The American Academy of Optometry (AAO) is gearing up to host its first-ever, in-person regional meeting when it kicks off the 2026 Retina Summit in Indianapolis, Indiana next month.
A new meeting?! Tell me more.
We’ll start with the basics:
- When it is: Saturday, April 18; 7 am to 6 pm EST
- Where: Indianapolis Marriott Downtown
- Who’s invited: Optometrists (Academy members and nonmembers are welcome )
And what can we expect from this one-day event?
Two words: continuing education (CE).
A total of 6.5 hours of CE will be up for grabs via a jam-packed schedule of expert-led presentations on the latest developments in retinal diagnosis and management.
And take note: This CE is offered through the Retina Special Interest Group (SIG), a subgroup of the AAO focused specifically on retinal disease and posterior segment care.
- Its members: clinicians, researchers, and educators within the optometric profession
- See here for a look at the group’s leadership.
- Its purpose: To develop evidence-based educational activities, original research, and promote interdisciplinary collaboration.
Speaking of experts … who will we hear from?
Two leading Academy fellows:
- Mohammed Rafieetary, OD, FAAO, FORS, ABO, ABCMO
- In practice as a consultative optometric physician at the Charles Retina Institute in Germantown, Tennessee.
- Roya Attar, OD, MBA, DHA, FAAO
- Associate professor and director of Optometric Services at the Department of Ophthalmology, University of Mississippi Medical Center.
And what topics are up for discussion?
Drs Rafieetary and Attar will present on four key topics delivered as interactive, case-based course guides and case-based lectures.
- Interactive AMD: From Dry to Wet – Risk Stratification, Assessment, and Management Decisions in Modern Retina Care
- See here for a description (and CE details)
- Advanced Multimodal Retinal Imaging for Precision Diagnosis and Management
- See here for a description (and CE details)
- Diabetic Retinopathy: Recognizing Risk, Reading the Retina, and Guiding Clinical Decisions
- See here for a description (and CE details)
- Inherited Retinal Disease: Recognizing Genetic Clues, Avoiding Diagnostic Pitfalls, and Using Genetic Testing in Clinical Practice
- See here for a description (and CE details)
So what does the schedule look like?
This one-day event kicks off with breakfast at 7 a.m., followed by the first session of the day at 8:10 am.
Sessions will run anywhere from 50 minutes to 100 minutes, with two 30-minute breaks in between and an attendee lunch (featuring a sponsored presentation) in the Exhibit Hall.
A closing reception from 4:30 to 6 p.m. will close out the day.
- Check out the full agenda here.
Did you say Exhibit Hall?
Indeed we did. Attendees can network and connect with exhibiting companies while exploring the latest technologies and discover practical tools to enhance their practice.
As for who will be among these exhibitors … Astellas Pharmaceuticals has been confirmed as the event's premier sponsor.
We’ve reached out to AAO for more details on other exhibitors.
So! Let’s talk registration.
Register by clicking here.
And keep in mind: Registration doesn't just include the sessions—it also covers breakfast, lunch, two coffee / refreshment breaks, and that evening reception we mentioned earlier.
The cost will vary:
- For Academy members: $299
- For non-Academy members: $399
As for accommodations: The Indianapolis Marriott Downtown is offering a reduced rate for attendees (though that price will increase beginning March 26).
- Click here to book housing.
Now, I have to ask … what prompted this new summit format?
We had the very same question …
AAO President Jeffrey Walline, OD, PhD, FAAO, noted that the organization wanted to offer the optometric profession “ top-level education outside of the annual meeting,” which kicks off Sept. 30 - Oct. 3 in Anaheim, California.
- “We know from experience that Indianapolis is a great place to hold a meeting, both from a travel and entertainment standpoint, so we hope to welcome you to the first of our new in-person regional meetings,” he added.
As such, the Retina Summit is the first of two synchronous in-person opportunities to be offered this year (we asked for clarification on that other opportunity … and are waiting to hear back).