Agenda
7:30 AM-7:00 PM
Registration
7:30-8:30 AM
Breakfast Buffet
8:00-8:50 AM
8:00-8:50 AM
9:00-10:40 AM
Tumors of the Lid and Adnexa
Speaker: Dr. Richard Castillo
COPE ID: 91217-TD
A survey of malignant tumors of the eyelids and adnexa. Common and uncommon presentations, etiology, risk assessment, medical and surgical management will be discussed.
9:00-9:50 AM
10:00-10:50 AM
11:00 AM-12:00 PM
Lunch buffet
12:00 - 3:00 PM
InfoMart
3:00-3:50 PM
Anterior Segment Lasers Complications Course
Speaker: Dr. Richard Castillo
COPE ID:
Common complications of anterior segment laser therapy along with management options will be presented and discussed.
3:00-3:50 PM
AI in Healthcare – An Industry Perspective
Speaker: Mr. Mike Schaekermann
COPE ID: Non-COPE
4:00 - 4:50 PM
Clinical Uses of Prosthetic, Cosmetic & Tinted Lenses
Speaker: Dr. Kriti Bhagat
COPE ID:
This course will review the common congenital and acquired conditions that can be managed with prosthetic and tinted contact lenses, as well as fitting recommendations for these lenses. The course will demonstrate how cosmetic lenses can drastically improve the psychological well-being and the overall quality of life of patients.
4:00 - 4:50 PM
AI in Healthcare Panel Discussion
Speakers: Dr. Amit Mathur, Dr. Patrick Sauvageau, Dr. Stan Woo, and Mr. Mike Schaekermann
COPE ID: Non-COPE
5:00 - 5:50 PM
Marijuana, Cannabis, Cannabinoids, Glaucoma and IOP
Speaker: Dr. Denise Valenti
COPE ID:
Thirty-five states and the District of Columbia currently have legal medicinal use of marijuana and among these the majority allow for the treatment of glaucoma with medicinal marijuana. Fifteen states allow for legal adult use of marijuana. There is an increasing body of research that the cannabinoid, Cannabidiol-CBD causes spiking of the eye’s pressure. This lecture will review the research related to cannabinoids and marijuana and their use in the treatment of glaucoma. The impact of legal marijuana on patient’s perception of efficacy to treat glaucoma will be discussed.
5:00 - 5:50 PM
Systems for Hiring and Training Your Dream Team
Speaker: Dr. Paul Rollett
COPE ID:
This lecture provides practical strategies for building, training, and motivating an optometric team, from initial hiring through advanced training. Participants will explore personalized team-building goals, effective management systems, and techniques for fostering long-term growth. Emphasis is placed on creating structured, franchise-like systems that support team members, patients and sustainable success.
6:00 - 7:30 PM
OAO/UW Reception in Pier 4 & 5
Join us at the OAO/UW reception to network with peers, enjoy delicious food and drink, and find out who won prizes in the InfoMart Eye Spy Game.
7:00-10:00 PM
Reception at the Amsterdam Brewhouse for OD students and ODs who graduated 2015-2025
7:30 AM-4:00 PM
Registration
7:30-8:30 AM
Breakfast Buffet
8:00-8:50 AM
8:00-8:50 AM
9:00-10:40 AM
Diabetic Retinopathy: Road Map to Prevention, Detection, and Management
Speaker: Dr. Carolyn Majcher
COPE ID: 95397-TD
Diabetic retinopathy is one of the most common causes of blindness worldwide. There are many pitfalls that lead to disastrous outcomes including poor understanding of “end organ damage,” poor glycemic control, and poor compliance with proper eye examination frequency. This lecture will review basic demographics and pathophysiology of diabetic retinopathy, as well as provide practical recommendations for optometrists to better manage their patients. Case examples of diabetic retinal disaster cases will be presented to bring better appreciation for the gravity of this devastating disease.
