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Eyelid surgery boards and societies

A board certifies a surgeon by written and oral examination. A society admits members and runs its own meetings and directory; neither replaces the other. Each entry links to its official site and its public lookup, checked Sep 30, 2026.

Boards

Societies

Fellowships

1916

Oldest founding year

Checking a surgeon

Each board's own public lookup, by the kind of surgeon it certifies.

Surgeon	Board and lookup
Oculoplastic surgeon or general ophthalmologist	American Board of Ophthalmology 'Verify a Certification' search by name or location. abop.org renders with JavaScript; content confirmed by browser read. ABMS lookup across all 24 boards: certificationmatters.org.
Plastic surgeon	American Board of Plastic Surgery Search by surgeon name; ABPS is the primary source of verification for its records. A state medical board action shows as 'See FSMB'. ABMS lookup across all boards: certificationmatters.org
Facial plastic surgeon	American Board of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery Search by ZIP code or last name; the ABFPRS website is a primary source of verification.
Facial plastic surgeon, otolaryngology	American Board of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery Last name and state or province are both required. ABMS lookup: certificationmatters.org
Cosmetic surgeon	American Board of Cosmetic Surgery Find-a-surgeon directory of ABCS diplomates; ABCS is the primary source for its own certification records.
Any ABMS board	American Board of Medical Specialties One search across the ABMS member boards, ABPS, ABOHNS and ABO among them. ABFPRS and ABCS are not ABMS member boards (abms.org).

Society directories show membership. ASPS states it does not independently verify members' current licensure or certification (find.plasticsurgery.org); ASOPRS states it does not verify members' licensure or certification status (oculofacialsociety.org).

Certification and membership

What each kind of organization checks, from its own pages.

A board certificate is an examination result. Oculofacial plastic surgeons are ophthalmologists first: ASOPRS Fellow membership requires American Board of Ophthalmology or Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada certification (asoprs.org). ABPS certifies plastic surgeons by written and oral examination, and its specialty definition includes cosmetic surgery of the face and body (abplasticsurgery.org). ABFPRS was established to examine for expertise in facial plastic and reconstructive surgery, a scope that includes blepharoplasty and brow surgery (abfprs.org). ABOHNS certifies otolaryngology-head and neck surgery, whose scope includes facial plastic and reconstructive surgery (abohns.org). ABCS certifies cosmetic surgery alone and states it has never applied for American Board of Medical Specialties membership (americanboardcosmeticsurgery.org).

Society membership is admission to a professional body under its own rules. ASOPRS states plainly that it is not a certifying or accrediting body (asoprs.org). AAO lists oculoplastics and orbit as one of eleven ophthalmology subspecialties but does not certify; oculoplastic surgeons within AAO are certified by ABO (aao.org). ASPS represents surgeons certified by ABPS or the RCPSC (plasticsurgery.org). AAFPRS states that all its members hold ABMS board certification (aafprs.org).

A fellowship is training after residency. The ASOPRS fellowship runs 2 years, full time, at academic institutions in the US and Canada, matched through SF Match; graduates become eligible for ASOPRS Fellow membership after oral and written exams and an approved thesis (asoprs.org). An AACS-certified cosmetic surgery fellowship is the required training path to sit for ABCS certification (cosmeticsurgery.org).

ABO, ABPS and ABOHNS are ABMS member boards; the ABMS search at certificationmatters.org covers every ABMS board (abms.org).

Boards

Examining boards. Each certifies by examination and publishes a lookup.

Board · United States

American Board of Ophthalmology

ABO

Certifies ophthalmologists by examination and runs Continuing Certification; one of 24 ABMS specialty boards (abms.org). Oculoplastic (oculofacial plastic) surgeons are ophthalmologists first: ASOPRS Fellow membership requires ABO or RCPSC certification. No separate oculoplastic subspecialty certificate is published on the ABO pages fetched (asoprs.org).

Founded: 1916Founded 1916, the first American organization established to certify medical specialists.
Members: Not published
Annual meeting: None

'Verify a Certification' search by name or location. abop.org renders with JavaScript; content confirmed by browser read. ABMS lookup across all 24 boards: certificationmatters.org.

