AOAExcel boasts over $4.18 million in non-dues revenue returned to AOA since its founding in 2015, AOA Foundation underscored programs that reinforce a stronger profession
Optometry’s Meeting welcomed attendees to the second day (on June 27) of AOA’s House of Delegates with updates from AOAExcel, Health Care Alliance for Patient Safety (HCAPS), The AOA Foundation, AOA on Capitol Hill, and shared a new clinical report by the AOA’s Evidence-based Optometry Committee.
On the second day of AOA's House of Delegates, AOAExcel Chair Sam Pierce, OD, and Director Bob Kehm reported a significant achievement, namely the generation of over $4.18 million in non-dues revenue returned to AOA since its founding in 2015.
Dr. Pierce highlighted new benefits through endorsed business partners, including VisionHQ, Barti EHR, Lockton Affinity's new cyber liability insurance offering and a more robust AOAExcel Career Center.
Kehm emphasized that AOAExcel also features an affiliate revenue-share initiative with 35 participants, and attendees were encouraged to visit AOAExcel's endorsed partners at the Eye Care Square, reinforcing that utilizing these services directly supports the AOA's mission.
David Cockrell, OD, chair of the HCAPS, addressed the House of Delegates with a call to join HCAPS in safeguarding patient safety and quality care.
AOA President Steven T. Reed, O.D., presented the Patient Safety Champion Awards, recognizing unwavering commitment to improving patient health safety through advocacy. The 2025 recipients are:
- Charissa Lee, OD, Head of North America Professional Affairs, Johnson & Johnson Vision
- Michelle Andrews, OD, Vice President, Professional and Government Affairs – Americas, CooperVision
- Ryan Parker, OD, Senior Director of Professional Development, EssilorLuxottica
Learn more or become a HCAPS supporter.
AOA Trustee Marrie S. Read, OD, MBA, presented the Membership Excellence Award at the AOA House of Delegates, recognizing the Delaware Optometric Association, Nevada Optometric Association and Virginia Optometric Association for their exceptional membership growth. This marks Delaware's second consecutive win.
Nevada achieved a double-digit membership increase and substantial market share gain, while Virginia also saw significant growth.
The AOA emphasized its continued investment in membership support through AOA Team Services, enabling affiliates to prioritize recruitment and retention. This recognition underscores the vital importance of membership growth at both affiliate and national levels for the profession's strength.
AOA Trustee and AOA Foundation President Belinda R. Starkey, OD, delivered a report on the Foundation's profound impact in 2024, emphasizing its role in "changing lives" and strengthening the optometric profession. A major highlight was the 20th anniversary of the InfantSEE program, which has provided over 172,000 comprehensive eye assessments, with over 4,000 AOA member doctors volunteering in 2024 alone.
Further expanding its reach, the AOA/AOSA Opportunities in Optometry grants awarded $150,000 to 100 pre-optometry students from underrepresented backgrounds, with the first cohort set to graduate this year. The new "Golden Opportunity" award provides $50,000 each for independent practice doctors.
The Optometric Historical Society, through its Archives & Museum, continues to preserve the profession's heritage and share with subsequent generations of optometrists as evidenced by 32,000 downloads of its Hindsight journal.
Notably, Optometry’s Fund for Disaster Relief (OFDR) had its most active year, distributing over $275,000 through 192 grants across 40 states, providing critical support to affected doctors. Dr. Starkey underscored that these vital programs are made possible by the collective contributions of doctors, reinforcing a stronger AOA for all.
Sharing optometry’s top priorities and how AOA’s advocates are advancing them, chair of the AOA-PAC Board of Directors and AOA Federal Advocacy Representative Jennifer Kohn, OD, made a call to action to the House of Delegates to give, to act and to lead by joining the AOA-PAC team.
Those priorities will be front and center at AOA on Capitol Hill, Sept. 28-30, in Washington, D.C. The annual hill day is a key reason why the AOA is consistently recognized as one of the most effective, respected advocacy organizations in the nation's capital with hundreds of doctors, optometry students and affiliate leaders participating.
Concluding the AOA House of Delegates session, Dr. Reed delivered his closing president’s report, reflecting on his personal journey and the core values of leadership.
Sharing a story of his family and being the first optometrist in his family, he emphasized that personal growth isn't for self-gain but for service—to family, community and the profession.
Building on his previous year's message of personal development, Dr. Reed challenged delegates to choose to create a better future through their growth, underscoring that such advancements ultimately serve the broader optometric community. He expressed profound gratitude for the privilege of serving as AOA president, acknowledging the Board of Trustees, AOA staff, and his family for their unwavering support throughout his tenure.
New AOA report on ocular risks of GLP-1Ras
Millions of Americans—roughly 6% of the U.S. adult population—take glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1RAs) for chronic diseases or weight loss.
These medications can be associated with significant ocular complications, according to a new clinical report by the AOA’s Evidence-based Optometry Committee.
At the House of Delegates, Andrew Morgenstern, OD, director of the AOA’s clinical resources group, presented the report, titled “Glucagon-like Peptide-1 Receptor Agonists and Ocular Health: Guidance for Optometric Practice,” which provides critical guidance to doctors of optometry treating patients on GLP-1RAs. While rare, an ocular side effect of GLP-1RAs is non-arteritic anterior ischemic optic neuropathy (NAION), which can cause permanent loss of vision.
Dr. Morgenstern emphasized that these drugs are safe and the ophthalmic side effects are rare. The report includes clinical recommendations for optometrists to know.
Click here to access the report.
AOSA Optometry Student Bowl winner XXXIV
The American Optometric Student Association congratulates this year’s winner of the AOSA Optometry Student Bowl XXXIV: Dakotah Brandow, a student from Western University of Health Sciences, College of Optometry. The event was powered by EssilorLuxottica and highlighted the passion of optometry students from across the country. Illinois College of Optometry received this year’s Spirit Award.
Celebration of optometry
The Celebration of Optometry: Closing Party, sponsored by Baush & Lomb, welcomed attendees to the Minneapolis Orchestra Hall for a final cheers to the iconic, collaborative meeting and the profession.
For more information on Optometry’s Meeting, visit www.optometrysmeeting.org and follow along on social media on Facebook.
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About Optometry’s Meeting
Optometry’s Meeting, the annual meeting of both the AOA and AOSA, aligns optometric and industry professionals for a four-day experience to advance optometry and engage the association’s official business. Optometry’s Meeting renowned educational program supports every member of the care team with progressive continuing education and professional development opportunities. Simultaneously delivering an impactful conference experience, Optometry’s Meeting promotes networking and connection through the expansive exhibit hall, as well as a dynamic program of special events.
About the American Optometric Association
The American Optometric Association (AOA) is the leading authority on and advocate for quality eye health care, representing more than 50,000 doctors of optometry, optometry students and optometric professionals. As the sole primary eye care provider in many communities across America, doctors of optometry are often a patient's first entry point into the health care system, and have extensive, ongoing training to examine, diagnose, treat, and manage disorders, diseases, and injuries that affect the eye and visual system. Through a nationwide public health initiative, AOA's Eye Deserve More campaign is fostering awareness of the importance of eye health and vision care and the overall health benefits of in-person, comprehensive eye examinations with AOA doctors of optometry for all Americans.