The importance of medicine in ophthalmology to ophthalmologists in training became apparent to a group of specialists with the advent of the Royal College of Ophthalmologists examinations. The group, consisting of John Shilling, John Forrester, Colin Kirkness, Erna Kritzinger, Tom Barry and Paul Dodson, recognised that there was a lack of knowledge and awareness of the aspects of medicine relevant to ophthalmology, and this led to the formation of the Medical Ophthalmological Society (UK).

The aim of the Medical Ophthalmological Society was to foster joint working between medicine and ophthalmology, and to stimulate interest in a new speciality of medical ophthalmology/ophthalmic medicine.

The inaugural meeting was held in Birmingham in 1999, and the society has held annual meetings since in different centres throughout the UK.