Sources · abop.org · abop.org/physician-search · asoprs.org/about-asoprs- · abms.org/member-boards

Verify certification Official site

Board · United States

American Board of Plastic Surgery

ABPS

Certifies plastic surgeons by written and oral examination covering all plastic surgery procedures; cosmetic surgery of the face and body is part of the specialty definition (abplasticsurgery.org). Two training pathways: a 6-year integrated plastic surgery residency, or an independent pathway of 5 years of general surgery residency (qualifying for American Board of Surgery certification) plus a minimum 3 years of plastic surgery residency (abplasticsurgery.org). Runs Continuous Certification: certificates issued since 1995 are valid 10 years. ABMS member board.

Founded: 1937Organized June 1937; recognized as a subsidiary of the American Board of Surgery May 1938; major specialty board status May 1941.
Members: 10,940 surgeons certified since 1937; about 7,749 diplomates actively practicing as of January 2026
Annual meeting: None

Search by surgeon name; ABPS is the primary source of verification for its records. A state medical board action shows as 'See FSMB'. ABMS lookup across all boards: certificationmatters.org

Sources · abplasticsurgery.org/about-us/history · abplasticsurgery.org/about-us/statistics · abplasticsurgery.org/about-us/plastic-surgery · abplasticsurgery.org/residents/training-require… · abplasticsurgery.org/public/verify-certification

Verify certification Official site

Board · United States and Canada

American Board of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery

ABFPRS

Certifies facial plastic and reconstructive surgeons, a scope that includes blepharoplasty and brow surgery. Requires an ACGME or RCPSC residency in otolaryngology-head and neck surgery or plastic surgery; prior certification by the American Board of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery (ABOHNS), ABPS or RCPSC; two years in practice; 100 operative reports accepted by peer review; an 8-hour written and oral examination; an accredited operating facility; the ABFPRS Code of Ethics. Examines surgeons completing AAFPRS Foundation fellowships.

Founded: 1986Established 1986 as the certifying body for facial plastic surgery; sponsored by 26 national medical societies (2022 guideline).
Members: Not published
Annual meeting: None

Search by ZIP code or last name; the ABFPRS website is a primary source of verification.

Sources · abfprs.org/about · abfprs.org/applying-for-certification · abfprs.org/physician-finder

Verify certification Official site

Board · United States

American Board of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery

ABOHNS

Certifies otolaryngology-head and neck surgery, whose stated scope includes facial plastic and reconstructive surgery bordering on blepharoplasty. Subcertifies neurotology, sleep medicine and complex pediatric otolaryngology. ABMS member board. Prior ABOHNS certification is one route to ABFPRS eligibility.

Founded: 1924Founded and incorporated 1924 as the American Board of Otolaryngology, the second specialty certifying body after the American Board of Ophthalmology (1916); a founding board of ABMS in 1933; renamed 2018. Referred to in some task briefs by the shorthand 'ABOto'; ABOHNS is its own official abbreviation.
Members: Not published
Annual meeting: None

Last name and state or province are both required. ABMS lookup: certificationmatters.org

Sources · abohns.org/about-us/our-story · abohns.org/about-our-certifications/what-we-cer… · abohns.org/verify-certification · abfprs.org/applying-for-certification

Verify certification Official site

Board · United States, with international diplomates

American Board of Cosmetic Surgery

ABCS

Certifies cosmetic surgeons in cosmetic surgery exclusively; describes itself as 'the only certifying board that exclusively tests a surgeon's knowledge and experience in cosmetic surgery.' States plainly: 'The ABCS has never applied for membership in the American Board of Medical Specialties (ABMS),' explaining there is no ACGME-recognized 'Cosmetic Surgery' residency, which ABMS membership requires (americanboardcosmeticsurgery.org). ABCS is not one of the 24 ABMS member boards (abms.org). Eligibility: prior board certification (ABMS, AOA, ABOMS or an RCPSC-recognized board; an exception exists for ABPS- or AACS-aesthetic-fellowship-trained plastic surgeons), a 1-2 year AACS-certified cosmetic surgery fellowship with 300+ logged procedures including a minimum 50 facial cosmetic cases, and a written and oral Annual Certifying Examination covering the full scope of cosmetic surgery (americanboardcosmeticsurgery.org). Also runs the Cosmetic Surgery Patient Safety (CSPS) facility-accreditation program.

