2026 Annual Meeting - Technician & Nurse Program
Saturday, February 28, 2026
Hilton Columbus at Easton
HERE
2026 AGENDA
For each time period/session, choose ONE Lecture (L) or Workshop (W)
*If a presentation title is not hyperlinked to the slides, we do not have the file yet. Please check back.
8:00 am • SESSION 1
L1: Surgical Glaucoma Treatment
Ang Li, MD
This lecture wil provide an overview of glaucoma treatment options beyond medicines. It will showcase examples of case studies and surgical videos. By attending this lecture, attendees should gain an understanding of when to consider surgical glaucoma treatment and provide an overview of the types of available glaucoma surgery options.
L2: Ocular Motility Fundamentals (Beginner) (Prerequisite to workshop 4)
Amy Jost, MEd, COMT, CCRC
The instructor will describe proper ocular motility and alignment testing using cover-uncover testing, cross-cover testing, Maddox Rod, and Worth 4-Dot testing. The course will cover versions, ductions, tropias, phorias, and common deviations that are found during a routine work-up. Attendees will competently perform several types of ocular motility and alignmet testing, and identify and document findnigs of ocular motility and alignment testing.
W1: Biometry/A-scan
Beth Koch, COT
A demonstration of the IOL Master 700, Argos optical biometry and Immersion A-scan units will be followed by hands-on practice with trainer guidance and feedback. The optical biometry workshop will cover how to capture the biometric values needed in order to calculate accurate IOL Powers. Review of best practices and common trouble shooting tips will also be shared.
W2: Slit Lamp (Tonometry) (repeated, see also W12)
Veronica Plessinger, COMT
A demonstration of applanation tonometry will be followed by hands-on practice with trainer guidance and feedback. The intro to this tonometry workshop will cover how to prepare the equipment and the patient for tonometry. Instructors will demonstrate and encourage best practices and provide common trouble shooting tips.
9:05 am • SESSION 2
L3: Ophthalmic Repair & Maintenance
Jeffery Hunter, COT
This lecture will teach you how to save time and money by managing ophthalmic repairs, while keeping your coworkers and doctors happy. Objective is to troubleshoot repairs internally, and understand the options of repair on equipment.
L4: UBM (Interesting cases)
Brandy Lorek
This course will demonstrate the performance of high-quality ultrasound biomicroscopy (UBM) examination of the anterior segment, including defining normal anatomy and essential examination techniques. Interactive case studies focusing on differentiating anterior segment pathologies will be presented to reinforce the clinical application of UBM. The objective is to describe anterior segment anatomy and examination techniques for UBM, and Identify abnormal pathology and correlate these findings with common ophthalmic disease processes.
W3: Retinoscopy
Mike Woodard, COMT
A demonstration of retinoscopy will be followed by hands-on practice with trainer guidance and feedback. The retinoscopy workshop will cover how to prepare the equipment and the patient for retinoscopy. Instructors will demonstrate and encourage best practices and provide common trouble shooting tips.
W4: Ocular Motility (Beginner – Prerequisite to L2)
Amy Jost, MEd, COMT, CCRC
This course teaches technicians how to capture measurements and testing required to aid physicians in the diagnosis of diplopia, suppression and ocular alignment disorders. Demonstration of ocular motility and alignment testing will be followed by hands-on practice with trainer guidance and feedback.
10:05 am • BREAK + EXHIBITS
10:25 am • SESSION 3
L5: Refractive Surgery: Overview & Potential Complications
Casandra Brooks, MD
This lecture will review basis of refractive errors and laser-based refractive surgery procedure options and discuss potential complications associated with laser refractive surgery. By attending this lecture, attendees should be able to improve understanding of refractive errors and learn basics of laser refractive surgery options available and potential complications.