9:00-9:50 AM
The Balancing Act of Prescribing Therapeutic Glasses Following Concussion
Speaker: Dr. Paul Rollett
COPE ID:
This course will discuss the origins of dizziness, vestibular rehabilitation considerations as well as the impact of optics on balance following concussion.
9:50-10:40 AM
Amblyopia: Beyond 20/20
Speaker: Dr. Paul Rollett
COPE ID:
This course will present on future treatment considerations for amblyopia, along with a discussion of the non-ocular impacts of this condition. This talk will cover the effects of amblyopia on gross/fine motor skill, eye-hand coordination, reading fluency and corollary psychosocial impact.
10:55-11:45 AM
Rapid Fire Cornea Survival Tips
Speaker: Dr. Sophia Leung
COPE ID: 95049-TD
How many times have we looked at a corneal lesion and thought to ourselves, what is happening here? This lecture, in a rapid-fire case-based format, will cover several tips, tricks, and pearls that will help practitioners navigate through a variety of corneal diseases that may be commonly encountered.
10:55-11:45 AM
Marijuana & Driving: Your Retina & Brain
Speaker: Dr. Denise Valenti
COPE ID:
Marijuana impacts cognition and sensory functions. Marijuana causes dysfunction in retinal processing. Marijuana inhibits up to 75% of the visual functions in the lateral geniculate nucleus, the primary brain relay nucleus. Little is known about individual cannabinoids; Cannabidiol and Tetrahydrocannabinol and impact on driving. There is research using functional magnetic resonance imaging and ERG showing dysfunction with acute and chronic use of marijuana. This lecture will review the available research related the retina, visual pathway and its relationship to driving and cannabis use.
11:55 AM-1:30 PM
President's Lunch and OAO Awards
1:40-2:30 PM
Posterior Segment Puzzles Secondary to Systemic Disease
Speaker: Dr. Komal Patel
COPE ID:
Using a fast-paced, case presentation format this course will cover some common and some not-so-common retinal and optic nerve pathologies, all of which were the presenting feature of an underlying systemic disease.
1:40-2:30 PM
The Importance of Early Keratoconus Detection
Speaker: Dr. Kriti Bhagat
COPE ID:
This course is designed to educate primary care eye providers on the importance of early detection and comprehensive management of keratoconus in the pediatric population. This includes identifying at risk populations, conducting relevant diagnostic testing for early diagnoses, and educating patients and parents. This course includes a review of available treatment options based on the patient’s severity and risk factors. In conclusion, primary care providers should be aware of current surgical and nonsurgical options and when to initiate treatment for maximum vision preservation.
2:40-3:30 PM
Nerves Don’t Feel, Cornea Don’t Heal – A Review of Neurotrophic Keratitis
Speaker: Dr. Sophia Leung
COPE ID: 95043-TD
No pain, no gain they say. What happens when corneal nerves don’t feel? In a case-based format, this talk covers the course of poor healing corneas due to neurotrophic keratitis. Early stages to advanced stages, and how optometrists have a crucial role to play will be discussed.
2:40-3:30 PM
Dizziness: A Collaborative Approach
Speaker: Dr. Paul Rollett
COPE ID:
This lecture delves into the top causes of dizziness, including vestibular dysfunction, migraines, neurological conditions and medication side effects. Attendees will learn to assess and manage dizziness through optometric and physical therapy techniques, including prism glasses, vestibular exercises, and vision therapy. Practical case examples and demonstrations included.
3:50-5:50 PM
Myopia Revisited: A Practical Learning Session with Panel Discussion
Speakers: Drs. Michaud, Jones and Chow
COPE ID:
This lecture offers a practical approach to myopia management that will enable participants to better understand the principles that contribute to the onset and progression of myopia, explore the various management methods and understand their benefits and limitations. Speakers will also discuss the management of clinical cases. Participants will appreciate that there are different approaches to the same scenario, and realize that myopia management starts one child at a time.