Founded: 1979Incorporated March 26, 1979 in Delaware as the American Board of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery; a second corporation, Board of Cosmetic Surgery Inc, formed in California March 26, 1982; both assigned their rights in 1990 to the American Board of Cosmetic Surgery Inc, a Pennsylvania nonprofit (americanboardcosmeticsurgery.org).
Members: Not published
Annual meeting: No membership meeting; runs an Annual Certifying Examination each fall (americanboardcosmeticsurgery.org).

Find-a-surgeon directory of ABCS diplomates; ABCS is the primary source for its own certification records.

Sources · americanboardcosmeticsurgery.org/about-abcs/our… · americanboardcosmeticsurgery.org/patient-resour… · americanboardcosmeticsurgery.org/surgeons-join-… · americanboardcosmeticsurgery.org/surgeons-join-… · americanboardcosmeticsurgery.org/find-a-cosmeti… · abms.org/member-boards

Verify certification Official site

Societies

Membership societies. Each sets its own entry rules and runs its own meetings.

Society · United States and Canada, with international members

American Society of Ophthalmic Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery

ASOPRS

Membership society for oculofacial plastic surgery: eyelids, orbit, tear drainage and face. States 'ASOPRS is not a certifying or accrediting body' (asoprs.org). Fellow membership requires American Board of Ophthalmology (ABO) or Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada (RCPSC) certification, an unrestricted medical license, submitted scientific research, and oral and written examinations. Approves two-year, full-time oculofacial plastic surgery fellowships at US and Canadian academic institutions, matched through SF Match; applicants must have completed an ACGME-approved ophthalmology residency (asoprs.org, asoprs.org). Publishes the journal Ophthalmic Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery.

Founded: 1969Founded 1969; Golden Jubilee (50th anniversary) celebrated 2019 (asoprs.org).
Members: almost 1,000 members in the US, Canada and over 30 other countries
Annual meeting: Fall Scientific Symposium, described as the largest international meeting dedicated to oculofacial plastic surgery; 57th edition October 8, 2026. Members-only Spring Scientific Symposium also held annually (asoprs.org, asoprs.org).

Fellow Member search, linked from asoprs.org. ASOPRS states it does not verify members' licensure or certification status; certification is checked with ABO.

Sources · asoprs.org/about-asoprs- · asoprs.org/history · asoprs.org/why-choose-an-asoprs-surgeon · asoprs.org/asoprs-fellowships · oculofacialsociety.org/surgeons-search

Member directory Official site

Society · United States, with international members

American Academy of Ophthalmology

AAO

Educational and advocacy organization for ophthalmology; not a certifying board. Lists Oculoplastics/Orbit as one of eleven ophthalmology subspecialties and publishes Basic and Clinical Science Course Section 07: Oculofacial Plastic and Orbital Surgery (aao.org). Oculoplastic surgeons within AAO are certified by the American Board of Ophthalmology, not by AAO itself.

Founded: 1979Incorporated as an independent organization in 1979 on the split of the American Academy of Ophthalmology and Otolaryngology (AAOO), founded 1896 (aao.org).
Members: more than 32,000 members (no as-of date published on the page fetched)
Annual meeting: AAO 2026, New Orleans (aao.org).

Find an Ophthalmologist tool; search by name, location or subspecialty. Confirms AAO listing, not board certification; certification is checked with ABO.

Sources · aao.org/about · aao.org/oculoplastics-orbit · secure.aao.org/aao/find-ophthalmologist

Member directory Official site

Society · United States, with international members

American Society of Plastic Surgeons

ASPS

Membership society for plastic surgeons certified by ABPS or the RCPSC, or the national equivalent for international members. Requires members to operate in accredited surgical facilities. Blepharoplasty is tracked in ASPS's annual Plastic Surgery Statistics Report as one of the most-performed cosmetic surgical procedures. Does not certify.

Founded: 1931Founded 1931; The Plastic Surgery Foundation founded 1948.
Members: more than 11,000 physician members worldwide
Annual meeting: None

Member search by ZIP, city or name. ASPS states it does not independently verify members' current licensure or certification; certification is checked with ABPS.

