SECO Certificate Programs

112 Minor Surgical Procedures
Jason Duncan, OD, FAAO
02/29/2024
2:15 PM - 4:15 PM
With an expanding scope, many optometrists are able to provide minor surgical procedures of the eye and adnexa. This course takes a look at a myriad of procedures that may be performed in the optometric office setting. Coding and billing is also discussed. Blades and radio waves! Are you ready to operate!?

300 Laser Workshop
Nate Lighthizer, OD; Chris Wroten, OD
03/01/2024
8:00 AM - 10:00 AM
The use of laser energy to treat various anterior segment conditions, including posterior capsular opacification (PCO), angle closure glaucoma, and open angle glaucoma, has been used by optometric physicians in certain states for over a decade now. This interactive lab will review and update these ophthalmic laser procedures. Attendees will get to perform YAG capsulotomies, laser peripheral iridotomies, and SLT’s with actual lasers on model eyes.

309 Lid Procedures & Injectables Workshop
Richard Castillo, OD; Jason Duncan, OD, FAAO; Sophia Leung, OD
03/01/2024
8:00 AM - 10:00 AM
Optometrists attending the Optometric Lid Procedures and Injectables Workshop at SECO 2024 can expect to gain invaluable knowledge and skills to greatly enhance their scope of practice. Attendees will benefit from hands-on experience and insights from leading experts in the field, allowing them to stay at the forefront of eye care advancements. Video demonstrations and hands-on practice suturing and administering periocular anesthetic, intralesional, and botulinum injections will be provided.

63 Special Session: Cornea on the Cutting Edge
William Barry Lee, MD, FACS
03/01/2024 
|5:00 PM -  7:00 PM

307 Laser Workshop
Nate Lighthizer, OD; Chris Wroten, OD
03/02/2024
12:30 PM - 2:30 PM
The use of laser energy to treat various anterior segment conditions, including posterior capsular opacification (PCO), angle closure glaucoma, and open angle glaucoma, has been used by optometric physicians in certain states for over a decade now. This interactive lab will review and update these ophthalmic laser procedures. Attendees will get to perform YAG capsulotomies, laser peripheral iridotomies, and SLTs with actual lasers on model eyes.

310 Lid Procedures & Injectables Workshop
Richard Castillo, OD; Jason Duncan, OD, FAAO; Sophia Leung, OD
03/02/2024
12:30 PM - 02:30 PM
Optometrists attending the Optometric Lid Procedures and Injectables Workshop at SECO 2024 can expect to gain invaluable knowledge and skills to greatly enhance their scope of practice. Attendees will benefit from hands-on experience and insights from leading experts in the field, allowing them to stay at the forefront of eye care advancements. Video demonstrations and hands-on practice suturing and

400 Teambuilding: Creating the Best Staff in Challenging Times
Frances Bynum, OD; Tonya Reynoldson, OD
02/28/2024
1:30 PM - 3:30 PM
Team building is a needed skill set for office management and growth. This course explains a step-by-step process on how to build a winning team using goals, personality typing, and rewards.

402 Facilitated Learning Lab: Building a Staff Development Program
Lynn Lawrence, MSOL, CPOT, ABOC, COA, OSC
02/29/2024
8:00 AM - 10:00 AM
Onboarding staff is one of the most critical times after hiring. To have a successful team within the practice you must develop individuals and the team. We will have an open discussion with attendees on how to onboard, train, training needs, and how to get the new staff up and going. In addition, how staff certification plays a role in the depth of training and staff retention, and how continuing education helps a practice.

408 Creative Incentives: How to Create and Retain a Motivated Team
Susan Keene, OD
02/29/2024
3:15 PM - 4:15 PM
Harness the power of a motivated team to help you reach your practice goals for success. In this course, you will learn how to educate your team around the KPI’s that drive practice success while using creative ways to incentivize and engage your team.

