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Ophthalmic World Leaders

EIN 20-0945406 · Cary, NC

Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthGood84 out of 100GovernanceStrong91 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

OPHTHALMIC WORLD LEADERS PROMOTES AND DEVELOPS DIVERSE LEADERSHIP TO ADVANCE OPHTHALMIC INNOVATION AND PATIENT CARE. OPHTHALMIC WORLD LEADERS WORKS ACROSS EYECARE PROVIDING PROFESSIONAL AND PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT AND CREATES OPPORTUNITIES FOR COLLABORATION.

Income
$547,826
Spending
$585,186
Spent on programs
79%
Reserves
17.7 months of spending
Largest source of income
donations and private grants, 80%
Employees
0
Volunteers
71
Highest pay
$106,241, executive di

Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Financial health

Good: 84 out of 100. Higher than 57% of charities in its peer group (health care, $250k to $1m).

  • Reserves

    35 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 17.7 months of spending.

  • Debt

    20 of 20

    It owes 1% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    4 of 15

    Spending exceeded income by 7% of income.

  • Income trend

    10 of 15

    Income fell 9% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    78% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 5 cents.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Governance

Strong: 91 out of 100. Higher than 72% of charities in its peer group (health care, $250k to $1m).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    14 of 14 voting board members are independent.

  • Conflict of interest policy

    15 of 15

    Has a written conflict of interest policy.

  • Whistleblower policy

    8 of 8

    Has a written whistleblower policy.

  • Record keeping policy

    7 of 7

    Has a written policy on keeping and destroying records.

  • Board minutes

    5 of 5

    Keeps minutes of board meetings.

  • Board sees the tax return

    10 of 10

    Gave the board a copy of this return before filing it.

  • Pay set independently

    5 of 5

    Sets its chief executive's pay through independent review and comparison.

  • Independent check of accounts

    6 of 15

    Its accounts were not audited or reviewed by an independent accountant.

  • No reported misuse

    10 of 10

    Reports no diversion of assets, excess benefits or loans to insiders.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Impact evidence

Describes programs. Its tax return describes what it does but we have found no measurable results in it.

