Dr. Michele Ming, Geographic Representative for Latin America

Michele Ming graduated from the University of Bradford, England, UK with an Honors Degree in Optometry in 1983. After completing her pre-registration year at Leeds General Infirmary she became a Member of the College of Optometrists MCOptom (UK) in 1984. She is also a Fellow of the American Academy of Optometrists (FAAO).

After returning to Guyana, South America she opened her private optical in the capital city, Georgetown. In addition to this, she now has 3 other clinics in outlying regions of the country. She served voluntarily at the first Low Vision Clinic in the Caribbean when it was established in Guyana in 2002. The National Diabetic Retinopathy Screening and Laser Center was set up in 2013 and she was the Optometrist responsible for the screening program and training staff in digital imaging, grading and referral.

She has served with Volunteer Optometric Services to Humanity (VOSH) in Nicaragua with Optometrists from Connecticut. She organized Medical Outreaches with Optometry students from the University of Guyana, University of the West Indies, Trinidad and University of California, Berkeley. In collaboration with the Ministry of Health she has initiated vision screening programs for school children. She is a Rotarian and has led Medical Eyecare Outreaches with both Rotary and Lions Clubs to provide spectacles for the lesser privileged throughout Guyana.

She was the founder President of the Guyana Association of Optometrists (GAO) in 2006 and President of the Caribbean Optometrists Association (CARIOA) from 2012-2014. She was awarded a National Award, the Golden Arrowhead of Achievement (A.A.) for her service to the country in the field of eye care in 2018. She serves on the WCO Board of Directors as Geographic Representative for Latin / South America from 2023.