7:00-Midnight
Networking event at The Rec Room
7:45 AM-2:00 PM
Registration
8:00-9:00 AM
Breakfast Buffet
8:30-10:10 AM
A Multimodal Imaging Grand Rounds
Speaker: Dr. Carolyn Majcher
COPE ID: 95422-TD
Using a fast-paced, case presentation format this course will cover some common and some not-so-common retinal and optic nerve pathologies. Audience participation will be encouraged during case discussions regarding clinical case analysis, diagnostic reasoning used to arrive at a proper diagnosis, interpretation of ancillary diagnostic tests, and generation of management plans using evidence-based medicine and standard of care guidelines. Emphasis will be placed on the clinical utility and interpretation of various imaging modalities including color and autofluorescence photography, OCT, ultrasonography, and CT/MRI.
10:10-10:45 AM
Annual Meeting check-in
10:45 - 12:30 PM
Annual Meeting
12:30-1:00 PM
Lunch Buffet
1:00-2:40 PM
Laser Procedures for the Optometric Physician
Speaker: Dr. Komal Patel
COPE ID:
This course will cover the most common anterior segment laser procedures for the treatment of open and closed angle glaucoma, posterior capsular opacification, and vitreous opacities. Indications, pre-operative and post-operative assessment, procedure, and complications of laser trabeculoplasty, laser peripheral iridotomy, YAG capsulotomy, and laser floater treatment (vitreolysis) will be discussed.
2:55-3:45 PM
How to Advance Your Scleral Lens Practice
Speaker: Dr. Vishakha Thakrar
COPE ID:
Scleral lenses have become increasingly popular in clinical practice in recent years. As the complexity of patients’ needs continues to grow, fitting these lenses can present new challenges. This course explores advanced techniques for successfully fitting and managing scleral lens patients.
7:30 AM-7:00 PM
Registration
7:30-8:30 AM
Breakfast Buffet
8:00-8:50 AM
An Introduction to Myopia Management
Speaker: Dr. Vishakha Thakrar
This course introduces myopia management to optometric assistants and staff. We will begin by defining myopia and discuss the environmental and genetic factors that influence myopia. We will then describe the risk of myopia and why it is necessary to treat myopia with myopia control methods in practice. Then we will introduce the available methods of treating myopia.
8:00-8:50 AM
Ocular Mythbusters – A Review of Ocular Anatomy
Speaker: Dr. Sophia Leung
Come check out some of the ‘weird and wacky’ of trends in the ocular space. This lecture will review general ocular anatomy to better understand why some of these trends exist, and why some of these trends are simply trends and not standard of care.
9:00-10:40 AM
Contact Lens Workshop
Speaker: Dr. Vishakha Thakrar
Contact lens technicians play an important role in clinical practice as educators, clinical assistants, and salespeople. This workshop will teach optometric assistants how to discuss soft and specialty contact lenses with patients, teach contact lens application, removal and care techniques, train contact lens triaging, and discuss effective selling techniques.
9:00-10:40 AM
Ocular Emergencies vs Urgencies
Speaker: Dr. Sophia Leung
Any eye condition can walk through the door. Equipped with a few good case history questions and a few emergency conditions to watch out for, this lecture will walk through some triage steps that can help with getting patients seen by the right docs, at the right time.
11:00 AM-12:00 PM
Lunch buffet
12:00 - 3:00 PM
InfoMart trade show
3:00-3:50 PM
Myopia Management in Clinical Practice
Speaker: Dr. Vishakha Thakrar
This course discusses how optometric assistants and office staff can implement myopia control methods in clinical practice. We will discuss the details of myopia control devices in Canada and how to select each myopia control device. We will also describe the staff’s role in educating patients on these devices.
4:00 - 5:40 PM
6:00-7:30 PM
OAO/UW Reception
Join us at the OAO/UW reception to network with peers, enjoy delicious food and drink, and find out who won prizes in the InfoMart Eye Spy Game.
