CONTACT LENS SOCIETY OF SOUTH AFRICA started in 1964, back then contact lenses were not a modality of vision correction in SA. At that time a handful of “pioneer” contact lens practitioners got together to establish the Contact Lens Society of South Africa (CLSSA). The founder members to whom we owe a debt of gratitude are Sid Saks, Brian Saks, Flip Bruwer, Grant Jenkins, Dr Bertie Beiles and Edwin Levey. In those early days when knowledge of the art and science of contact lens fitting was growing exponentially, the CLSSA played a pivotal role in promoting knowledge and fitting expertise in contact lens practice. From its early beginnings the enthusiasm of the founder members resulted in rapid growth in membership of the Society. 1964 was a watershed year when the Society held its first international congress. Over the years this was followed by numerous successful, well attended congresses where there was joint participation by optometrists, the supply industry to the profession and some ophthalmological colleagues. Sadly the activities of the Society waned and thanks to Flip Bruwer and some previous office bearers, the activities of the Society were revitalised, only to relapse into a period of inactivity particularly when Flip sadly passed away.