Community ophthalmic physician (COP) is a type of public medical ophthalmology post in Ireland.
[2] The post of COP was created by the Department of Health in 1980 in response to a report which identified the need for community-based rather than hospital-based primary eye care.
21 posts were created nationally, excluding the Dublin area, which continued to operate a hospital-based system.
Minimum qualifications included a Diploma in Ophthalmology from the Royal College of Physicians of Ireland.
At the end of the programme, graduates receive the Certificate of Completion of Medical Ophthalmic Specialist Training.