
Presenters from AAOpt26's research symposium share their findings, applications for optometric practice, and goals for future study.

Presenters from AAOpt26's research symposium share their findings, applications for optometric practice, and goals for future study.

For Maria Sampalis, OD, implementing AI isn't an excuse for practice owners to replace their staff with new technology; it should instead lift the burden of certain tasks to make for more patient visits.

Walline, American Academy of Optometry president, shares this year's conference attendance numbers, clinical pearls, and what he hopes to see in 2027.

Thomas Wong, OD, FAAO, details a session he presented alongside Ronald Gentile, MD, FACS, FASRS, at AAOpt 2026.

Kevin Chan, OD, MS, discusses an AAOpt 2026 symposium on individualized low-dose atropine dosing for myopia and the FDA outlook ahead of the SYD-101 advisory meeting.

Raman Bhakhri, OD, FAAO, alongside Xiao Yu, OD, FAAO, discussed emerging investigational therapies for the disease during their AAOpt 2026 session.

Jamie Kuzniar, OD, FAAO, FSLS, discusses a case-based AAOpt 2026 session on scleral lens complications, fitting around cross-linking, and advice for new graduates.

Magdalena Stec, OD, FAAO; Noreen Shaikh, OD, FAAO; Huizi Kelly Yin, OD, FAAO; and Brenda Bohnsack, MD, PhD, detail their AAOpt 2026 session in Anaheim, California.

Kwaku Osei, OD, PhD, FAAO, discussed patient-reported outcomes with a senofilcon C (Johnson & Johnson; Acuvue Vita), reusable lens, with the majority of wearers rating comfort, vision, and handling favorably.

Andrew Pucker, OD, PhD, FAAO, FSLS, FBCLA, discussed how oculomics research presented at AAOpt 2026 could eventually support point-of-care diagnosis and referral decisions.

Lloyd Williams, MD, PhD, discusses rising cataract blindness and low-cost surgery in conflict zones for World Sight Day.

A handful of eye care providers spoke on the factors that have led to a lack of eye care access for World Sight Day.

Jacob Lang, OD, FAAO, details his AAOPt 2026 poster presentation "Rapid and Durable Redness Relief with a Novel Brimonidine Tartrate Ophthalmic Solution Containing Hyaluronic Acid."

Amber Carissa "A.C." Flynn details a case in her AAOpt 2026 poster that demonstrates successful ocular surface optimization for a patient with several eye conditions.

Kevin Chan, OD, MS, FAAO, FBCLA, IACMM, stated in his Rapid Fire lecture that high myopes shouldn't be counted out of orthokeratology treatment.

Maria Sampalis, OD, discusses her implementation of the EHR software Barti in her practice.

Mohammad Rafieetary, OD, FAAO, FORS, DipABO, ABCMO, details his AAOpt 2026 presentation "Photobiomodulation in Age-Related Macular Degeneration: Evidence, Mechanisms, and Clinical Integration."

Magdalena Stec, OD, FAAO, and Noreen Shaikh, OD, MEd, FAAO, gave an overview of current evidence-based myopia control treatments in part of their AAOpt 2026 session.

Eric Schmidt, OD, FAAO, presented his poster "Patient-Reported Blurred Vision Improvement with Cyclosporine 0.1%/PFBP in Dry Eye Disease with Severe Central Corneal Staining: Phase 3 Pool" at AAOpt 2026.

Raman Bhakhri, OD, FAAO, details a session given with Denise Skiadopoulos, OD, FAAO, during the annual AAOpt meeting in Anaheim, California.

Sherrol Reynolds, OD, FAAO, details her session "GLP-1RAs and Ocular Health: AOA Guidance for Optometric Practice 2025" during AAOpt 2026.

Phil Rainey, OD, MPH, FAAO, states that the recent parameter expansion of Johnson & Johnson's Acuvue Oasys Max 1-Day and Oasys 1-Day has been a game changer for his practice.

Nora Lee Cothran, OD, FAAO, reviews a study which found a statistically significant reduction in IOP in patients with open-angle glaucoma and ocular hypertension when switching to latanoprostene bunod.

Jade Coats, OD, FAAO, stopped by to discuss her presentation at AAOpt 2026, titled "How Eyelid Hygiene Can Change the Dry Eye Conversation."

Neda Gioia, OD, CNS, FMCP, FOWNS, CFMP, details a lack of research exploring the intersection of hormones and ocular health in women and what health care as a whole should investigate next.

Shane Kannarr, OD, overviews results from a phase 4, multicenter, prospective, open-label trial that evaluated the impact of concomitant use of PFHO during contact lens wear.

Christopher W. Lievens, OD, MS, PhD, FAAO, FNAP, FBCLA, discusses his poster presentation titled "Latanoprostene bunod 0.024% Initiation in Medicare Fee-for-Service Patients with Open Angle Glaucoma and Ocular Hypertension."

To kick off Perimenopause and Menopause Awareness Month, Meredith Bishop, OD, MS, FAAO, gives an overview of her poster "Perceptions of Linking Presbyopia with Perimenopause: A Survey of US Female Eye Care Professionals."

Michael Cymbor, OD, FAAO, gives an overview of a rapid fire lecture he gave in collaboration with Andrew Rixon OD, FAAO; Austin Lifferth, OD, FAAO; and Derek MacDonald, OD, FAAO, at AAOpt 2026.

Clark Chang, OD, MSA, MSc, FAAO, discussed his presentation at AAOpt 2026 titled "A New Era in Corneal Surgery for Keratoconus."