More magic in Anaheim: Highlights from AAOpt 2026

Eye care providers brought their own source of magic to Anaheim, California, for the American Academy of Optometry’s (AAOpt) 2026 annual meeting. That magic, according to AAOpt President Jeffrey Walline, OD, PhD, also came in the form of attendance. “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,” he told Optometry Times.

From September 30 to October 3, meeting attendees discussed how eye care practitioners can respond to fast-moving changes in patient care, from emerging treatments to the rise of medications with systemic and ocular effects. A handful of optometrists sat down with Optometry Times during the meeting to share practical takeaways from their sessions, including how new evidence fits into everyday practice, which patients may benefit most, and where questions about access, safety, and monitoring remain. In case you missed it, here are highlights from our Academy 2026 coverage.

Retina

Mohammad Rafieetary, OD, FAAO, FORS, DipABO, ABCMO, spoke with Optometry Times about photobiomodulation (PBM) for dry age-related macular degeneration (AMD), drawing on his AAOpt 2026 presentation “Photobiomodulation in Age-Related Macular Degeneration: Evidence, Mechanisms, and Clinical Integration.” Rather than monitoring patients and treating complications as they arise, he said, PBM may slow progression and sometimes improve the disease.

“So far, we've been seeing some good results from this treatment, so we're very excited about it,” Rafieetary told Optometry Times. “This word is a cliche, but it's going to revolutionize how we [treat] patients with dry AMD.”

The FDA-cleared device uses 590-, 660-, and 850-nm light to stimulate mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase, supporting cellular energy while reducing VEGF and inflammation. Treatment involves 9 sessions over 3 to 5 weeks, about 5 minutes per eye, with no dilation required. Rafieetary reassesses with optical coherence tomography (OCT) about 6 weeks later and has seen encouraging stabilization.

He noted FDA clearance and insurance criteria limit treatment to early-to-intermediate AMD within a set visual-acuity range, which may exclude patients with good vision but significant disease, and that Medicare coverage varies by state. He expects PBM to remain in use but said broader applications need further study and called for advocacy and expanded coverage.

Watch the full interview here.

Women’s health

Neda Gioia, OD, CNS, FMCP, FOWNS, CFMP, discussed this year’s Women’s Health SIG symposium “Let’s Talk About Sex: Female Hormones and the Life Cycle.” She copresented it with Cristine Smoczer, MD, PhD, MS; and Millicent Knight, OD, DHL, FAAO, FNAP. Melissa Barnett, OD, FAAO, FSLS, FBCLA, ACC; and Naureen Haroon, OD, MPH, FAAO, moderated.

Gioia’s central message was that age does not predict hormonal health, since changes can begin as early as a woman’s 30s. She pointed to dry eye disease as a starting point, citing Tear Film & Ocular Surface Society and other research showing that sex hormones influence symptoms, and noted that sex-based differences in other eye diseases need more study. Awareness is limited across specialties, including gynecology, she said, though even knowing that estrogen and androgen receptors exist throughout the eye could help clinicians. She described a “2 bucket” issue: Hormones affect eye tissue directly, and hormonal transitions affect other factors that raise ocular disease risk, such as sleep disruption during perimenopause.

“I would love to see the research build in terms of how estrogen affects the inflammation of the eye, and how is it actually translating to tissue dysfunction… I would love to see more neuro research in the retina, especially,” Gioia told Optometry Times.

Watch the full interview here.

GLP-1s and ocular health

Sherrol Reynolds, OD, FAAO, a professor of optometry at Nova Southeastern University, discussed her presentation on glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonists and ocular health, including the American Optometric Association’s 2025 clinical guidance. More than 40 million Americans use these drugs, she said, for conditions ranging from diabetes and obesity to sleep apnea and cardiovascular risk.

Rapid HbA_1C declines may worsen diabetic retinopathy, and nonarteritic ischemic optic neuropathy has been reported, though the risk is low; results from trials such as the FOCUS clinical trial (NCT03811561) are expected in 2027.¹

Reynolds recommended asking patients about GLP-1 use, considering baseline exams with color photographs and OCT, and closer follow-up for patients with existing retinopathy, poor glycemic control, insulin use, or rapid fundus changes. Sudden, painless vision loss warrants emergency evaluation. She emphasized that eye care practitioners are part of the broader diabetes care team and should communicate with patients’ other clinicians when retinal changes or complications arise.

“Forty million Americans—1 in 8 individuals—are on these medications, and that's really maybe underestimating because you have some patients that are doing nonprescribed online treatment, and some patients aren't being honest with you [about] taking these medications,” Reynolds told Optometry Times.

Watch the full interview and take a look at the rest of our AAOpt 2026 coverage on our website.

Reference

1. clinicaltrials.gov. A Research Study to Look at How Semaglutide Compared to Placebo Affects Diabetic Eye Disease in People With Type 2 Diabetes (FOCUS). Novo Nordisk A/S. https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT03811561