What to expect at the American Academy of Ophthalmology meeting

The 2025 American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO) annual meeting and expo are fast approaching. This year's meeting will begin on 18 October and will run through 20 October at the Orange County Convention Center West in Orlando, Florida.

Shortly before the main meeting, Subspecialty Day programmes are scheduled for 17 and 18 October. Day one features glaucoma, neuro-ophthalmology, ocular oncology and pathology, refractive surgery and the first retina day. On day two, attendees will focus on cornea, oculofacial plastic surgery and a continuation of the retina subspecialty day. All events are held in the Orange County Convention Center.

Other gatherings of interest are the American Academy of Ophthalmic Executives Practice Management Program and the American Academy of Ophthalmic Professionals Clinical Teams Program, which are scheduled for 17 to 20 October.

Those interested in attending the AAO meeting in person may register here.

AAO also offers the option to attend virtually; those interested can register at this link. The virtual meeting platform opens Tuesday, 14 October.

Main meeting highlights

Attendees have exhaustive educational opportunities to choose from, which include instructional courses, paper sessions, poster sessions, skills transfer courses, Academy Café, "Ask the Experts" programming, podium posters and symposia, all of which are sprinkled throughout the meeting.

The following is just a few of the available highlights on each day. All times are expressed in Eastern Daylight Time.

Friday, 17 October

• Troutman Award Lecture
  Deep Anterior Lamellar Keratoplasty Using Dehydrated Versus Standard Organ Culture-Stored Donor Corneas: Prospective Randomized Trial, from 11:57 to 13:35
• The Charles L. Schepens MD Lecture
  How to Describe New Diseases, the Same Skills Necessary to Become an Outstanding Clinician, from 9:23 to 10:35
• The 2025 American Glaucoma Society Subspecialty Day Lecture
  Truly Personalized Glaucoma Care, from 11:30 to 13:43

Saturday, 18 October

• Opening Session and Annual Business Meeting, 9:00 to 11:00
• Dr. Allan Jensen and Claire Jensen Lecture
  Technology, Artificial Intelligence, Ethics, and the Future of Ophthalmology, 11:30 to 12:30
• C. Stephen and Frances Foster Lecture
  “Bedside” to “Bench” and Back, 11:30 to 12:30
• Jackson Memorial Lecture
  Using Genetics for Glaucoma Screening and Risk Stratification, 9:46 to 10:11
• William F. Hoyt Lecture
  What Have We Learned from the Idiopathic Intracranial Hypertension Treatment Trial?, 14:57 to 15:15
• Michael F. Marmor Lecture in Ophthalmology and the Arts, 10:14 to 10:39
• Robert N. Shaffer Lecture
  Glaucoma at the Center of the Earth from 14:53 to 15:08

Sunday, 19 October

• YO Programme Part 1
  Private, Independent and Powerful: The Future of Solo Practice symposium, 8:00 to 9:15
• Zimmerman Lecture
  Discovery, 14:50 to 15:13
• Castroviejo Lecture
  Innovation in Ophthalmology: Advances in the Management of Endothelial Dysfunction, 10:38 to 10:58
• Parker Heath Lecture
  Innovations in Ophthalmology and Global Health Policy: Shaping the Future of Global Eye Care, 8:45 to 9:00
• Jones/Smolin Lecture
  Viral and Other Infectious Culprits of Conjunctival Tumors, 8:55
• Charles D. Kelman Lecture
  Perfect Prediction—Are We There Yet?, 16:40
• Marshall M. Parks Lecture
  High Pressure Situations: When Optic Discs Don’t Follow the Rules, 12:23 to 12:43

Monday, 20 October

• Scientific Findings from the RPB/AAO Award for IRIS Registry Research symposium, 9:45 to 11:00
• Wendell L. Hughes Lecture
  Prioritizing Anatomy and Knowledge of Surgical Techniques to Fuel Innovations, 10:33 to 10:48
• Whitney G. Sampson Lecture
  Role of Corneal Nerves in Wound Healing and Disease, 8:45 to 9:05
• Ruedemann Lecture
  Orbital Socket and Implant Management: Lessons Learned From Guatemala to Ukraine, 12:19 to 12:39

Exhibit Hall

The exhibit hall will be open on Saturday and Sunday from 9:00 to 17:00 and on Monday from 9:00 to 15:30.

The list of exhibitors is available in the AAO meeting guide.

Evening Events

A special event, Illuminate, is scheduled for Saturday, October 18, from 19:30 to 22:30. The venue is Live! at the Point Orlando, located at 9101 International Drive.

Illuminate, aka Illuminate the Night in Orlando, creates a block party-style event that will allow attendees to “reconnect, recharge, and revel in good company, all while supporting ophthalmic education," according to AAO.¹

Attendees can enjoy cocktails and appetizers while visiting four themed venues: Houndsmen Lounge, Sports and Social, PBR Cowboy Bar and Shark Bar.

This year, AAO will celebrate honorees Christie L. Morse, MD, and the Knights Templar Eye Foundation for their leadership and commitment to improving vision.

Tickets for Illuminate can be purchased tickets while registering for AAO 2025.

On Sunday, October 19, attendees can enjoy Universal Islands of Adventure from 17:00. And from 20:00 to 13:30, AAO invites conference attendees to “unlimited access to the most amazing theme park rides and attractions in Orlando,” during which time specific areas are reserved for conference attendees.

Tickets can be purchased while registering for AAO 2025.

Camp AAO

Camp AAO is a childcare opportunity offered by the AAO. Parents of children aged 6 months to 12 years can take advantage of this service

The camp is described as “a safe, nurturing environment located near the Orange County Convention Center. Children will have the opportunity to participate in arts and crafts, a variety of active games, and additional activities.”

Parents must provide food for their children at the time they are dropped off or parents can bring food during the day.

Registration and payment for Camp AAO are required by October 9.

Reference

1. Illuminate. American Academy of Ophthalmology. Accessed October 8, 2025. https://www.aao.org/foundation/celebration-overview