7:30 AM-7:00 PM
Registration
7:30-8:30 AM
Breakfast Buffet
8:00-8:50 AM
8:00-8:50 AM
9:00-10:40 AM
Tumors of the Lid and Adnexa
Speaker: Dr. Richard Castillo
COPE ID: 91217-TD
A survey of malignant tumors of the eyelids and adnexa. Common and uncommon presentations, etiology, risk assessment, medical and surgical management will be discussed.
9:00-9:50 AM
10:00-10:50 AM
11:00 AM-12:00 PM
Lunch buffet
12:00 - 3:00 PM
InfoMart
3:00-3:50 PM
Anterior Segment Lasers Complications Course
Speaker: Dr. Richard Castillo
COPE ID:
Common complications of anterior segment laser therapy along with management options will be presented and discussed.
3:00-3:50 PM
AI in Healthcare – An Industry Perspective
Speaker: Mr. Mike Schaekermann
COPE ID: Non-COPE
4:00 - 4:50 PM
Clinical Uses of Prosthetic, Cosmetic & Tinted Lenses
Speaker: Dr. Kriti Bhagat
COPE ID:
This course will review the common congenital and acquired conditions that can be managed with prosthetic and tinted contact lenses, as well as fitting recommendations for these lenses. The course will demonstrate how cosmetic lenses can drastically improve the psychological well-being and the overall quality of life of patients.
4:00 - 4:50 PM
AI in Healthcare Panel Discussion
Speakers: Dr. Amit Mathur, Dr. Patrick Sauvageau, Dr. Stan Woo, and Mr. Mike Schaekermann
COPE ID: Non-COPE
5:00 - 5:50 PM
Marijuana, Cannabis, Cannabinoids, Glaucoma and IOP
Speaker: Dr. Denise Valenti
COPE ID:
Thirty-five states and the District of Columbia currently have legal medicinal use of marijuana and among these the majority allow for the treatment of glaucoma with medicinal marijuana. Fifteen states allow for legal adult use of marijuana. There is an increasing body of research that the cannabinoid, Cannabidiol-CBD causes spiking of the eye’s pressure. This lecture will review the research related to cannabinoids and marijuana and their use in the treatment of glaucoma. The impact of legal marijuana on patient’s perception of efficacy to treat glaucoma will be discussed.
5:00 - 5:50 PM
Systems for Hiring and Training Your Dream Team
Speaker: Dr. Paul Rollett
COPE ID:
This lecture provides practical strategies for building, training, and motivating an optometric team, from initial hiring through advanced training. Participants will explore personalized team-building goals, effective management systems, and techniques for fostering long-term growth. Emphasis is placed on creating structured, franchise-like systems that support team members, patients and sustainable success.
6:00 - 7:30 PM
OAO/UW Reception in Pier 4 & 5
Join us at the OAO/UW reception to network with peers, enjoy delicious food and drink, and find out who won prizes in the InfoMart Eye Spy Game.
7:00-10:00 PM
Reception at the Amsterdam Brewhouse for OD students and ODs who graduated 2015-2025
7:30 AM-4:00 PM
Registration
7:30-8:30 AM
Breakfast Buffet
8:00-8:50 AM
8:00-8:50 AM
9:00-10:40 AM
Diabetic Retinopathy: Road Map to Prevention, Detection, and Management
Speaker: Dr. Carolyn Majcher
COPE ID: 95397-TD
Diabetic retinopathy is one of the most common causes of blindness worldwide. There are many pitfalls that lead to disastrous outcomes including poor understanding of “end organ damage,” poor glycemic control, and poor compliance with proper eye examination frequency. This lecture will review basic demographics and pathophysiology of diabetic retinopathy, as well as provide practical recommendations for optometrists to better manage their patients. Case examples of diabetic retinal disaster cases will be presented to bring better appreciation for the gravity of this devastating disease.
