AAOpt 2026: Jeffrey Walline, OD, PhD, on his conference takeaways

The American Academy of Optometry held its annual meeting, Academy 2026, from September 30 to October 3, 2026, in Anaheim, California. This year’s meeting covered a wide range of topics, including myopia, dry eye, contact lenses, and the intersection of eye care with other medical disciplines.

Attendees also had the opportunity to earn continuing education (CE) credit throughout the meeting. This year’s CE workshops covering essential skills in areas such as glaucoma, neuro-optometry, and practice management. Academy President Jeffrey Walline, OD, PhD, spoke with Optometry Times about attendance, his favorite session, and key takeaways from the meeting.

Note: transcript edited lightly for clarity and length.

What did attendance look like at this year’s meeting, and how did it compare with previous years?

Jeffrey Walline, OD, PhD: Academy 2026 Anaheim exceeded our expectations in terms of registrations, although it fell short of last year's near-record of 8183. The attendance at Academy 2026 Anaheim was 7648.

Which session or event stood out to you as a highlight of this year’s meeting?

Walline: The plenary [session] “Insights to action: Research redefining clinical practice today” was the highlight for me. Experts in various optometric specialties provided evidence-based clinical tips for optimal care of patients with problems ranging from myopia to neurotrophic keratopathy.

In your preview with Optometry Times, you recommended that attendees take notes on sessions to apply to their practice. What clinical pearls did you bring back from this year's meeting?

Walline: The Plenary session consisted of 7 experts who provided evidence-based tips for optimal clinical care. Among many other things, we learned to monitor - not discontinue - patients on GLP-1 medications due to risks of nonarteritic anterior ischemic optic neuropathy (NAION). We also learned that a 1-year cycle of 1000 mg daily dose of valacyclovir lowers the recurrence of herpes zoster ophthalmicus more than stopping the antivirals when the rash resolves.¹ Those are just 2 of many clinical pearls provided during the Plenary session.

As an eye doctor, I worry about the increased risk of NAION, which made me more hesitant to recommend GLP-1s as something to discuss with their doctor. After hearing the presentation during the plenary session, I now understand that the absolute risk of NAION is small compared to the benefits that many patients receive while on GLP-1 medications, so I am less hesitant to recommend that patients discuss GLP-1 treatments with their doctors.

That is the beauty of attending the American Academy of Optometry meeting; you are able to have conversations that are most pertinent to your career, with a variety of people, in order to learn from a variety of perspectives. I learned a lot about the evolution of optometry careers, the current threats to science, and issues that our students experience.

Looking ahead to next year's meeting in San Antonio, are there any topics or events you're hoping to see on the program?

Walline: I will always believe that myopia is the most interesting and important topic. While I (sort of) joke about that, myopia management is the fastest-evolving treatment regimen in optometry today, so Fellows should stay up to date by attending lectures on the topic during Academy 2027 San Antonio.

References

1. Spear C, Messner L, Kruoch Z, et al. Plenary: Insights to action: Research redefining clinical practice today. American Academy of Optometry. Presented at: American Academy of Optometry Academy 2026 Anaheim; September 30-October 3, 2026; Anaheim, California.