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Dr. Carmen Abesamis-Dichoso, APCO Regional Representative

Dr. Abesamis-Dichoso received her Doctor of Optometry from the Central Colleges of the Philippines in 1989, and earned her Master of Arts in Teaching from the Central Colleges of the Philippines in 2001. Her specialties include Special Contact Lens Design for Keratoconus, Children, High Astigmatism, Visual Assessment of the Mentally Challenged, Autistic, ADHD, Cerebral Palsy and Learning Disabilities. In addition, Dr. Abesamis-Dichoso has been an Orthokeratology Practitioner in the Philippines since 2005.

She was awarded “Outstanding Optometrist of the Year” in 2017 by the Optometric Association of the Philippines. Currently, Dr. Abesamis-Dichoso serves as the International Affairs Committee Chair of the Optometric Association of the Philippines; Director of the Special Olympics Opening Eyes in the Philippines; Program Manager of Optometric Association of the Philippines Vision Screening Program, and Provision of Eye Glasses with the United Nations Development Program in 10 areas and 4 Regions in the Philippines; and Chairperson of the Special Olympics Healthy Athletes Program in the Philippines. Dr. Abesamis-Dichoso has also served as a member of the Commission on Higher Education Technical Panel in Optometry representing Specialist Group.

Dr. Abesamis-Dichoso passed the Licensure Exam for Diagnostic Pharmaceutical Agent in 2002 and the Civil Service Eligibility Exam in 1990. Dr. Abesamis-Dichoso has had her own private practice at the Medical Plaza Makati since 1998, and her own private practice at SM Mall of Asia since 2006. She specializes in Special Design Contact Lenses for Keratoconus, Post PKP, Post LASIK, PMDs and other corneal conditions that will benefit from contact lens. She also has a special interest in Dry Eye.

She is a Fellow of the American Academy of Optometry; a Founding Fellow at the Philippine College of Optometrists; a Fellow of the International Association of Contact Lens Educators; an Asia Pacific Regional Advisor for the Special Olympics Opening Eyes; the Treasurer Elect at the Asia Pacific Council of Optometry; and is an Asia Pacific Council of Optometry (APCO) Representative for the World Council of Optometry, in addition to being a member of the Legislation, Registration and Standards Committee and Membership Committee.