation Index (SCI). Furthermore, in 1973, the Korean Foundation for the Prevention of Blindness was established. The KOS holds two national academic meetings biannually in the spring and fall along with numerous regional meetings throughout the year. The KOS designates November 11 as National Eye Day. During this week, free eye checkups, educational programs and special activities are provided to the public.