Programs described in its return (3)
  1. $140,256 spent. COMMUNITY-BUILDING EVENTS - OPHTHALMIC WORLD LEADERS ORGANIZES EVENTS THROUGHOUT THE YEAR TO HELP MEMBERS MAKE CROSS-INDUSTRY CONNECTIONS AND LEARN FROM ONE ANOTHER. EVENTS ARE HELD IN CONJUNCTION WITH ANNUAL EYECARE MEETINGS, INCLUDING: AMERICAN ACADEMY OF OPHTHALMOLOGY, AMERICAN SOCIETY OF CATARACT & REFRACTIVE SURGERY,HAWAIIAN EYE, AMERICAN-EUROPEAN CONGRESS OF OPHTHALMIC SURGERY,AMERICAN ACADEMY OF OPTOMETRY, AMERICAN OPTOMETRIC ASSOCIATION, SECO INTERNATIONAL.
  2. $97,504 spent. REGIONAL OPHTHALMIC WORLD LEADERS MEETINGS - IN 2025, WE HELD THESE LOCAL MEETINGS TO BRING PEOPLE TOGETHER FOR NETWORKING AND PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT. WE HOSTED 2 MEETINGS IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA,AND 2 MEETINGS IN NEW ENGLAND. OUR CHAPTER IN FORT WORTH, TX HAD TO CANCEL ITS MEETING.
  3. $221,572 spent. LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMS - OPHTHALMIC WORLD LEADERS OFFERS PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMS DESIGNED TO HELP MEMBERS GAIN THE LEADERSHIP AND SOFT SKILLS AND CONFIDENCE NEEDED TO ADVANCE IN THEIR CAREERS. PROGRAMS ARE OFFERED YEAR-ROUND AT LOW OR NO COST TO OPHTHALMIC WORLD LEADERS MEMBERS.PROGRAM SESSIONS ARE HELD IN CONJUNCTION WITH MAJOR OPHTHALMIC CONFERENCES (EG AMERICAN ACADEMY OF OPHTHALMOLOGY AND AMERICAN SOCIETY OF CATARACT & REFRACTIVE SURGERY), AS WELL AS LIVE AND ON-DEMAND WEBINARS AND ONLINE ARCHIVED COURSE CONTENT. THEY ALSO HOST AN ANNUAL LEADERSHIP SUMMIT TO DEVELOP LEADERS IN EARLY AND MID-CAREER, AS WELL AS A MENTORSHIP PROGRAM DESIGNED TO ELEVATE RISING LEADERS. LEADERSHIP RECOGNITION - OPHTHALMIC WORLD LEADERS ANNUAL AWARDS RECOGNIZE OPHTHALMIC PROFESSIONALS WHO HAVE DEMONSTRATED LEADERSHIP AND CONTRIBUTED TO THE ADVANCEMENT OF DIVERSE LEADERSHIP IN EYECARE. CANDIDATES ARE NOMINATED AND VOTED ON BY OPHTHALMIC WORLD LEADERS'MEMBERS, AND AWARDS ARE PRESENTED AT OPHTHALMIC WORLD LEADERS SIGNATURE EVENT HELD DURING THE ANNUAL MEETING OF THE AMERICAN ACADEMY OF OPHTHALMOLOGY. ADDITIONALLY, OPHTHALMIC WORLD LEADERS PRODUCES A SEMI-ANNUAL MAGAZINE DESIGNED TO HIGHLIGHT THE CONTRIBUTIONS OF LEADERS IN THE OPHTHALMIC INDUSTRY, AND WORKS TO CREATE OPPORTUNITIES FOR A MORE DIVERSE LEADERSHIP IN EYECARE. LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMS - OPHTHALMIC WORLD LEADERS OFFERS PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMS DESIGNED TO HELP MEMBERS GAIN THE LEADERSHIP AND SOFT SKILLS AND CONFIDENCE NEEDED TO ADVANCE IN THEIR CAREERS. PROGRAMS ARE OFFERED YEAR-ROUND AT LOW OR NO COST TO OPHTHALMIC WORLD LEADERS MEMBERS.PROGRAM SESSIONS ARE HELD IN CONJUNCTION WITH MAJOR OPHTHALMIC CONFERENCES (EG AMERICAN ACADEMY OF OPHTHALMOLOGY AND AMERICAN SOCIETY OF CATARACT & REFRACTIVE SURGERY), AS WELL AS LIVE AND ON-DEMAND WEBINARS AND ONLINE ARCHIVED COURSE CONTENT. THEY ALSO HOST AN ANNUAL LEADERSHIP SUMMIT TO DEVELOP LEADERS IN EARLY AND MID-CAREER, AS WELL AS A MENTORSHIP PROGRAM DESIGNED TO ELEVATE RISING LEADERS. LEADERSHIP RECOGNITION - OPHTHALMIC WORLD LEADERS ANNUAL AWARDS RECOGNIZE OPHTHALMIC PROFESSIONALS WHO HAVE DEMONSTRATED LEADERSHIP AND CONTRIBUTED TO THE ADVANCEMENT OF DIVERSE LEADERSHIP IN EYECARE. CANDIDATES ARE NOMINATED AND VOTED ON BY OPHTHALMIC WORLD LEADERS'MEMBERS, AND AWARDS ARE PRESENTED AT OPHTHALMIC WORLD LEADERS SIGNATURE EVENT HELD DURING THE ANNUAL MEETING OF THE AMERICAN ACADEMY OF OPHTHALMOLOGY. ADDITIONALLY, OPHTHALMIC WORLD LEADERS PRODUCES A SEMI-ANNUAL MAGAZINE DESIGNED TO HIGHLIGHT THE CONTRIBUTIONS OF LEADERS IN THE OPHTHALMIC INDUSTRY, AND WORKS TO CREATE OPPORTUNITIES FOR A MORE DIVERSE LEADERSHIP IN EYECARE.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Legitimacy checks

  1. Is it registered with the IRS? Passed.

    Listed in the IRS master file of tax-exempt organizations as a 501(c)(3) charitable organization.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 2026.

  2. Has the IRS revoked its tax-exempt status? Passed.

    Not on the IRS automatic revocation list.

    Source: Automatic revocation of exemption list, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 30, 2026.

  3. Are donations tax-deductible? Passed.

    On the IRS list of organizations eligible to receive tax-deductible contributions.

    Source: Publication 78 data: organizations eligible for tax-deductible contributions, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 10, 2026.

  4. Is it keeping up with its IRS filings? Passed.

    Most recent return on file covers the year ending December 2025.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 2026.

  5. How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.

    Recognized by the IRS since September 2005.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 2026.

  6. Is it in good standing with state regulators? Passed.

    Not on California's list of charities barred from soliciting. Other states are not yet checked.

    Source: May Not Operate or Solicit for Charitable Purposes list, California Attorney General, Registry of Charities and Fundraisers, file dated October 7, 2026.

Ratings and checks are our reading of public records, using the published method. They are not a statement about anyone's honesty. If you work for this organization, you can send corrections or results, confirm you want gifts through Veridonate, or ask to be removed from giving.