American Optometric Association

10/15/2026

AI can detect. Optometrists connect the dots.

That was a key message as the AOA joined health care leaders, researchers and industry innovators for the Alliance for Healthcare from the Eye meeting: Driving Healthcare Improvement with Data and AI.

At the Alliance for Healthcare from the Eye Meeting in October 2026, AOA leaders emphasized why doctors of optometry are central to turning advances in AI, retinal imaging and connected care into better patient outcomes.

10/15/2026

🚨Just weeks away🚨

The 2026 ALLDocs Sublease Meeting is November 15-17 in Palm Springs, California! Register today!

✔️ Collaborate and connect with fellow sublease colleagues
✔️ Engage with industry leaders, vendors and other sublease professionals
✔️ Explore business solutions tailored to the unique challenges of practicing in a sublease environment

The event includes up to 5 hours of continuing education (pending COPE approval), networking opportunities and more! It is FREE to attend for Luxottica Sublease ODs. Contact ALLDocs / Tara O'Grady for more information.

➡️ Register: https://bit.ly/4jo4dge

10/14/2026

Members of the AOA’s Evidence-Based Optometry (EBO) Committee met in St. Louis in August to work on updates to the clinical practice guideline Care of the Patient with Age-Related Macular Degeneration.

Committee members use a 14-step process that’s modeled after the evidence-based standards of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine, formerly the Institute of Medicine.

Find all of the AOA's clinical practice guidelines here: https://go.aoa.org/4jF2eob

10/14/2026

Is everything you read online about GLP-1s true?​

Swipe to separate fact from fiction and see why in-person care from a doctor of optometry matters.​

Get the facts here: https://bit.ly/4ijsYsZ

10/13/2026

At the multidisciplinary, multi-stakeholder Alliance for Health Care from the Eye conference held Friday in New Orleans, Teri K. Geist, O.D., AOA president, opened a panel discussion by detailing optometry’s essential and expanding role in health care, including through early diagnosis of chronic diseases and other urgent health threats. Moderator Ali Tafreshi, CEO of Topcon Healthcare, and expert panelists representing medicine, health policy and information technology recognized optometry’s central role in securing healthy patient outcomes and the need for ongoing collaboration to realize the potential in oculomics.

10/12/2026

“Preventing a stroke or a heart attack, this is the way optometry is going. We’re not just going to be primary care for the eye. We’re going to be primary care for the body.” -Kerry Gelb, O.D.

Retinal vascular findings can offer important clues about a patient’s systemic health. Kerry Gelb, O.D., explains how endothelial function testing can provide additional insight into vascular health and help inform appropriate medical referrals.

10/12/2026

No tricks, just treats 🍬 Sign up for early registration alerts!

🎃 https://bit.ly/3Qjm3VP

10/09/2026

Our condolences on the passing of AOA Past President and Wisconsin Optometric Association Past President Bernard "B.J." Shannon, O.D.

Dr. Shannon is remembered with gratitude, says Wisconsin Optometric Association Executive Vice President Peter J. Theo.

“Wisconsin optometrists are proud that his dedication to patients and the profession carried him to the AOA presidency, where he continued to help shape optometry’s future."

A past AOA president has passed away. The AOA sends condolences to the Shannon family as they honor their patriarch.

10/08/2026

"The demand for skilled staff is high, and certification sets you apart. For those working toward certification or looking to advance, let's get certified!" -Roberta Beers, CPOT

The AOA offers four certifications for optometric staff. Learn more about them and find exam resources here: https://bit.ly/4dmP6A4

✍️If you're a CPO, CPOA or CPOT, now is the time to make sure you're on track to renew your certification. To maintain certification, paraoptometrics must complete at least 18 hours of continuing education every three years before Oct. 31 of their renewal year. Learn more here: https://go.aoa.org/4ia452T

10/08/2026

Coding and reimbursement questions don’t follow a schedule. Bookmark the AOA Billing & Coding Help Desk™ so trusted member support is always within reach.

Bookmark the Help Desk: https://bit.ly/4xnKBgw