Dress code: business casual

Join us for an interactive program discussion on myopia management best practices facilitated by an expert. Learn about the newest ACUVUE® AbilitiTM innovation. Attend, learn, & apply expert insight to help you treat your myopic patients.

Breakfast provided and sponsored by: Johnson & Johnson Vision

Participants will learn what are the latest pharmacological treatments and technologies in dry disease management.

Breakfast provided and sponsored by: SunPharma

This session will also give you strategies to maximize revenue and fill “the patient eyecare basket” with a comprehensive offering of products and services in your clinic.

Breakfast provided and sponsored by: Bausch + Lomb

Some believe Artificial Intelligence will threaten Optometrists. What is artificial intelligence and how can it become the needed tool to improve eye care? How do optometrists get there? 

The world of contact lenses is rapidly evolving. Many technologies can now be incorporated into contact lenses, whether to assess health, deliver medication or increase visual capacity. This conference will demonstrate the state of the art: what is possible today but more importantly what is achievable tomorrow.

Session offered in French with simultaneous interpretation in English 

Participants will gain an understanding of the foundation of AI in healthcare and the impact to current healthcare delivery models. They will learn how autonomous AI for diabetic retinal testing is being implemented as a point-of-care solution and be able to discuss the value of autonomous AI to optimize optometric patient management.

Explore the use of artificial intelligence in the practice of optometry and its application.

Session offered in French with simultaneous interpretation in English 

Introduce a reality based view of how Artificial Intelligence is currently being applied in medical and other fields. There is a lot of hype, and fear, of what AI can do and will do. I hope to prove what is the current reality with real world examples as well as future applications.

This course will discuss how assumptions about race and ethnicity have been discussed in the health care historically, and how this has influenced education, treatment, and disease management. Using an evidence-based framework, it will discuss how health inequities in optometry could be ameliorated by using better methods of categorizing patients.

Educate optometrists on the latest innovations in ocular surface disease management and how to incorporate these technologies into practice. 

Join us for an overview of University of Montreal research projects funded by COETF. The COETF has supported optometric research, education, growth and professional development through unrestricted cash awards totaling over two million dollars to qualified applicants since its inception in 1977. The COETF supports ground level development by giving grants to qualified applicants who are doing valuable research. Some of these research projects will have impacted you already whether you know it or not, and as health care becomes more of an issue in Canada, research and development will be invaluable. Join Dr. Etty Bitton and Dr. Langis Michaud as they review recent research projects that are advancing the practice of Optometry in Canada.

Click here to learn more

Session offered in French with simultaneous interpretation in English 

This course will discuss evidence-based diagnosis and referral patterns for retinal holes, tears and detachments, outline updates in the treatment and classification of central serous chorioretinopathy, and discuss the how and when to order blood work to investigate retinal findings.

Join us at the CAO Breakfast Session hosted by Clarion Medical Technologies and discover the secrets to Dr. Roland Toyos' highly successful Dry Eye Clinic. With years of experience and expertise, Dr. Toyos will share his knowledge on how to create a Dry Eye Center of Excellence using cutting-edge technology like the OCULUS Keratograph® 5M and the LUVO DARWIN Multi-Modality system. Learn how he provides personalized care to his patients, ensuring they get the relief they need. Don't miss this opportunity to gain valuable insights from a true dry eye expert. Register now for the "Creating a Dry Eye Center of Excellence" event.

Learning objectives:

• Dry Eye Implementing
• Dry Eye in your Practice
• Valuable Insight from a Dry Eye Expert

Breakfast provided and sponsored by: Clarion Medical Technologies

It’s a hot topic these days – how to manage ocular surface disease ahead of surgery. But what happens when it is a two-year waitlist ahead of cataract surgery? What artificial tears can truly make a difference in patient outcomes after surgery? Join Dr. Piuze to think about both the short- and long-term education you can provide to patients to set them up for success and set yourself apart from the crowd through managing ocular surface disease.

Learning Objectives:

• Demonstrate how you can treat dry eye disease from mild, moderate to severe even in patients who are recalcitrant or refractory ahead of ocular surgery.
• Review and assess the tools and treatment to build your practice to treat dry eye disease including full office support to achieve success for the practice and patients.
• To build your practice through increased patient retention, enhanced interactions with your patients by addressing their reoccurring dry eye symptoms ahead of ocular surgery.

Breakfast provided and sponsored by: Théa Pharma

This program will provide an overview of geographic atrophy (GA), including diagnostic testing and risk factors, the role of complement in pathophysiology of GA. The program will also discuss current managements options of GA and discuss a patient case.

Learning objectives:

• Evaluate the natural history and underlying mechanisms of geographic atrophy (GA)
• Discuss imaging techniques for the diagnosis and monitoring of GA lesions
• Review risk factors associated with rate of GA progression

Breakfast provided and sponsored by: Apellis

Learning Objectives:

1. Display ability to identify pertinent historical information relating to ocular urgencies and emergencies.
2. Be able to identify the major classes of ocular pharmaceuticals that are necessary in the management of ocular urgencies and emergencies.
3. To have the ability to use the basic clinical instrumentation needed to assess the ocular emergency patient.
4. Awareness of common laboratory tests used to diagnose the ocular emergency patient.
5. Recognition of the most encountered ocular emergencies involving the ocular adnexa.
6. Recognition of the most encountered ocular emergencies involving the anterior segment structures.
7. Recognition of the most encountered ocular emergencies involving the posterior segment structures.