L6: What Your Retina Doctor Wants from You
Sarah Smith, MD
This lecture will discuss elements of patient screening, testing, and documentation that are especially important to retina providers. By attending this lecture, attendees should be able to identify staff skills and knowledge that can play important roles in safe and accurate diagnosis and management of retina patients as well as provide examples of cases where excellent staff engagement has let to timely patient treatment.
W5: Refraction (repeated, see also W9)
Veronica Plessinger, COMT and Latrice Jones-Bey, COT, MBA
A demonstration of refracting will be followed by hands-on practice with trainer guidance and feedback. The refraction workshop will cover how to prepare the equipment and the patient for refractions. Instructors will demonstrate and encourage best practices and provide common trouble shooting tips.
W6: Slit Lamp Exam/Angles
Nicole Smith, COT
A demonstration of the slit lamp exam techniques and how to assess angles will be followed by hands-on practice with trainer guidance and feedback. The slit lamp workshop will cover how to adjust the oculars, lighting, focus, and magnification. Review of best practices and common trouble shooting tips will also be shared.
11:30 am • SESSION 4
L7: Vision for Safety: Cataract Case Insights (OMIC)
Lauren Karipis, MHA, BS
Closed malpractice cases offer powerful lessons. Each closed case provides a real-world snapshot of where systems, communication, and documentation can break down. Understanding why adverse events happen rather than simply how, can improve risk awareness and lead to fewer patient injuries. By attending this session, you should be able to identify clinical, communication, and documentation pitfalls that increase the risk of adverse outcomes and litigation; recognize system-level and human factors that contribute to patient harm; and apply lessons learned from malpractice data into actionable risk management and patient safety strategies to prevent similar incidents in cataract and other ophthalmic procedures.
L8: Leadership Development Panel
Veronica Plessinger, COMT; Amy Jost, MEd, COMT, CCRC; Nicole Smith, COT
A review of basic coding and documentation guidelines, methods for training and coaching ophthalmic staff and outline ways to increase quality of care and efficiency. Attendees will learn understanding of strategy for coaching and training ophthalmic personnel, identify how to increase clinical efficiencies and improve quality of care, and outline best practices for documentation and coding.
W7: Pupil Assessment and Confrontation Visual Field
Latrice Jones-Bey, COT
A demonstration of pupil assessment and confrontation visual field testing will be followed by hands-on practice with trainer guidance and feedback. The instructors will demonstrate and encourage use of best practices and provide common trouble shooting tips.
W8: OCT/Fundus Photography
Heather Day
A demonstration of the Zeiss Cirrus HDOCT and the Heidelberg Spectralis OCT, as well as, Clarus and Optos Fundus photography will be followed by hands-on practice with trainer guidance and feedback. The OCT and Fundus Photography workshop will cover how to capture retina, macula, and optic nerve imaging. Review of best practices and common trouble shooting tips will also be shared.
12:30 pm • LUNCH
1:30 pm • SESSION 5
L9: Neuro-ophthalmology Pearls for Diagnosis and Management of Common Neuro-ophth Problems
Amy Babiuch, MD
A lecture on neuro-ophthalmology pearls will improve professional practice by addressing the gap between current practice and optimal care for common neuro-ophthalmic conditions. Many healthcare professionals may lack up-to-date knowledge on the subtle signs, diagnostic pitfalls, and modern management strategies for these complex conditions. This can lead to misdiagnoses, delayed treatment, and suboptimal patient outcomes. The lecture will provide a practical, "pearls-based" approach to help practitioners feel more confident in identifying and managing these problems more effectively.
L10: Eyelid lesions
Carisa Bohnak, MD
This lecture will discuss various eyelid lesions. By attending this session, you should be able to name the most common eyelid lesions and discuss management options.
W9: Refraction (repeat of W5, see above)
Latrice Jones-Bey, COT, MBA
A demonstration of refracting will be followed by hands-on practice with trainer guidance and feedback. The refraction workshop will cover how to prepare the equipment and the patient for refractions. Instructors will demonstrate and encourage best practices and provide common trouble shooting tips.
