Young Systems Leader: Micaela Reis

Dr. Micaela Reis

Organisation: Associação de Profissionais Licenciados de Optometria, Portugal

Role: Vice President

Dr Micaela Reis has been vice-president of the Portuguese Association of Optometry Professionals (APLO), a Public Utility Entity, since 2020.

Although she is just starting out as an eye health advocate, she has taken a special interest in this area and has been involved in several projects related to the promotion of eye health and the provision of comprehensive eye care to the population, with special emphasis on the most neglected populations. She has developed and participated in a project designed and organized to meet the vision health needs of people living in the most deprived areas, as well as a project that is still under development related to access to vision and eye care in prisons, guaranteeing comprehensive eye care with equity, quality and effectiveness.

She is also one of the founders and promoters of APLO’Youth, the APLO section for optometry students. It has the purpose of raising awareness and developing the spirit of mission at the service of eye health and care. Its main goals are to make the Optometrist profession known by the public, to raise awareness of its importance to the community, to encourage and support student development as advocates through the creation and dissemination of training content, as well as helping with integration into the different roles required to support eye care provision.

Dr Micaela Reis is an Optometrist and completed her Master’s degree in Optometry and Vision Sciences in 2014. She recently completed Looking Towards the Future: Optometry Program in Advocacy and Leadership by the World Council of Optometry, Global Blindness: Planning and Managing Eye Care Services by the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine and Certificate Course in Community Eye Health by the L V Prasad Eye Institute.