The COS Foundation is the philanthropic and outreach arm of the Canadian Ophthalmological Society. The goal of the COS Foundation is to enhance ophthalmological care and to advance education and research in the field of ophthalmology in Canada. It is through the COS Foundation that we aim to help those around the world access crucial resources for vision health.

To learn more, listen to the Foundation’s President, Dr. Guillermo Rocha, speak all about the COS Foundation on this episode of EyeCan.

Awards

Thanks to the generous support of the Raymond Stein Family, the COS Foundation has supported the Harold Stein Innovator Lectureship at the COS Annual Meeting and Exhibition since 2018. This lectureship award is given to a keynote speaker who has advanced innovation in ophthalmology.

In 2024, the Harold Stein Innovator Lecture was provided by Kenneth Wright, MD, PhD on June 2, 2024. Dr. Wright’s lecture was titled Innovations in Strabismus Surgery.

See past lectures on the COS Awards page here.

Access to Services in Rural and Remote Canadian Communities

Access to ophthalmological services for Canadians in underserved, rural, or remote areas is a primary focus of the COS Foundation. The need for innovative and concrete solutions for those living far from urban centres has been highlighted during the COVID-19 pandemic. The COS Foundation is exploring ways to improve vision health in rural, remote, and underserved populations:

1. Access to Vision Care
2. Preservation of Sight
3. Elimination of Preventable Blindness
4. Adherence to Treatments

We are collaborating with Orbis Canada on two pilot projects, in Northern Ontario, and Dawson Creek, British Columbia, focusing on tele-ophthalmology.

The goal of these projects is to use innovative artificial intelligence tools to increase the number of patients screened in rural and remote communities for diabetic retinopathy. The two projects will gather data to evaluate the efficiency, validity, and cost-effectiveness of the programs with the hopes of expanding these types of clinics across Canada’s remote communities.

If you would like additional information, or are interested in collaborating, please email us.

Honour a Mentor

Has a mentor had a significant impact on your career, your choice of profession, or your personal life? Here is your opportunity to honour them, while supporting the important work of the COS Foundation. If you are interested in honouring an individual who has had a significant impact in your life, please fill out this form. A photo and your description will appear on the COS Foundation site and featured in an upcoming issue of Sightlines.

Visit Our Mentors here.

Future plans for the COS Foundation

• Supporting Medical or Graduate Students in the pursuit of education: The Foundation supports medical students considering pursuing the study in the field of ophthalmology, providing financial assistance to allow them to attend the COS Annual Meeting. It recently sponsored the COS Foundation Lecture during the Medical Student Symposium at the Annual Meeting. Click here for the 2024 application.

• Global outreach in the field of ophthalmology
  1. Eyes on Ukraine – our biggest global outreach project. Learn more here.
  2. The COS Foundation will provide support for an International Clinical Fellow or will partner with an international partner to support education, equipment, or other research requirements.

How can you donate to the COS Foundation?

The COS Foundation will need continued funding to support any of the above goals.

How to donate:

Through CanadaHelps

Donate via their website or using the donation form below (for Fund, please select ‘General’). Accepted methods of payment are Visa, MasterCard, American Express, Google Pay and PayPal.

By Cheque

• Make payable to “COS Foundation”
• On the Memo Line, please include “General COS Foundation Donation”
• Mailing Address: 309-1505 Laperriere Avenue, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada K1Z 7T1 

Tax receipts will be issued for donations of $20 and higher. If donating by cheque, in order to receive a charitable tax receipt, please send an email to [email protected] with your full name and address, and a tax receipt will be emailed to you.

Contact us

Board of Directors

COS Foundation Wall of Donors

Thank you to our generous donors: