The major activity of TAOS is to maintain the professional relations between Turkish and American ophthalmologists.  This collegial relationship is primarily maintained by TAOS annual scientific/social meetings, which take place every year as a satellite meeting to the American Academy of Ophthalmology in the United States, and special meetings which occasionally take place as an activity within another large ophthalmology meeting, such as European Ophthalmology Congress (SOE) or  International Congress of Ophthalmology (ICO).

TAOS also supports professional education by sponsoring Turkish ophthalmology residents to visit the American Academy of Ophthalmology on an annual basis, and acting as placement agency for young, Turkish ophthalmologists looking for advanced training in the United States.  TAOS also sponsors and organizes other academic endeavors and medical publications, particularly the ones performed by young Turkish ophthalmologists and visual scientists.  TAOS also participates to the organization of ophthalmology meetings in Turkey ( SOE 2001, TOD 2005 etc.) academically and financially.

Last but not least, TAOS acts as a charitable organization and donates money, supplies and manpower during periods of crisis and natural disasters.  For example, during the 1999 Turkish earthquake disaster, TAOS managed to raise about $8,000 of help for the victims and their families.  TAOS also contributed to the recovery effort during the September 11 terrorist crisis and Hurricane Katrina.

During the early years of the organization, the main income source was the donations of the charter members.  Over the years other income (money raised at TAOS meetings, sponsorship of pharmaceutical and equipment companies, donations of the friends of TAOS, etc.)  was added to the sponsorship of the charter members and  grew to a small but functional budget to maintain the activities of the Organization.