2026 Conference Details

Optometry's Meeting is the premier annual event for AOA & AOSA members, powered by four days of industry-renowned education, innovative and future-looking conversations, career development and leadership opportunities. Welcoming of optometrists, paraoptometric professionals and optometry students alike, the 129th Annual AOA Congress & 58th Annual AOSA Conference: Optometry's Meeting aims to make an impact for our profession.

Optometry's Meeting & AOA+

June 17-20, 2026
Phoenix, Arizona | Phoenix Convention Center

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Why Attend Optometry's Meeting?

Continuing Education & Professional Development

• Industry-renowned continuing education: Advance your clinical knowledge with 200+ CE and professional development courses, totaling over 300 credit hours, covering topics like surgical advancements, systemic diseases, functional vision, billing and coding, laser procedures and more. Earn AOA CE Hours, CEE/TQ, COPE or CPC credits.
  
  
• Integrated learning for the whole care team: Benefit from over 90 hours of integrated education for doctors and paraoptometrics, focusing on team-based, coordinated care to improve patient outcomes and practice efficiency. Interested in paraoptometric CE—scroll down!
  
  
• Cutting-edge workshops: Get interactive with 20 hands-on workshop opportunities, for doctors, students and paraoptometric professionals, in topics ranging from surgical and laser procedures, to neurologic screenings, VR/VT, contact lens fittings, injections, OCT and more.
  
  
• Influence our 2027 CE program: Submit your lecture and workshop course applications for Optometry's Meeting 2027 by July 13, 2026. The AOA is committed to providing exemplary education for our conference and we invite course submissions to highlight innovative and contemporary topics at our Boston conference in 2027.

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Paraoptometric Professionals & Practice Staff

• Tailored continuing education: Paraoptometrics can earn up to 35 CPC and AOA-approved CE credits with courses designed to strengthen both clinical and professional skills, like billing and coding mastery, surgical assistance, excellence in patient service, systemic disease overview and more.
  
  
• Optician-focused Friday: Earn up to 6 hours of ABO/NCLE-approved CE with a combination of lecture-style and hands-on workshop courses on topics, including progressive lenses, anti-fatigue lenses, basic lensometry and even a cow-eye dissection lab. Conveniently scheduled Friday, noon- 6:30 p.m., so your optical staff can coordinate out-of-office times if they can't make the full conference. Hear why adding an ophthalmic dispensing program to Optometry's Meeting adds even greater value for your practice's attending staff.
  
• Advanced skill development: Participate in focused workshops, such as the Optometric Surgical Assisting* hands-on session or the Ready. Set. CPO! guided bootcamp, to strengthen your clinical skills and prepare for certification. *Attend the four-hour, hands-on workshop at Optometry's Meeting and complete lecture-based content on AOA EyeLearn to receive an AOA microcredential in Optometric Surgical Assisting!
  
  
• Networking and recognition: Attend the complimentary Paraoptometric Appreciation Luncheon and the Paraoptometric Connection Breakfast to celebrate your invaluable contributions and network with peers and industry leaders.

STAFF EDUCATION    CONFERENCE PREVIEW

Leadership & Advocacy Opportunities

• Shape the future of optometry: Attend the House of Delegates to join optometry's leaders in key governance discussions, receive updates from the AOA Board of Trustees, and participate in the election and installation of the new AOA Board. Open to all members—come celebrate the accomplishments of the AOA, AOSA and Hall of Fame honorees or gain insight into your association.
  
  
• AOA+ elevates emerging leaders: Students and new doctors can engage with the AOA+ experience, designed to connect future ODs with mentors, sharpen leadership and advocacy skills, and explore career development at events like the Leadership Lab and Town Hall.
  
  
• Find your community: Spark powerful connections with industry experts and peers, driving mentorships and partnerships that are crucial for advancing your career and influencing the direction of the optometric profession. Or, attend an Optometry's Meeting tradition: the Alumni Receptions where you can reconnect with classmates. Wear your school colors and show your school pride!
  
  
• Celebrate the profession's luminaries: Help us recognize those advocates, leaders and visionaries who have generously given their time, talent and passion to advance our profession. The National Optometry Hall of Fame Induction & AOA Advocacy Awards, 4-5:30 p.m., Friday, June 19, is our opportunity to recognize these luminaries' contributions.

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Eye Care Square Exhibit Hall

• Discover innovative technologies & practice solutions: Explore Eye Care Square, the immersive exhibit hall with over 150 exhibitors, to discover the latest products, technologies, and business solutions that can drive your practice success. Don't forget to check out the EYETalks stage in the Eye Care Square with hot-topic discussions on cutting-edge products.
  