411 Speak Less, Listen More! Team First Practice Management
Katie Davis, OD
03/01/2024
7:00 AM - 8:00 AM
Two ears, one mouth. How can we build a culture of joy, compassion, and understanding in our practices to allow a happy and healthy environment for our team and patients to thrive? This course will explore the possibilities of a team-first perspective that encourages growth ... personal, professional, and financial.

413 What Does World Class Service Look Like to Your Young Employees and Customers?
Sharon Carter
03/01/2024
10:45 AM - 11:45 AM
We can easily get set in our ways and systems that have worked for us in our practices and ignore how important it is to stay on top of change. If we keep our head in the sand and do not recognize the wants and needs of our younger generations we will become irrelevant to them. This class identifies some of the expectations and ways to address them to keep our practices growing.

414 Leadershi!+: Being in Charge Can Get Messy
Ted McElroy, OD; Mick Kling, OD
03/01/2024
2:00 PM - 4:00 PM
They make you get a drivers' license to drive a car, but almost anyone can start leading without any proof they know what to do. This course will get into the sticky, ugly, messy middle of leadership and discuss how to keep your organization and you moving forward in times of doubt and confusion. Whether you are a CEO, Dr, Team Leader, or Team Member, this program is for you.

416 Facilitated Learning Lab: Hire Better, Faster, Smarter!
Ali Oromchian, Esq., JD, LLM
03/02/2024
8:00 AM - 10:00 AM
Embark on optimizing employee recruitment and retention for your optometry practice, led by the nation's top optometry attorney. This dynamic presentation offers strategies to build and sustain a high-performing team, focusing on hiring, onboarding, and fostering employee relations while mitigating legal risks. Learn to attract talent, expedite hiring, and ensure loyalty in a landscape marked by full employment. Elevate your practice's growth under premier optometry expertise.

403 Everyone in the Office is Killing Sales
Kayla Ashlee, ABOC, NCLE, COPE
02/29/2024
10:45 AM - 11:45 AM
When you hear, “Just here for the exam. I’m ordering glasses somewhere else,” what is your response? Every team member should be equipped with the tools to save these sales. Communication is key here and when your team knows how to effectively communicate with your patients the results are astonishing. Dive into ​​the roles your team plays in the patient journey and how each can be saving the sale by properly addressing objections.

405 When to Say Goodbye to a Frame
Jackie O'Keefe, ABOC
02/29/2024
1:00 PM - 2:00 PM
Ophthalmic frames and sunwear sales can have a huge impact in your practice. How closely are you keeping track? Are the frames on your boards really selling? Perception may be that they are selling, however numbers don’t lie. This course provides tools to mathematically calculate frame turnover rates. You will leave this course with a clear understanding of how to determine which frames/brands are not turning over and what steps to take in replacing them.

406 3 Red Flags of Mismanaged Frame Boards
Kayla Ashlee, ABOC, NCLE, COPE
02/29/2024
2:15 PM - 3:15 PM
If you have these flags do you know how to fix them? From unhinged frame reordering habits to buying for the sake of the perks and everything in between, these bad habits weaken the ability for your optical to effectively retail your frames. Learn how to identify the red flags and how to make an actionable plan to reverse these negative effects on your optical frame inventory.

409 Warranties & Redos: They Are Costing You Thousands
Kayla Ashlee, ABOC, NCLE, COPE
02/29/2024
4:30 PM - 5:30 PM
We have been made to think that warranties and redos are free perks but unfortunately, it is this belief that has resulted in lazy habits that are costing your optical thousands of dollars. We will teach you how to calculate the hidden but very real impact these habits have had in your optical and provide proven steps that opticals have taken to reverse the profit loss to your bottom line and reverse the bad habits.

415 Facilitated Learning Lab: Frame Inventory Management
Kayla Ashlee, ABOC, NCLE, COPE; Bill J. Gerber, BA, ABOC, NCLE, COPE
03/01/2024
2:00 PM - 4:00 PM
Remember clothing stores or boutique shops that you have visited that gave a vibe that made you want to linger a little longer and probably spend a little more. This feeling you get is a result of ideal retail merchandising that creates an energy and experience! Join us as we walk through optimizing an experience in your optical through frame inventory management and merchandising that will keep your patients wanting to linger a little longer.

