OD Meeting Schedule

Illinois 2025 Annual Meeting Schedule

TQ Hours:

All courses except the workshops are automatically available as TQ CE. Tests will be emailed out for every course where the attendee is scanned in and out. You will not need to add tests during registration or pay extra testing fees. Attendees can complete as many tests as they wish. 12 TQ hours are required for Illinois license renewal.

Thursday, September 25, 2025

11:30am

Golf Classic & Gray Cup
Fox Run Golf Links – Elk Grove Village, IL

Friday, September 26, 2025

8:00am - 11:00am

"Mastering OCT Interpretation Through Case Analysis" (3 hrs TQ) - CLOSED
Instructor: Carolyn Majcher, OD

This course will explore OCT findings and clinical applications for various vitreoretinal diseases utilizing a fast-paced, case presentation format.

"Enhance Your Understanding of Neuroimaging & Neuro-Ophthalmic Manifestations in Older Adults" (3 hrs TQ)
Instructor: Kelly Malloy, OD

Gain understanding of neuro-imaging studies ordered in optometric practice. This course will help you determine which study to order, how to order it, and some helpful hints about interpretation of imaging studies. Neuro-ophthalmic presentations occur from various underlying systemic conditions. Clinical cases are used to demonstrate clinical neuro-ophthalmic presentations of underlying conditions which occur more commonly with advancing age, including stroke, giant cell arteritis, cancer, neurodegenerative disease, and thyroid eye disease. The older adult population is expected to increase, so these conditions will become more prevalent.

9:00am - 11:00am

Ortho-K Workshop - Start to Finish (2 hrs Reg)
Instructor: Shalu Pal, OD
Additional $30 registration fee – Limited to 20 attendees

The excitement for overnight wear of contact lenses has been re-sparked with the use of this technique to management myopia. In this course learn how to choose candidates and initiate fits with either diagnostic lens sets, software or topographies. We will also go insertion and removal technique, evaluation of fits as well as troubleshooting.

11:00pm – 1:00pm

Exhibit Hall & Lunch (all attendees)

1:00pm – 4:00pm

"Scleral Lens, Managing Presbyopia and Myopia Management in Clinical Practice" (3 hrs TQ)
Instructor: Shalu Pal, OD

As we all continue to learn how to fit scleral lenses, we are bound to run into more and more complications. How to manage these complications is the key. This course will review basic fitting and the top 20 most common and more advanced complications that arise with fitting contact lenses from patient discomfort, fitting issues, corneal complications and compliance in a simple way that makes fitting a breeze. The expectation of presbyopes to have functional vision in all ranges of vision is higher than ever before. Presbyopes are young active adults need hassle free vision. Let’s explore the options available to provide the best care for our patients. We can’t “un-see” what we now know about the fate of the population with respect to myopia and what we as optometrists can do about it! In this course I will show you how I've changed my myopia practice over the last 15 years to have the greatest impact.

“All Things Eyelids; Hot News or Not News?” (3 hrs TQ) - CLOSED
Instructor: Chris Wroten, OD

Let’s review commonly encountered lid pathologies in primary eye care, including characteristics, differential diagnoses, and options and techniques for treatment. Home- and office-based therapies, pharmaceutical interventions, and surgical options will be discussed, including injections, excision, incision, ablation, cryotherapy, and curettage lid procedures.

Then, using a fast-paced, multimedia format, you the audience get to vote on whether new and emerging eye care innovations are really “Hot News” or “Not News”. This unique course presents developments with diagnostic equipment, new and pipeline pharmaceuticals, wearable technology, surgical advances, contact lenses and spectacles, gene and cell therapy, and more, all vying for your votes as noteworthy breakthroughs in eye care!

4:00pm – 5:00pm

Exhibit Hall with drinks & appetizers
Decade themed - dress up in your favorite decade!

Saturday, September 27, 2025

7:40am

Industry Partner presentations:

Johnson & Johnson
"Exploring the Latest in Toric Lenses: Discover the Innovations in the ACUVUE® Family!"
Speaker: Mandy Sallach, OD

VSP

8:00am - 11:00am

"Recognizing and Co-Managing Surgical Complications & Exploring What's New in Dry Eye, MGD, and Blepharitis" (3 hrs TQ)
Instructor: Walter Whitley, OD

This course will discuss optometry’s increasing role in the peri-operative management of ocular surgeries. From cataracts to oculoplastics to retina surgeries, this rapid fire course will present common and not so common surgical complications and how to appropriately manage.

This lecture will also discuss future diagnostic and treatment options for ocular surface disease. Using case examples, presenter will provide perspective on managing various ocular surface conditions with the latest or potential treatments. Implementation pearls as well as best practices will be covered to take your practice to the next level!

“Elevating Anterior Segment Care: Uncommon Insights for Common and Complex Conditions ” (3 hrs TQ) - CLOSED
Instructor: Ashley Wallace-Tucker, OD

This course is designed to provide the attendee with a thorough review of the pathophysiology of corneal dystrophies and degenerations. We will discuss the signs and symptoms along with the expected prognosis and visual outcome for each condition. Modern treatment options including pharmaceuticals, contact lenses and surgeries will be presented. This course will also review several common conditions seen in everyday practice. We will review the traditional treatment options and then present a modern, less common approach. Then the course will introduce amniotic membranes as a treatment option for a variety of anterior segment conditions and diseases. We will explore the history of amniotic membrane use and then delve into the current applications of them into everyday optometric practice. The attendee will learn about the details of processing and procurement, mechanisms of action, and different types of amniotic membranes. Lastly, we will discuss how to properly bill and code in order to obtain appropriate reimbursement.

9:00am - 11:00am

WORKSHOP: "IPL & RF Workshop for Beginners: Classroom Didactic and Hands-On Use" (2 hrs Reg.)
Instructor: Jeffrey Michaels, OD
Additional $30 registration fee – Limited to 20 attendees

Intense Pulsed Light (IPL) and Radio Frequency (RF) are changing how optometrists treat dry eye disease. This course will encourage the OD with didactic and hands-on use for both IPL and RF.

11:00am – 1:00pm

Exhibit Hall & Lunch

1:00pm - 4:00pm

"Contemporary Concepts in Eyecare" (3 hrs TQ)
Instructor: John McGreal, OD

“Lies & Damn Lies About Diabetes and Diabetic Retinopathy: Don't Let Half-Truths and Misconceptions Derail Optimal Care of Your Patients” (3 hrs TQ)
Instructor: A. Paul Chous, OD

This course will consider a plethora of misconceptions regarding diabetes and diabetic retinopathy held by many patients, but also some of their health care providers. Effective and practical strategies will be discussed for delivering better eye and systemic care to people with diabetes.