Sources · plasticsurgery.org/about-asps · find.plasticsurgery.org

Member directory Official site

Society · United States, with international members

The Aesthetic Society (American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery)

ASAPS

Membership society for aesthetic plastic surgery. Active Members are certified by ABPS or the RCPSC; Affiliated Specialty Members hold other ABMS certification or are DOs in plastic surgery, otolaryngology or facial plastic surgery. Aesthetic Surgery Journal founded 1996. Does not certify.

Founded: 1967Started in 1967 by Simon Fredricks and John Lewis as the Society of Aesthetic Surgeons; first unofficial meeting October 1968, New Orleans (PMID 28520910).
Members: more than 5,000 members
Annual meeting: None

Member search by location. Confirms membership; certification is checked with ABPS.

Sources · theaestheticsociety.org/about-aesthetic-society · theaestheticsociety.org/consumers/find-a-plasti… · PMID 28520910

Member directory Official site

Society · United States, with international members

American Academy of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery

AAFPRS

Membership society for facial plastic surgery, including brow and upper-face procedures that border blepharoplasty. AMA National Medical Specialty Society with a seat in the AMA House of Delegates. All members hold ABMS board certification, most through ABOHNS and ABFPRS. The AAFPRS Foundation runs a 12-month post-residency fellowship, meetings and research grants. Does not certify.

Founded: 1964Founded 1964; its Educational and Research Foundation was created in 1974.
Members: more than 2,200 facial plastic and reconstructive surgeons
Annual meeting: None

Member search by ZIP, city or name. Confirms AAFPRS membership, not board certification; certification is checked with ABFPRS or ABOHNS.

Sources · aafprs.org/Consumers/About/Us/S/Academy.aspx · aafprs.org/Consumers/Find-A-Surgeon/A/Find-A-Su…

Member directory Official site

Society · United States, with international members

American Academy of Cosmetic Surgery

AACS

Multi-specialty membership society for cosmetic surgery and medicine; does not certify. Runs the AACS Certified Fellowship Program: a General Fellowship (300+ cosmetic cases: body/extremities, breast, skin, non-surgical) and a Facial Fellowship (125+ major facial cosmetic procedures, named as including 'blepharoplasty, rhytidectomy, and rhinoplasty, as well as procedures like brow lifts') (cosmeticsurgery.org). An AACS-certified fellowship is the required training path to sit for ABCS certification. Holds a seat in the AMA House of Delegates.

Founded: 1984Formed 1984 by merger of the American Association of Cosmetic Surgeons (incorporated 1969), the American Society of Cosmetic Surgeons, and the Liposuction Society; first AACS president Richard Webster. Cosmetic surgery recognized as an AMA specialty 2002 (cosmeticsurgery.org).
Members: more than 1,600 members across dermatology, oral and maxillofacial surgery, otolaryngology, general surgery, ophthalmology, and plastic/reconstructive surgery (https://cosmeticsurgery.org/about/)
Annual meeting: AACS Annual Scientific Meeting, held annually (2026 and 2027 editions listed) (cosmeticsurgery.org).

Consumer directory of AACS members. Confirms membership, not board certification; certification is checked with ABCS.

Sources · cosmeticsurgery.org/history · cosmeticsurgery.org/about · cosmeticsurgery.org/professionals · cosmeticsurgery.org/fellowships/about · compass.cosmeticsurgery.org/find-a-surgeon

Member directory Official site

Society · Europe, with international members

European Society of Ophthalmic Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery

ESOPRS

Membership society advancing ophthalmic plastic and reconstructive surgery in Europe: 'Advancing the science and art of ophthalmic plastic and reconstructive surgery in Europe.' Six membership categories (Full, Candidate, International, Associate, Retired, Honorary), each requiring published papers and/or meeting presentations in oculoplastic surgery (esoprs.eu). Runs the annual EBO-ESOPRS Subspecialty Exam in Ophthalmic Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery jointly with the European Board of Ophthalmology (esoprs.eu).