W10: Ocular Motility (Advanced – some motility experience is needed) (repeat of W14)
Amy Jost, MEd, COMT, CCRC
This advanced course teaches technicians how to capture measurements and testing required to aid physicians in the diagnosis of diplopia, suppression and ocular alignment disorders. Demonstration of ocular motility, alignment testing and the measurement of deviations will be followed by hands-on practice with trainer guidance and feedback.
2:35 pm • SESSION 6
L11: Ocular Oncology Demystified
Soumaya Bouhout, MD
This course provides an introduction to ocular oncology for professionals involved in the care of patients with ocular tumors. It covers the most common malignancies and their treatments. By attending this lecture, attendees should be able to identify key clinical features, diagnostic approach, and treatment modalities for choroidal melanoma and ocular surface neoplasia (OSSN); and recognize common complications of radiation delivered to the eye.
L12: Cornea (Transplants & Case Studies)
Swarupa Kancherla, MD
This course will give insight into interesting corneal conditions that can cause significant visual compromise and discomfort, thereby requiring a corneal transplant. The presenter will walk you through the different types of corneal transplants, through pictures/videos, as well as the patient experience before, during, and after these incredible surgeries. Attendees will gain knowledge of the number of corneal conditions that lead to poor vision, and understand the evolvement of corneal transplants over many years, and advancements in surgeries.
W11: Lensometry
Melissa Zarate, COA
A demonstration of manual lensometry will be followed by hands-on practice with trainer guidance and feedback. The instructors will cover how to adjust the oculars, lens table and lens holder, power drum, axis wheel to measure the power of the lenses. A brief overview of measuring prism will also be discussed. Review of best practices and common trouble shooting tips will also be shared.
W12: Slit Lamp (Tonometry) (repeated, see above W2)
Veronica Plessinger, COMT
A demonstration of applanation tonometry will be followed by hands-on practice with trainer guidance and feedback. The intro to this tonometry workshop will cover how to prepare the equipment and the patient for tonometry. Instructors will demonstrate and encourage best practices and provide common trouble shooting tips.
3:40 pm • SESSION 7
L13:Uveitis and IMT Therapies
Reese Bergstrom, MD
This course will describe fundamental concepts of uveitis and IMT to help edcate those who are actively involved in the care of these patients. By attending this lecture, attendees should be able to describe common clinical cases of uveitis found in clincs and IMT therapies for uveitis patients.
L14: Infection Control in the Ophthalmic ASC in 2026
Elethia Dean, RN
Infection Control has become paramount for every ophthalmic ASC. With COVID, SARS, and Influenza it is not only imperative to prevent infections such as endophthalmitis and TASS, now more diligence is needed to ensure communicable diseases do not enter the facility. The objectives will be to list one cause of toxic anterior segment syndrome, and identify one facet of the patient visit that should be included in an infection investigation.
W13: B-scan (Advanced)
Beth Koch, COT
This advanced course teaches technicians how to capture images required to aid physicians in the diagnosis of conditions affecting the anterior segment of the eye. Demonstration of performing B-scan Ultrasound followed by hands-on practice with trainer guidance and feedback.
W14: Ocular Motility (Advanced – some experience is needed) (repeat of W10)
Amy Jost, MEd, COMT, CCRC
This advanced course teaches technicians how to capture measurements and testing required to aid physicians in the diagnosis of diplopia, suppression and ocular alignment disorders. Demonstration of ocular motility, alignment testing and the measurement of deviations will be followed by hands-on practice with trainer guidance and feedback.
4:45 pm • ADJOURN
Complete Evaluation
2026 Event Exhibitors:
Amgen
ANI Pharmaceuticals
Apellis
Aura Biosciences, Inc.
Corza Medical
CVP EyeCare Partners
Dompe
Genentech, Inc.
Glaukos
Johnson & Johnson
Neurotech
OMIC
Optos
Phelcom
Sun Opthalmics
Topcon
Zeiss
