The American Academy of Optometry hosted its annual conference Oct. 11 to 14 at New Orleans’ Ernest N. Morial Convention Center.

The show featured educational programs including workshops, lectures, and Academy Classroom Exchange courses, as well as an exhibit hall featuring approximately 150 vendors. The night of Friday, Oct. 13, attendees were invited to the grand ballroom of the Hilton Riverside for dancing, featuring the music of the Bad Habits.

2023 award recipients

On the evening of Oct. 13, the 2023 American Academy of Optometry Awards Ceremony was held. Those honored at the ceremony and the award they received were:

• Eric B. Papas, PhD, BScOptom (Charles F. Prentice Medal and Lecture)
• Alex R. Bowers, PhD, MCOptom, FAAO (Glenn A. Fry Award and Lecture)
• Rabia Mobeen, BOptom, BA, MPhil Optom (Irvin M. and Beatrice Borish Award)
• Timothy A. Wingert, OD, FAAO (AAO-Essilor Award for Outstanding International Contributions to Optometry)
• Jennifer Deakins McCreight, OD, FAAO (William Feinbloom Award)
• Nathan Efron, AC, DSc, FAAO (Carel C. Koch Memorial Medal Award)
• Anne Mika Moy, OD, FAAO (Vincent Ellerbrock Clinician Educator Award)
• Annabelle Sedon (Julius F. Neumueller Award in Optics)
• Marlee M. Spafford, OD, MSc, PhD, FAAO (Michael G. Harris Family Award for Excellence in Optometric Education)
• Jameel Rizwana Hussaindeen, MPhil, FAAO, PhD (AAOF Outstanding Emerging Leader Award)
• Vondolee Delgado-Nixon, PhD, FAAO (AAOF Excellence in Diversity Awareness and Education Award)
• Ian L. Bailey, OD, FCOptom, DSc, FAAO (Tony Adams Eminent Service Award)
• Jason Nichols, OD, PhD, FAAO (Max Schapero Memorial Lecture Award)
• Ralph P. Stone, PhD (Founders’ Award)
• Donald Korb, OD, FAAO (Exemplary Service Award)
• Padhmalatha Segu, OD, FAAO (Henry B. Peters Memorial Award)
• Additionally, the Garland W. Clay Award was given to the authors of the paper “Ocular Component Development during Infancy and Early Childhood,” by Mutti DO, Sinnott LT, Mitchell GL, et al, published in the November 2018 edition of Optometry and Vision Science.

Academy 2024 show

The Academy’s 2024 show will be held in the city of Indianapolis, Nov. 6 to 9. OM