Founded: 1981Founded 1981 (uia.org). First ESOPRS president was Mustarde, honored in the annual Mustarde Lecture. 44th annual meeting held September 2026 in Cascais, Portugal; 45th scheduled 2027 in Copenhagen (esoprs.eu).
Members: Not published
Annual meeting: Annual ESOPRS Meeting (44th edition, September 2026, Cascais, Portugal) and a separate Winter Meeting (esoprs.eu).

International database of ESOPRS surgeons. Confirms membership, not national board certification.

Sources · uia.org/s/or/en/1100020719 · esoprs.eu · esoprs.eu/about-esoprs/membership · esoprs.eu/for-members/ebo-esoprs-subspecialty-e… · esoprs.eu/public-info/find-members

Member directory Official site

Society · International

International Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery

ISAPS

International membership society for board-certified aesthetic plastic surgeons. Members must hold active membership in their national plastic surgery society and be sponsored by an Active or Life member. Runs the World Congress, the Olympiad and ISAPS courses; official journal Aesthetic Plastic Surgery. Does not certify.

Founded: 1970Founded 1970; charter signed at the United Nations, New York. Conceived in 1969.
Members: over 6,000 members in 117 countries
Annual meeting: None

Member search. Confirms ISAPS membership; certification is checked with the national board or register in the surgeon's country.

Sources · isaps.org · isaps.org/discover/about-isaps · isaps.org/discover/find-a-surgeon

Member directory Official site

Society · International

International Society for Orbital Disorders (ISOD)

ISOD

Multidisciplinary membership group for physicians treating orbital disease: ophthalmology, neuro-ophthalmology, plastic surgery, neurosurgery, neuroradiology, craniofacial surgery and anaplastology. Not a certifying body. Associated historically with the journal Orbit: The International Journal on Orbital Disorders, Oculoplastic and Lacrimal Surgery (tandfonline.com). No fellowship, exam or public surgeon directory was found on any page fetched.

Founded: 1977Founded in Amsterdam. The Union of International Associations lists 1977 (uia.org); Ophthalmology Times reported 1978 in a 2006 article (ophthalmologytimes.com). No independent official ISOD website was found in this pass; the most recent independently verifiable activity found is the 2006 article. Commonly referenced by the shorthand 'the Orbital Society.'
Members: approximately 200 members in more than 40 countries, as reported in 2006 (https://www.ophthalmologytimes.com/view/orbital-disorders-society-plans-meeting-aao); a current count was not found.
Annual meeting: Not found on any independently fetched page; a 2006 dinner-satellite event at the AAO annual meeting in Las Vegas is the most recent documented gathering found (ophthalmologytimes.com).

No public member lookup found. Listed for reference in the Union of International Associations Yearbook (uia.org).

Sources · uia.org/s/or/en/1100062465 · ophthalmologytimes.com/view/orbital-disorders-s… · tandfonline.com/journals/iorb20

Fellowship

Postgraduate training in oculofacial plastic surgery.

Fellowship · United States and Canada

ASOPRS Fellowship Program

Two-year, full-time post-residency fellowship in oculofacial plastic surgery (eyelids, orbit, lacrimal system and face) at academic institutions in the US and Canada, approved and monitored by ASOPRS. Programs run on 'even' or 'odd' year cycles and typically train one fellow per cycle; all programs participate in the SF Match. Applicants must have completed an ACGME-approved ophthalmology residency and be license-eligible in the fellowship's state or province. Graduates become eligible for ASOPRS Fellow membership after oral and written examinations and an approved thesis (asoprs.org).

Founded: Not statedInaugural year not stated on any page fetched; ASOPRS itself, which approves and maintains the fellowships, was founded 1969.
Fellows: A third-party program page (Krieger Eye Institute / Sinai Hospital of Baltimore, lifebridgehealth.org, not independently dated) states 36 approved ASOPRS fellowships in the United States; this figure is not published on asoprs.org itself. ASOPRS's own online Fellowship Directory lists individual approved programs but renders through JavaScript and could not be machine-counted in this pass.

No public list of fellowship graduates was found; board certification (the prerequisite for the fellowship and for ASOPRS membership) is checked with ABO.

Sources · asoprs.org/asoprs-fellowships · sfmatch.org/SpecialtiesInfo/OphthalmicPlastican…

Patient lookup Official site