724 The Psychology of Product Assortment
Bill J. Gerber, BA, ABOC, NCLE, COPE
03/01/2024
4:00 PM - 5:00 PM
In this course, attendees will learn the psychology behind product assortment to both achieve budget and most importantly, the majority of patients can get the products that will improve the quality of their lives. Gain a step by step plan to assess and improve your outcomes using the experiences. This system will make your product assortment experience enhancements manageable, fun, rewarding and dynamic for both the patient and the team.

725 The New Rules of Optical Retailing
Bill J. Gerber, BA, ABOC, NCLE, COPE
03/02/2024
11:15 AM - 12:15 PM
Why is most optical presentation outdated and what to do about it? Without effective in-store branding, messaging is lost. Maximize your potential by organizing the space and product presentation to capitalize on your “hot spots.” Learn how to merchandise based on your patients’ lifestyle needs. Connect the dots! The Doctor’s RX must be supported visually in optical. Develop the skills necessary to reinvigorate your space based on best practices + stimulate purchasing between exams!

701 The Math Behind Common Optical Concepts: PART 1
Andrew S. Bruce, LDO, ABOM, NCLE-AC
02/28/2024
3:30 PM - 4:30 PM
This course explores a selection of common optical concepts, from a mathematical perspective. Part 1 will address basic to intermediate topics and part 2 will explore more advanced topics. Actual examples will be provided for each concept discussed. The topics include, basic metric conversion, focal length formula, effective power formula, LARS, the oblique meridian formula, and, of course, prism.

702 The Math Behind Common Optical Concepts: PART 2
Andrew S. Bruce, LDO, ABOM, NCLE-AC
02/28/2024
4:30 PM - 5:30 PM
The conclusion of this 2-part course will expand upon the basics to explore more advanced common optical concepts, from a mathematical perspective. Topics include, lens magnification, Martin's formula for lens tilt, sagittal depth and lens thickness, keratometry interpretation and Calculated Residual Astigmatism (CRA), and advanced prism calculations.

704 Upgrade Your Standard SV
Brent McCardle, ABOM
02/29/2024
10:45 AM - 11:45 AM
Currently, we use 80% of single vision, with 70% being spherical or aspheric designs. How can we improve upon a lens design that has been around for more than 100 years?

705 The Progressive Maze
Brent McCardle, ABOM
02/29/2024
1:00 PM - 2:00 PM
Since the advent of free form technology lens designs have exploded. As an optician, it becomes hard to know which lens to choose or why a patient cannot adapt to a new lens. This course will explore when to use different lens designs and why.

707 Myopia Control Lenses
Brent McCardle, ABOM
02/29/2024
4:30 PM - 5:30 PM
Myopia has increased over 17% over the past 40 years in the US and has almost doubled in Asian countries. The cause of myopia is not well known, but there are some factors that point to its cause. We will explore different risk factors and some options to help reduce the increase of myopia.

708 Dispensing to Toddlers: A Unique Challenge
Jackie O'Keefe, ABOC
03/01/2024
8:00 AM - 9:00 AM
Dispensing eyewear to our little patients requires additional patience. These tiny consumers come with a parent or guardian so unique relationships must take place in a short period of time. What can we, as ECPs recommend to achieve the best fit and visual experience for the child? This course will demonstrate the best ways to measure the pupillary distance, look at better frame/lens designs for toddlers along with assessing the fit and adjusting techniques.

709 Dispensing to the Elderly: A Glimpse at the Aging Eye
Jackie O'Keefe, ABOC
03/01/2024
10:45 AM - 11:45 AM
When assisting the elderly, ECPs can do a lot to help enhance their visual experience and improve the quality of life by providing optical solutions to their subjective complaints. The process begins by understanding the milestones and trip stones these patients have endured over time. And a little empathy goes a long way. This course also examines the top eye disorders the aging eye experiences and what we can offer to ease their visual discomfort.

