This two-hour hands-on workshop will allow attendees to gain experience with surgical procedures performed in the primary care optometric office. Injection techniques, ocular irrigation technique, radiofrequency surgical techniques and corneal foreign body removal will be demonstrated and performed.

Michelle Welch, O.D.

Jeff Anastasio, O.D.

This one hour course will serve to educate the Optometrist on proper protocol, prescribing and contraindications for the most commonly prescribed oral medications for the eye and adnexa. This course will briefly refresh the clinician on the pharmacology of these medications, but it will mainly focus on contemporary prescribing considerations through the use of clinical case presentations.

Ben Casella, O.D.

Opioids have and will continue to have their place in primary eye care. Prescribing these addictive medications comes with great responsibility on the part of the prescriber. This course will update the clinician on proper prescribing protocol for narcotic analgesic medications, including common indications, contraindications, dosage amounts, and pregnancy considerations. There will be case presentations for audience participation interspersed within.

Ben Casella, O.D.

This two-hour hands-on workshop will allow attendees to gain experience with laser procedures performed in the primary care optometric office. Selective Laser Trabeculoplasty (SLT), Laser Peripheral Iridotomy (LPI) and YAG capsulotomy will be demonstrated and performed using model eyes. Gonioscopy along with angle anatomy will also be reviewed and performed.

Michelle Welch, O.D.

Jeff Anastasio, O.D.

The eye and kidney are closely linked in both developmental origin and the predisposition to suffer from microvascular damage. With the rising number of patients diagnosed with acquired kidney diseases, eye care professionals need to be keenly aware of the associated ocular complications of reduced renal function. This course will review the impact reduced kidney function can have on common ocular pathologies as well as the importance of considering kidney function in management of patients.

Kimberly Darke, O.D.

This course seeks to give a doctor a good grasp on sleep apnea: its presentation, testing, treatment, and risks. The course highlights how the pathophysiology of sleep apnea can uniquely affect the eyes.

Meghan Elkins, O.D.

The eye is an extension of the brain. We perform dilated funduscopy to not only assess the integrity of the eye’s posterior segment, but also to detect telltale signs of systemic disease. In this course, scenarios are presented that illustrate ocular complications of a variety of systemic diseases, as well as profile the drug therapies used in their treatment.

Joe Pizzimenti, O.D.

Posterior segment imaging technologies have greatly enhanced our ability to visualize tissue microstructure, as well as assess risk for and detect early signs of disease. This course provides clinically relevant information about OCT/OCTA and other methods of posterior segment imaging. Case studies are used to illustrate interpretation and clinical applications of OCT/OCTA, wide field, en face, FAF, and enhanced depth imaging.

Joe Pizzimenti, O.D.

Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) imposes an enormous burden on optometrists and ophthalmologists, office staff, caregivers, and above all, patients and their loved ones. This course presents new clinical insights and in an effort to ease this burden, making the case for an emerging systemic approach to AMD that is similar to how we view diabetic retinopathy and retinal vascular occlusion.

Joe Pizzimenti, O.D.

Critical to the diagnosis and management of corneal edema and it’s the related pathophysiology, is the understanding of the corneal anatomy and the intricate balance between its layers. This presentation will review the science with specific focus on case-based clinical care utilizing commercially available imaging devices and pharmaceuticals. Additional emphasis will be placed on existing clinical practice guidelines to assist primary care optometry in a systematic approach to corneal edema diagnosis, management, and referral.

Lilly Arendt, O.D.

Identification of selected eyelid neoplasms will be briefly discussed. Excision techniques will be demonstrated. Chalazion management options, repair of mild entropion by suture and the technique for injection of Botox® for relief of blepharospasm will be discussed. Instructor narration of video of the procedures is included. Immediate, short term and long-term post operative care of eyelid procedures will be discussed. The course will benefit providers performing the procedures as well as those co-managing these patients.

Michelle Welch, O.D.

This course provides Florida-licensed optometrists with a comprehensive overview of the legal and regulatory framework governing the practice of optometry in the state. The curriculum is centered on Florida Statutes Chapter 463 and Rule Chapter 64B13 of the Florida Administrative Code. Participants will gain a solid understanding of the Florida Board of Optometry’s structure, its powers, and duties, as well as the licensure and certification requirements necessary for lawful practice.

David Rouse, O.D.

Attendees of this course will have a greater understanding of all aspects of performing YAG Capsulotomy, YAG Peripheral Iridotomy, and Selective Laser Trabeculoplasty. The course will cover how to prepare a patient, proper laser set up, use of the laser and post operative care for the procedures. Case examples, photos and videos of the procedures will be used to help facilitate a better understanding of the procedures.

Jeff Anastasio, O.D.

The glaucomas are a multifactorial family of optic neuropathies. The traditional approach is the lowering of IOP. To that end, no therapeutic approach has proven worthy of coming before current treatment of IOP. There are therapeutic approaches coming to light in glaucoma labs and in the world’s literature which highlight the need for and existence of glaucoma treatment modalities which go beyond lowering IOP. Several of these will be discussed in this course.

Ben Casella, O.D.

This course will discuss various anterior corneal pathologies and various tools to diagnose them. We will review the pathophysiology behind each condition. We will discuss the treatment and management of each condition and how superficial keratectomy can impact the corneal curvature prior to cataract surgery.

Lilly Arendt, O.D.