SEATTLE IN OCTOBER: STRIVING FOR EXCELLENCE

For the past thirty years, I have had the pleasure of attending the annual meeting of our Academy. These meetings have been the highlight of my professional life. Academy meetings have improved my clinical practice, enhanced my knowledge in order to better teach my students and residents, and enriched my personal life through the development of life-long friendships with Fellows from many states and countries. Our Academy has been my personal professional compass, guiding me in my career as I continually strive to provide excellence in patient care and teaching. The 92nd annual meeting of our American Academy of Optometry promises to be another exciting educational experience. Our Lectures and Workshops Committee, under the guidance of Gay Tokumaru, has put together an outstanding program on a range of topics that provide the opportunity to both enhance your knowledge and apply that knowledge toward improved patient care. Presently, our Scientific Program Committee, lead by Michael Twa, is reviewing the abstracts of new discoveries, studies, and insights in clinical optometry and vision science. The submissions they select will be presented in our papers and poster sessions, which is at the heart of our mission as we provide Today's Research for Tomorrow's Practice. In addition, our Sections and SIGs have developed unique symposia with focused presentations from experts on timely topics with direct clinical application. Our Plenary Session will highlight the advancements in stem cell research with potential new ocular treatments in both corneal and retinal disease, led by international leaders in these fields. Our Awards Program includes the Glenn A. Fry and Charles F. Prentice Lectures where distinguished international leaders in ophthalmic research will outline their significant advancements of knowledge in eye care and vision science. Our Residents Day program provides a review of interesting cases and their management in both oral case reports and clinical posters. The highlight of our meeting is clearly the ability to meet, greet, and catch up with friends and colleagues from across the nation and the world, as well as the opportunity to greet our class of new Fellows at the Fellowship Banquet on Saturday evening. Please make plans to join me in Seattle from Wednesday, October 23 through Saturday, October 26, 2013. Make our meeting YOUR meeting, as we challenge ourselves to strive for professional excellence.