710 All about Frames: Parts and Materials
Jackie O'Keefe, ABOC
03/01/2024
2:00 PM - 4:00 PM
It’s imperative to understand each frame's unique attributes in order to present, recommend, and handle them properly. How many parts and pieces there are today, how they are assembled and what functions do they serve? With the vast array of frame materials available, it can be challenging to stay on top of current trends. Join us as we take a deep dive into plastics, metals, and other materials we offer our patients every day.

722 The Optics of Color From Lenses to Vision
Phernell Walker, II, MBA, ABOM, LDO, NCLEC
03/03/2024
8:00 AM - 9:00 AM
Chromatics is the optical physics of color. Colored/tinted ophthalmic lenses can affect color perception and the speed of processing information. From lenses to vision, this fun course will explore light theory, chromatics, anatomical color processing, lens designs to enhance color perception, and more.

700 Aniseikonia: The Problem, The Solutions
Andrew S. Bruce, LDO, ABOM, NCLE-AC
02/28/2024
1:30 PM - 3:30 PM
This course will provide an in-depth discussion on aniseikonia and its various types. The Problems: the ways in which it can be problematic and challenging, for both the patient and the eye care professional. The Solutions: the most effective optical corrective device (ophthalmic lenses or contact lenses), when treating the aniseikonic patient, based on the source of the ametropia.

727 Managing the Effects of Unequal Refractive Errors
Diane Drake, LDO, ABOM, NCLEM, FNAO
02/29/2024
8:00 AM - 10:00 AM
Patients want to know what their glasses will look like. We spend time discussing that with them. But…how will they see with their glasses or contact lenses? That’s an even more important question. Unequal refractive errors not only have an effect on how glasses will look, but how a person sees or even “IF” they see WELL. This course will present answers to these questions presenting both spectacle and contact lens options in the discussion.

714 Abbe Value and Refractive Index: The Ongoing Battle
Thomas R. Neff, MA, LDO, ABO-AC, NCLE-AC
03/02/2024
10:15 AM - 11:15 AM
This course will explore the relationship of Abbe value to refractive index. To give details of how the two correlate in your ability to give the best vision to your patient.

715 Power Optics of Magnification
Phernell Walker, II, MBA, ABOM, LDO, NCLEC
03/02/2024
12:30 PM - 1:30 PM
The optics of spectacle magnification is one of the key factors in achieving binocular vision. Opticians need to understand how lens geometry, substrate, and fitting conditions can affect spectacle magnification and ultimately patient vision. This course takes a deep dive into magnification optics and factors that matter most.

716 Image Formation of Analog to Digital Lens Designs
Phernell Walker, II, MBA, ABOM, LDO, NCLEC
03/02/2024
1:30 PM - 2:30 PM
Digital lens technology has revolutionized the way spectacle lenses are manufactured and prescribed. This course will explore the image formation differences between analog and digital lens designs, with a focus on providing the best visual outcomes for patients.

717 Ocular Pathology: A Low Vision Perspective
Phernell Walker, II, MBA, ABOM, LDO, NCLEC
03/02/2024
3:00 PM - 4:00 PM
This course will delve into the ocular pathologies commonly associated with low vision, including AMD, diabetic retinopathy, and glaucoma. Attendees will gain a deeper understanding of these conditions and learn effective strategies for managing and providing optical solutions for patients with low vision.

718 Binocular Vision and Prism
Phernell Walker, II, MBA, ABOM, LDO, NCLEC
03/02/2024
4:45 PM - 5:45 PM
Binocular Vision is vital to everyday life. When binocular vision fails to function (Binocular Vision Dysfunction) can result. Symptoms such as difficulty reading, driving, balance issues while walking and learning can occur. This course explores binocular vision, BVD, and treatment options including ophthalmic lenses with prism and vision therapy.

