Eyes On 2025 showcases the industry's upcoming innovations

Eyes On 2025—Eyes On Eyecare’s (EOE’s) largest virtual event of the year—kicked off last month, covering the latest and biggest optometric and ophthalmic trends and topics.

Did you miss it? No worries—we’ve got all the details.

First up: an event rundown.

Held Nov. 15 and 16, this two-day virtual event featured a wealth of opportunities for the nearly 3,000 eyecare professionals (ECPs) in attendees to learn and “get in the know.”

Following the event theme of “The Future in Focus,” the chief topics of Eyes On 2025 were new technology and product innovations for clinical practices as well as what to keep an eye out for in 2025.

Did I miss clinical experts?

Indeed you did. In fact, a total of 15 experts from ophthalmology and optometry presented and led clinical education sessions. These included:

• Alan G. Kabat, OD, FAAO
• Ali Oromchian, JD, LLM
• Andrew Rixon, OD, FAAO
• Ashley Wallace-Tucker, OD, FAAO, FSLS, Dipl. ABO
• Blair Lonsberry, MS, OD, MEd., FAAO
• Heidi Bell, OD, FAAO, FOVDR
• Jacqueline Thesis, OD, FAAO, FNAP
• Jai G. Parekh, MD, MBA, FAAO
• James Murphy III, MD
• Jeffry D. Gerson, OD, FAAO
• Joseph Lutt, MD
• Katie Davis Tarver, OD, FOVDR
• Mitch Ibach, OD, FAAO
• Steven Ferrucci, OD, FAAO
• Vance Thompson, MD

Plus: A select few key opinion leaders (KOLs) also spoke during the event’s sponsor symposiums.

Let’s talk education. What topics were covered?

With over 76,000 total pageviews from just the event’s educational tracks (including 10.5k hours of sponsored symposium viewings) over the course of the two days, clinical experts delivered eight COPE-approved CE courses on:

• Ocular Surface Optimization and Patient Selection in Refractive Cataract Surgery
• Exploring the World of Autoimmune Disease: A Systemic Approach
• Geographic Atrophy Case Studies and Pearls in Clinical Practice
• Overcoming Challenges and Barriers in Collaborative Glaucoma Care
• The Chicken or Egg Dilemma: Neurotrophic Keratitis and Neuropathic Pain
• From New Grad to Retirement: Strategic Business Planning for ODs
• Building a Myopia-Busting Practice Blueprint
• Case-Based Approach to Vision Therapy for Concussion Patients

Give me a rundown on a few notable sessions.

For one: Jacqueline Theis, OD, FAAO, FNAP, presented on The Chicken or Egg Dilemma: Neurotrophic Keratitis and Neuropathic Pain.

The overview: Dr. Theis highlighted the similarities and differences between neurotrophic keratitis and neuropathic eye pain, reviewing the overlapping pathophysiology, differentiating history and assessment features as well as ultimate treatment options for patients.

Next up?

The double presentation by Vance Thompson, MD, and Mitch Ibach, OD, FAAO, on Ocular Surface Optimization and Patient Selection in Refractive Cataract Surgery.

The overview: Drs. Thompson and Ibach advised a step-wise approach for successful premium cataract surgery, including focusing on:

• Pre-op education
• Lens technologies
• Dry eye protocols
• Postoperative management

And lastly?

Yet another double feature—this time with Katie Davis Tarver, OD, FVOR, and Heidi Bell, OD, FAAO, FOVDR, who presented a Case-Based Approach to Vision Therapy for Concussion Patients.

The overview: Dr. Davis and Bell recommended this approach to equip optometrists to assess and manage visual dysfunction in this patient base. The topics:

• Understanding concussion impact
• Identifying visual dysfunction
• Utilizing diagnostic tools
• Implementing therapeutic interventions
• Applying legal and documentation strategies

And which exhibitors did I miss?

A few big names were in this year’s virtual Exhibit Hall:

• Astellas
• Bausch + Lomb
• Dompé
• EyePromise
• Johnson & Johnson Vision
• Rectangle Health
• RxSight
• Sun Ophthalmics
• Théa Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
• Viatris
• Virtual Field

Dare I ask about any awards?

EOE’s third annual Optometry Innovation Awards (OIA)—sponsored exclusively by Dompé—featured the top three innovators making transformative advances in eyecare.

This year’s winners included:

• 1st place: $10,000
  • Michele Pendrak, OD
    • Innovation: Eyelid butter: A product for lid and lash hygiene
• 2nd place: $6,000
  • Patrick A. Scott, OD, PhD
    • Innovation: FAAODS-101—The Next Generation of Local Pain Control
• 3rd place: $4,000
  • Andrew McLeod, OD, MS, FAAO
  • Amy Nau, OD, Dipl AAO
  • Kristen Brown, OD, Dipl AAO
    • Innovation: Eyewell: Ocular Surface Solutions

Nice! So what’s next for EOE?

Next up in the virtual educational line-up is Eyes On Dry Eye, kicking off March 14-15, 2025!

Register here.