9:00-9:50 AM
The Balancing Act of Prescribing Therapeutic Glasses Following Concussion
Speaker: Dr. Paul Rollett
COPE ID:
This course will discuss the origins of dizziness, vestibular rehabilitation considerations as well as the impact of optics on balance following concussion.
9:50-10:40 AM
Amblyopia: Beyond 20/20
Speaker: Dr. Paul Rollett
COPE ID:
This course will present on future treatment considerations for amblyopia, along with a discussion of the non-ocular impacts of this condition. This talk will cover the effects of amblyopia on gross/fine motor skill, eye-hand coordination, reading fluency and corollary psychosocial impact.
10:55-11:45 AM
Rapid Fire Cornea Survival Tips
Speaker: Dr. Sophia Leung
COPE ID: 95049-TD
How many times have we looked at a corneal lesion and thought to ourselves, what is happening here? This lecture, in a rapid-fire case-based format, will cover several tips, tricks, and pearls that will help practitioners navigate through a variety of corneal diseases that may be commonly encountered.
10:55-11:45 AM
Marijuana & Driving: Your Retina & Brain
Speaker: Dr. Denise Valenti
COPE ID:
Marijuana impacts cognition and sensory functions. Marijuana causes dysfunction in retinal processing. Marijuana inhibits up to 75% of the visual functions in the lateral geniculate nucleus, the primary brain relay nucleus. Little is known about individual cannabinoids; Cannabidiol and Tetrahydrocannabinol and impact on driving. There is research using functional magnetic resonance imaging and ERG showing dysfunction with acute and chronic use of marijuana. This lecture will review the available research related the retina, visual pathway and its relationship to driving and cannabis use.
11:55 AM-1:30 PM
President's Lunch and OAO Awards
1:40-2:30 PM
Posterior Segment Puzzles Secondary to Systemic Disease
Speaker: Dr. Komal Patel
COPE ID:
Using a fast-paced, case presentation format this course will cover some common and some not-so-common retinal and optic nerve pathologies, all of which were the presenting feature of an underlying systemic disease.
1:40-2:30 PM
The Importance of Early Keratoconus Detection
Speaker: Dr. Kriti Bhagat
COPE ID:
This course is designed to educate primary care eye providers on the importance of early detection and comprehensive management of keratoconus in the pediatric population. This includes identifying at risk populations, conducting relevant diagnostic testing for early diagnoses, and educating patients and parents. This course includes a review of available treatment options based on the patient’s severity and risk factors. In conclusion, primary care providers should be aware of current surgical and nonsurgical options and when to initiate treatment for maximum vision preservation.
2:40-3:30 PM
Nerves Don’t Feel, Cornea Don’t Heal – A Review of Neurotrophic Keratitis
Speaker: Dr. Sophia Leung
COPE ID: 95043-TD
No pain, no gain they say. What happens when corneal nerves don’t feel? In a case-based format, this talk covers the course of poor healing corneas due to neurotrophic keratitis. Early stages to advanced stages, and how optometrists have a crucial role to play will be discussed.
2:40-3:30 PM
Dizziness: A Collaborative Approach
Speaker: Dr. Paul Rollett
COPE ID:
This lecture delves into the top causes of dizziness, including vestibular dysfunction, migraines, neurological conditions and medication side effects. Attendees will learn to assess and manage dizziness through optometric and physical therapy techniques, including prism glasses, vestibular exercises, and vision therapy. Practical case examples and demonstrations included.
3:50-5:50 PM
Myopia Revisited: A Practical Learning Session with Panel Discussion
Speakers: Drs. Michaud, Jones and Chow
COPE ID:
This lecture offers a practical approach to myopia management that will enable participants to better understand the principles that contribute to the onset and progression of myopia, explore the various management methods and understand their benefits and limitations. Speakers will also discuss the management of clinical cases. Participants will appreciate that there are different approaches to the same scenario, and realize that myopia management starts one child at a time.