719 Lens Optics and Working Distance
Phernell Walker, II, MBA, ABOM, LDO, NCLEC
03/03/2024
9:00 AM - 10:00 AM
Opticians prescribe ophthalmic lenses every day. It’s important to understand the optics of ophthalmic lenses and how the lenses were designed to perform. Join Phernell Walker, Master Optician, and explore the optics of various lens types, working distance, and how to achieve exceptional patient outcomes.

720 Let's Talk About Effective Power and Compensated Power in Lenses
Thomas R. Neff, MA, LDO, ABO-AC, NCLE-AC
03/03/2024
10:00 AM - 11:00 AM
To fully understand lens compensation, we must first understand effective power and how it differs from vertex power. In this course you will learn the difference between vertex and effective power in spectacle lenses, differences in conventional and compensated spectacle lens prescriptions, the role effective power plays in lens compensation, and frame fitting procedures that may affect effective power; therefore, lens compensation.

721 Understanding Prism in the Lens
Thomas R. Neff, MA, LDO, ABO-AC, NCLE-AC
03/03/2024
11:00 AM - 12:00 PM
This course will cover understanding of prism from a formula standpoint, the implications of what will happen if there is unwanted prism in the lens. Also understanding the Lensometers various devices for measuring prism from prism rings to the prism compensating device. Attendees will leave with a more practice standing of prism in the lens.

500 SECO Contact Lens Summit PART I: GPs, Sclerals and Hybrids for Presbyopia
Milton Hom, OD; Ashley Ashley Wallace-Tucker, OD, FAAO, FSLS; Julie DeKinder, OD; Joseph Shovlin, OD
02/28/2024
12:30 PM - 2:30 PM
Contact lens correction for presbyopia has evolved from monovision to the more complex (hybrids and sclerals). We will cover the controversies, challenges and common ground for these options.

501 SECO Contact Lens Summit Part II: Solving the Unsolvable - CL Case Files
Ashley Wallace-Tucker, OD, FAAO, FSLS; Jeffrey Walline, OD, PhD; Milton Hom, OD; Julie DeKinder, OD
02/28/2024
3:30 PM - 5:30 PM
Have you ever encountered perplexing contact lens cases that left you wondering about the best approach? Delve into the world of expert contact lens practitioners as they unveil their most intricate and groundbreaking case studies from their extensive real-world contact lens files. This exclusive course invites you to journey with us and gain valuable insights into the astute strategies employed by these seasoned professionals in handling their most formidable challenges.

106 Specialty Lens Fitting Grand Rounds
Julie DeKinder, OD
02/29/2024
10:45 AM - 11:45 AM
This course will discuss patient cases involving the fitting of specialty contact lenses. Lens design and fitting discussions will include specialty gas permeable lenses for irregular astigmatism, prosthetic lens fitting and design, piggyback lens fitting, and other special cases. Lens design, the fitting process, and lens troubleshooting will be discussed for each case.

111 Myopia Management in Practice
Julie DeKinder, OD
02/29/2024
12:00 PM - 1:00 PM
This course will include an update on the latest in research and provide tips for implementing myopia management successfully in practice based on newest evidence-based guidelines. Discussion of specific lens designs, spectacles, and pharmacological options will be included with descriptions of how to successfully prescribe and troubleshoot all myopia management options.

62 Hot Topic Breakfast: Myopia Management in 2024
Julie DeKinder, OD; Jeffrey Walline, OD, PhD; Katherine Weise, OD, MBA, FAAO
03/01/2024
8:00 AM - 10:45 AM
This course offers a panel discussion on the newest evidence-based research in Myopia. The panel will provide updates on the latest in myopia research, including discussion of environmental, optical, and pharmacological interventions including tips for implementing myopia management successfully in practice.

304 Hands-on Workshop: Scleral & Ortho-K Fitting
Ashley Wallace-Tucker, OD, FAAO, FSLS; Milton Hom, OD
03/01/2024
2:00 PM - 4:00 PM
This two-hour presentation is an interactive, workshop format where the basic fitting principles of scleral contact lenses and orthokeratology lenses are discussed. The attendees will then put the principles into practice with each other while given further instructions and helpful guidance on decision-making.