ABDO is preparing for a year of events and activities in 2026 to celebrate 100 years of the dispensing optics profession – and is looking for members to get involved too.
“In 2026, we will be celebrating 100 years since our predecessor organisation, the Association of Dispensing Opticians, came to fruition, recognising dispensing opticians [DOs] as a distinct and valued profession,” said ABDO CEO, Alistair Bridge. “This is a great opportunity to celebrate the achievements of DOs and look ahead to the future.”
“We really want our members to get involved too,” said Ed Fox, ABDO head of membership services, “and we’ll be getting in touch during November and December about the different ways to do this. We’ll be asking members to vote on a centenary logo that can be used in practice and on websites and social media channels, along with special ‘100 years’ merchandise. We would also like to showcase members with profiles and case studies.”
Activities in the pipeline include an historical timeline on the ABDO website, 100-themed charity fundraising events, a ‘100 voices’ video project where members can share their passion for being a DO and/or contact lens optician (CLO), and a ‘100 patient cases’ project showcasing the dispensing and clinical skills of DOs and CLOs – with prizes to be awarded in various categories at the end of the year.
Centenary updates and requests will be communicated regularly through ABDO e-newsletters. If not registered for these, members can email membership@abdo.org.uk – or update their communications preferences on the membership dashboard.
A dedicated page on the ABDO website has also been created to help members get involved.