The Ophthalmological Society of Ceylon was formed by a group of interested clinicians who met at the Victoria Memorial Eye Hospital on the 1st December 1957 and is the second oldest specialist association in the country. Dr.W.H.D. Ferdinands was the founder president.

The first annual congress of the society was held in September 1958 at the Medical Research Institute, Colombo. In keeping with increasing academic demands of the Post Graduate Institute of Medicine (PGIM) and the advancement of ophthalmic care in the country, the need for the formation of a College was felt. In 1989-90 the Constitution of the College of Ophthalmologists of Sri Lanka (COSL) was formulated by a sub-committee headed by Dr.C.A.B. Makuloluwa. The committee comprised of Dr. P.A. Weerasinghe, Dr. Upali Mendis, Dr. M.H.S. Cassim, Dr.Champa Banagala and Dr. B. Stephen.In 1992 Dr. P. Sivasubramaniam was inducted as the Founder President of the College of Ophthalmologists of Sri Lanka by the President of the Ophthalmological Society of Ceylon, Dr. B. Stephen.

The College Mace and the Logo was designed and accepted by the College in 1992.

The statement in the Logo is ‘Let there be light’ in Latin (Jrraadialur Caligo).

Journal of the College of Ophthalmologists of Sri Lanka was initiated with the formation of the College and printing of the Journal ‘Transactions of Ophthalmology’ by the Ophthalmology Society ceased and the first edition of the Journal of the COSL was published in1993.From 2001 the publication of the journal was done annually in two volumes. it is Clinically oriented, designed to keep ophthalmologists up to date. It contains peer reviewed articles, current research, case presentations and clinical challenges.

Following the passing away of the founder president in December 2002, Dr. Champa Banagala, President 2003 and Dr.B.Stephens was instrumental in initiating the Dr.P. Sivasubramanium Oration. The first oration was delivered on 3rd December 2003.

The College holds it’s Scientific sessions annually under the supervision of the elected president and the council. The College also successfully conducted the VIIth, VIIIth and XIth SAARC Ophthalmology Congress in conjunction with the Annual Scientific Sessions.

Under Dr.C.D. Jayaweera Bandara’s presidency the college office was opened on 20th June 1999 in the Victoria Memorial Eye Hospital (currently National Eye Hospital Colombo)

The college has always been actively involved with the Board of study in Ophthalmology of the PGIM regarding the training of post-graduate trainees in Ophthalmology. The council of the college elects members to represent it at the Board of study and encourages consultants of Teaching Hospitals to teach, train and evaluate trainees. The college actively encourages continuous professional development (CPD) programmes.

The college participates in making policy decisions at regional and national level by acting as a advisory body to the Ministry of Health by highlighting shortcomings in patient care and training inadequacies. To function well in this capacity the council actively interacts with other International and Local Colleges and Societies.

Reaching out to the public, the college calendar is filled with activities to educate regarding common eye conditions and promotes screening programmes. Print and electronic media is used extensively for this purpose. With its partner, The Ministry of Health, the college carries out the functions of Vision2020 in Sri Lanka. Vision2020 is a global initiative to eliminate preventable blindness by the year 2020.