OPTOFAIR is the only national tradeshow dedicated to the optometric profession. It provides a dynamic forum for optometric professionals to meet with suppliers and partners from across Canada and more. Please visit the Who's Exhibiting page or Optofair for more information.

Learning Objectives:

1. To understand the latest information relating to the pathophysiology of glaucoma.
2. To identify risk factors associated with glaucoma.
3. To review recent literature that discusses epidemiological trends associated with glaucoma.
4. Discussion of the most recent diagnostic tools that aid in the diagnosis of glaucoma.
5. To review the most recent therapeutic agents available for the medical management of glaucoma.
6. A discussion of the latest surgical options available to treat the glaucoma patient.

Description of IPL, LLLT, RF technologies as well as an overview of some new molecules or those under development

Session offered in French with simultaneous interpretation in English 

Learning Objectives:

1. To understand the latest information relating to the pathophysiology of glaucoma.
2. To identify risk factors associated with glaucoma.
3. To review recent literature that discusses epidemiological trends associated with glaucoma.
4. Discussion of the most recent diagnostic tools that aid in the diagnosis of glaucoma.
5. To review the most recent therapeutic agents available for the medical management of glaucoma.
6. A discussion of the latest surgical options available to treat the glaucoma patient.

When evaluating a young child with high myopia (>-6.00D), it is important to consider that a large proportion of these cases are associated with systemic and/or ocular conditions. This presentation will review these conditions and discuss the appropriate management of these young patients. A few clinical cases will also be presented.

Session offered in French with simultaneous interpretation in English 

We’re pleased to invite friends and alumni to the University of Waterloo’s reception at the Hilton during CAO Congress! We look forward to visiting with friends, enjoying providing an update on the Waterloo Eye Institute in beautiful and historic Québec City. For any inquiries, please contact optometry.alumni@uwaterloo.ca

Please click here to register

With the continued rise in presbyopes and impact on contact lens wear, this course will discuss the aspects involved in multifocal lens selection and fitting, including discussion on fitting tips and best practices

Breakfast provided

Almost half of those using digital devices suffer from dry eye. Digital dry eye or Screen associated dry eye is the new ocular surface disease. What is the right treatment for the right patient at the right time for the right reasons? 

Learning objectives:

• Know the digital device demographics
• Understand impact of blue light
• Identify causes of dry eye and digital devices

Breakfast provided

Critical to a clinician’s practice is the ability to diagnose and manage unique and interesting presentations of “typical” ocular conditions, or to be able to diagnose a previously un-encountered condition. The following interactive lecture will present patient cases with unique presentations of ocular conditions, including special testing. The course will focus on the clinician’s ability to analyze and interpret the unique case presentation and provide appropriate management and treatment options. 

Patients’ present taking a variety of medications both topical and systemic. This interactive presentation will review the Top 10 medications patients take and review the ocular side effects that they may present with.

The session will be a clinical case presentation. The cases are those of patients with unusual and/or long-standing persistent symptoms for whom vision rehabilitation has helped improve their quality of life. We will analyze the clinical findings, how these explain the patients' symptoms and treatments.

Session offered in French with simultaneous interpretation in English 

Review the pathophysiology of photophobia including the role of intrinsically photosensitive retinal ganglion cells, the limbic system, and the trigeminal-thalamic pain pathways. Discuss the different possible etiologies for photophobia post-TBI including ocular pathologies, migraine, blepharospasm, dry eye, medications, systemic disease (including thyroid disease) and psychiatric conditions. Elaborate on appropriate management options for patients including light re-adaptation strategies, tints, filters, medications, and environmental management of electronics and screen use and the evidence-based literature that supports it.

Tele-optometry now allows general examinations to be performed remotely. It is a technological tool that allows Canadian optometrists to provide primary eye care to patients with limited or no access to optometric services without having to travel. This session will discuss the tele-optometric examination, its usefulness and benefits, but also its limitations and what to consider before integrating this new technology into a traditional optometric practice. Teleoptometry is a tool, so it is important to learn about it in order to use it properly.

Session offered in French with simultaneous interpretation in English 

Review the pathoanatomy of fixational eye movements including microsaccades, tremor and drift and their overlap with saccades. Describe the vague visual symptoms that may occur when FEMs are over or under responsive and their implications in neurologic disease. Discuss the utility of FEMs in diagnosis and treatment of neurologic and ophthalmologic disorders like Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, multiple sclerosis, TBI, macular degeneration and amblyopia.

Ocular pharmacology has been in constant evolution for years. Different pharmacological molecules are used to treat different ocular conditions and optometrists are forced to use them every day of their practice. But what does the future hold? We know that the pathway for a molecule to be available to clinicians is long and intense, and that many molecules never make it to approval in different countries. So what drugs are currently being studied that will be part of optometrists' tools in the coming years?

Session offered in French with simultaneous interpretation in English 

Join us for the closing dinner party to enjoy the Québec City Convention Centre’s creative cuisine and taste menus showcasing Québec products!  Fine palates and avid foodies will have the opportunity to mingle freely around different food stations and discover unique artists’ awe-inspiring acrobatics stunts and interactions.

After dinner, get ready for an unforgettable experience with ground-breaking comedy musical acrobatic variety show that combines mind-blowing stunts with electrifying music mashups. The Painchaud family will deliver jaw-dropping acts with a show boasting an array of music that will have the entire audience tapping their toes to the beat. The live music features a multitude of instruments, each skillfully played by one of the four talented members of the group. Their high-energy performance brings people together through the power of music, creating an evening that is sure to be remembered for years to come. Don't miss it!

Dress code: business casual