The conference, which returned for the first time since the pandemic to the Telford International Centre, saw delegates attending cutting-edge lectures, seminars, peer reviews, and hands-on skills and discussion workshops. The programme, where delegates could gain up to 15 interactive CPD points, saw optometrists discussing hot topics such as myopia management, OCT, and the future of eye care.
The keynote lecture, entitled; ‘What does good integrated eye care look like?’, was co-presented by College Immediate Past President, Colin Davidson FCOptom, and Professor Bernie Chang, President of The Royal College of Ophthalmologists. On the keynote, Colin said; “It was great to see members and delegates from all four nations come together to discuss such an important topic. As the last two years have proved, it is difficult to predict exactly how the future will look. However, I hope the session further strengthened the view of how our partnerships with the whole eye care sector will help to advance the profession and fulfil our ambition for optometrists to be recognised as the first point of contact for eye health care. I would also like to thank all those who contributed to the keynote session, and hope the success stories and advice shared help those optometrists who aren’t yet involved in delivering integrated eye care services, feel empowered in starting their journey.”
Christina Olner MCOptom, Head of Professional Services at CooperVision, said; “CooperVision are thrilled to have been platinum sponsor of Optometry Tomorrow 2022. We welcomed the opportunity to return to in-person events with The College of Optometrists’ members and industry associates. It was a pleasure to see so many delegates engaging with the diverse education offering and we look forward to future partnerships with the College.”
Dr Rachel Hiscox MCOptom, Professional Education and Development Manager at Johnson & Johnson Vision, said; “Johnson & Johnson Vision were delighted to be a platinum sponsor of Optometry Tomorrow 2022, supporting eye care professionals with education allowing them to provide the best care for their patients. It was great to be able to reconnect with professionals face to face after so long!”
Following the conference, delegate Emily Hedley MCOptom, Lecturer at Teesside University, said; “Thank you for another excellent event. The College of Optometrists continues to provide outstanding opportunities to further our knowledge and keep up-to-date with emerging technologies and research. It was lovely to catch up with some familiar faces and make acquaintances with many others. I loved the variety of content this year. We were really spoilt for choice when selecting the sessions we wanted. I am already looking forward to the next Optometry Tomorrow - thank you, again.”
The conference featured a trade exhibition with over 35 exhibitors and sponsors, including platinum sponsors, CooperVision and Johnson & Johnson Vision; gold sponsors, Positive Impact and SpaMedica; silver sponsors, