The Family of Optometric Mentors (FOM) has marked its 10th anniversary with a commitment to expand mentorship, clinical training, and innovation in Nigeria’s eye care sector. The milestone coincided with the organisation’s ninth Annual General Meeting (AGM) held in Abuja.
National Coordinator of FOM, Dr. Alwell Maduakolam, said the network has become a significant platform for strengthening clinical competencies and addressing preventable blindness in Nigeria.
“By raising the capacity of optometrists, especially at the primary eye care level, we are directly contributing to the fight against avoidable blindness in our communities,” he said, noting that nearly half of the 2.2 billion people with visual impairment globally suffer from preventable causes.
Since its founding on October 4, 2014, FOM has expanded from five mentors in Abuja to a structured organisation with chapters in more than 25 states, over 100 trained mentors, and 50 aspiring mentors currently in training. In a decade, it has trained more than 4,000 optometrists and nearly 1,000 students through workshops, mentoring programmes, and institutional outreach.
Dr. Maduakolam said the group’s structured mentorship modules cover more than 46 areas of optometric care, including diagnostics, ocular therapeutics, binocular vision, contact lenses, and low vision rehabilitation. “FOM’s core mission, which is ‘making practice better,’ has translated into measurable progress in clinical competency across Nigeria,” he added.
The organisation has also received support from the Nigerian Optometric Association (NOA) and the Optometrists and Dispensing Opticians Registration Board of Nigeria (ODORBN). Leaders such as Dr. Felix Olafisoye, recognised as the Great Grand Mentor, and past NOA President Dr. Damian Echendu, were acknowledged for their roles in shaping its early development.
Looking ahead, FOM announced plans to launch an Online Academy, establish a physical training centre, publish a bi-monthly clinical journal, and expand its mentorship model into a pan-African framework. It also aims to scale its outreach to more institutions, develop subspecialty fellowships, and produce optometry textbooks tailored to the African context.
“As we step into our next decade, we do so with boldness and vision, knowing that the future of eye care in Nigeria will be built by those we mentor today,” Dr. Maduakolam said.
The anniversary also recognised the contributions of Deputy National Coordinator, Dr. Loveth Okorie, and Organising Committee Chairman, Dr. Braimoh Emmanuel, for their roles in planning the event.
FOM remains funded largely by mentor contributions and partnerships with organisations including Vision Pro, Skipper EyeQ, EssilorLuxottica Foundation, and Thelish Eye Centre.
