Meeting, greeting, and learning at the American Academy of Optometry's Annual Meeting

The American Academy of Optometry (AAOpt) annual meeting is fast approaching. With the event scheduled in Boston from October 8 to 11, housing options and early bird registration are still open.

The Thomas E. Menino Convention and Exhibition Center, formerly referred to as the Boston Convention and Exhibition Center, is this year’s venue, located at 415 Summer St, Boston, in close proximity to the Boston waterfront, Faneuil Hall, and the North End.

In a welcome message, Academy President Jeff Walline, OD, PhD, mentions the goal of this year’s meeting: optimizing participants’ experiences at AAOpt. This year, many events have been scheduled for Thursday, October 9, and a DJ will entertain attendees on Friday night.

Registration is open and can be accomplished online.

AAOpt Program

Beginning bright and early on the morning of Wednesday, October 8, and ending in the late afternoon on Saturday, October 11, with a closing reception, the 4 Academy days offer numerous opportunities for attendees that include, according to the AAOpt website, the opportunity to “engage with the most cutting-edge speakers and researchers in the field with more than 300 hours of continuing education (CE) sessions to choose from…”

The offerings include rapid-fire sessions, hands-on workshops, Academy Classroom Exchange courses, and interprofessional education.

The specific details about the courses and sessions are available on the AAOpt website at aaopt.org.

New additions to this year’s program are Evening Industry Insights and Evening CE on Wednesday and Thursday, October 8 and 9.

The topics for the Wednesday program, offered from 7 to 9 PM, are: Complications of Pharmaceuticals Every Optometrist Should Know! and Hot Off the Press: Updates in Glaucoma Diagnosis and Treatment.

The Thursday program, offered from 6:30 to 7:30 PM, includes: Can Artificial Intelligence Really See What We See? The Truth About AI in Eyecare, Comprehensive Retinal Venous Occlusive Disease: More Than Meets the Eye, Catching Cancer of the Anterior Segment Before It’s Too Late, and Diseases in Disguise: Syphilis, Herpes, and Lyme.

Special events and programs

Wednesday

8-10 AM

Optometric Glaucoma Society symposium

8-9 AM

Innovations in Vision and Eye Care

10 AM to 12 PM

Plenary session: Biologics in Eye Care: Therapeutic Applications, Clinical Considerations, and Category Evolution

Friday

8-10 AM

Academy Awards & the Prentice and Fry Lectures

1-3 PM

Joint Scientific Program & Residents Program Poster Session

Saturday

TBD

Beyond Vision: Blurring the Lines—The Art and Science of Aesthetics in Optometry

Student and resident events and programs

Wednesday

12-1 PM

Resident Kick-off Lunch

3-4 PM

Fellowship Information Session

7:30-9:30 PM

Student Welcome Reception

8-10 PM

Young ODs Reception

8-10 PM

VSP Resident Reception

Thursday

11:30 AM to 1:30 PM

Student Education Event

5-6:30 PM

Resident practitioner Reception

7:30-11:30 PM

Academic Challenge

Friday

9-10 AM

Student Exhibit Hall Hour

10-11 AM

Case Report Workshop

11:30 AM to 1 PM

Residency and Graduate Program Fair

1-3 PM

Joint Scientific Program/Residents Program Poster Presentations

1:30-3:30 PM

Student Bootcamp for Ocular Surface Disease Procedures and Techniques

Saturday

9 AM to 12 PM

Residents Program Paper Sessions

Exhibit hall

The exhibit hall gives attendees a chance to learn about the latest technologies and meet fellow conference attendees.

The hall opens on Wednesday at 5 PM and extends to 7:30. An Exhibit Hall welcome reception is planned.

On Thursday, the hall is open from 10:00 AM to 6:30 PM, with an attendee reception planned. On Friday, the hours are 9 AM to 3 PM, and attendees can attend a lunch in the Exhibit Hall.

Boston highlights

Last but not least, fall is the perfect time to visit Boston and take in some of the city’s offerings. Tours of the city abound and include Boston CityView Trolley Tours, Boston Harbor City Cruises, Boston Red Sox Fenway Park Tours, Bites of Boston Food Tours, and Boston Ghost walking tours.

Other highlights are the Boston Tea Party Ships and Museum; Harpoon Brewery; Freedom Trail Tours; View Boston, a bird’s eye view of the city; and the Museum of Fine Arts.