  
• Recruit your future team: Engage with the next generation of optometrists at the AOA+ Career Fair to scout top talent, explore professional partnerships, and find your practice's next associate doctor or partner.
• Interact with clinical researchers: Join colleauges in the Eye Care Square, 9-10:30 a.m., and 2-5 p.m., Friday, June 19, for our in-person Poster Session, showcasing unique clinical cases and innovative research. Presenters will be available to discuss their work, answer questions and engage in dialogue with attendees. Posters will be displayed in front of the Eye Care Square, offering an excellent opportunity to network and exchange ideas.
  
  
• AOA+ strategic career planning: Come to the Eye Care Square for special AOA+ activations where you can get a professional headshot, practice your interview skills or receive one-on-one feedback on your LinkedIn profile—all intended to provide students and early career ODs with a leg-up in job hunting and career advacement.

Eye Care Square Schedule

• 7-9 p.m., Wednesday, June 17
• 8:30 a.m.-4 p.m., Thursday, June 18
• 8:30 a.m.-4 p.m., Friday, June 19

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Special Events & Innovative Programming

• A high-energy kickoff: Start your conference experience on an inspirational note at the AOA Experience: Opening General Session as Dr. Daniel Kraft, physician-scientist and entrepreneur, delivers our keynote address on AI in healthcare, followed by the Eye Care Square Opening Reception, featuring Phoenix-inspired bites and drinks, to ignite your energy and connect with colleagues.
  
  
• The Innovation Hub: The future of optometry is driven by innovation—where cutting-edge technology and forward-thinking solutions redefine eye care. Participate in the AOA Innovation Hub, a multi-day program that spotlights industry innovators and disruptors in the clinical, scientific, technology and business fields that look to advance eye health and vision care.
  
  
• The CIP Symposium & AOA Independent Practice Expo: Join us 2-5 p.m., Thursday, June 18, for an exciting afternoon focused on the future of independent optometric practice. The CIP Symposium, 2-3:30 p.m., features an unbiased and uncensored discussion with an elite panel of successful independent practice owners sharing insights on building, growing, and sustaining a thriving practice. Immediately following, the AOA Independent Practice Expo, 3:30-5 p.m., offers a valuable opportunity to connect with organizations and industry partners dedicated to supporting your independent practice journey. Network with exhibitors, explore innovative resources and solutions, and engage with peers who are passionate about independent practice success.
  
  
• The Vision Rehabilitation, Vision Therapy & Sports Performance Mini-Exhibit Hall: Check out this unique opportunity, 4-5:30 p.m., Thursday, June 18, to connect with industry representatives, doctors, optometric staff and future doctors of optometry during a focused, mini-exhibit hall. Check out the latest innovations and resources in vision rehab, low vision, vision therapy, and sports and performance vision. Have a chance to engage with exhibitors and explore how these products and services support your care. Meet the AOA Vision Rehabilitation Committee, Vision Therapy Taskforce, and Sports & Performance Vision Committee to discuss the impact of these evolving areas of practice. Light refreshments will be provided.
  
  
• An unforgettable closing party: Conclude the meeting at the Celebration of Optometry closing party, a ticketed event at Warehouse 215 with great music from a lively local cover band, delicious bites, and a vibrant atmosphere for one last night of fun and connection. Patrick & The LVB, fronted by Emmy-Award winning singer-songwriter, Patrick Sieben, will provide live music at this historic industrial gem in the heart of downtown Phoenix. Be sure to bring both your conference badge and a photo ID!
  
  
• Support The AOA Foundation: Participate in the AOA Foundation 5K, a 3.1-mile run—or choose the "Sleep In" option—to support the Foundation's work, enjoy a morning workout, and earn a performance T-shirt and medal (ticketed event). Supported by AbbVie, Tarsus and the Health Care Alliance for Patient Safety.

AOA INNOVATION HUB    CONFERENCE PREVIEW

Explore Phoenix, Our Host City

• A desert oasis for discovery: Experience Phoenix, Arizona, a vibrant city that blends vintage character with cutting-edge innovation nesteled in a picturesque landscape, known as "The Valley of the Sun." Attendees are encouraged to explore our host city's thriving arts and culture scene, award-winning Southwestern cuisine or any of the amazing outdoor scenes.
  
  
• Convenient central location: Most Optometry's Meeting events and programming will take place at the centrally located Phoenix Convention Center, just a quick, 10 minute drive from Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport. Worried about Phoenix's famed warmth? All official hotels are within short walking distance of the convention center.

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