7:00-Midnight
Networking event at The Rec Room
7:45 AM-2:00 PM
Registration
8:00-9:00 AM
Breakfast Buffet
8:30-10:10 AM
A Multimodal Imaging Grand Rounds
Speaker: Dr. Carolyn Majcher
COPE ID: 95422-TD
Using a fast-paced, case presentation format this course will cover some common and some not-so-common retinal and optic nerve pathologies. Audience participation will be encouraged during case discussions regarding clinical case analysis, diagnostic reasoning used to arrive at a proper diagnosis, interpretation of ancillary diagnostic tests, and generation of management plans using evidence-based medicine and standard of care guidelines. Emphasis will be placed on the clinical utility and interpretation of various imaging modalities including color and autofluorescence photography, OCT, ultrasonography, and CT/MRI.
10:10-10:45 AM
Annual Meeting check-in
10:45 - 12:30 PM
Annual Meeting
12:30-1:00 PM
Lunch Buffet
1:00-2:40 PM
Laser Procedures for the Optometric Physician
Speaker: Dr. Komal Patel
COPE ID:
This course will cover the most common anterior segment laser procedures for the treatment of open and closed angle glaucoma, posterior capsular opacification, and vitreous opacities. Indications, pre-operative and post-operative assessment, procedure, and complications of laser trabeculoplasty, laser peripheral iridotomy, YAG capsulotomy, and laser floater treatment (vitreolysis) will be discussed.
2:55-3:45 PM
How to Advance Your Scleral Lens Practice
Speaker: Dr. Vishakha Thakrar
COPE ID:
Scleral lenses have become increasingly popular in clinical practice in recent years. As the complexity of patients’ needs continues to grow, fitting these lenses can present new challenges. This course explores advanced techniques for successfully fitting and managing scleral lens patients.
7:30 AM-7:00 PM
Registration
7:30-8:30 AM
Breakfast Buffet
8:00-8:50 AM
An Introduction to Myopia Management
Speaker: Dr. Vishakha Thakrar
This course introduces myopia management to optometric assistants and staff. We will begin by defining myopia and discuss the environmental and genetic factors that influence myopia. We will then describe the risk of myopia and why it is necessary to treat myopia with myopia control methods in practice. Then we will introduce the available methods of treating myopia.
8:00-8:50 AM
Ocular Mythbusters – A Review of Ocular Anatomy
Speaker: Dr. Sophia Leung
Come check out some of the ‘weird and wacky’ of trends in the ocular space. This lecture will review general ocular anatomy to better understand why some of these trends exist, and why some of these trends are simply trends and not standard of care.
9:00-10:40 AM
Contact Lens Workshop
Speaker: Dr. Vishakha Thakrar
Contact lens technicians play an important role in clinical practice as educators, clinical assistants, and salespeople. This workshop will teach optometric assistants how to discuss soft and specialty contact lenses with patients, teach contact lens application, removal and care techniques, train contact lens triaging, and discuss effective selling techniques.
9:00-10:40 AM
Ocular Emergencies vs Urgencies
Speaker: Dr. Sophia Leung
Any eye condition can walk through the door. Equipped with a few good case history questions and a few emergency conditions to watch out for, this lecture will walk through some triage steps that can help with getting patients seen by the right docs, at the right time.
11:00 AM-12:00 PM
Lunch buffet
12:00 - 3:00 PM
InfoMart trade show
3:00-3:50 PM
Myopia Management in Clinical Practice
Speaker: Dr. Vishakha Thakrar
This course discusses how optometric assistants and office staff can implement myopia control methods in clinical practice. We will discuss the details of myopia control devices in Canada and how to select each myopia control device. We will also describe the staff’s role in educating patients on these devices.
4:00 - 5:40 PM
6:00-7:30 PM
OAO/UW Reception
Join us at the OAO/UW reception to network with peers, enjoy delicious food and drink, and find out who won prizes in the InfoMart Eye Spy Game.
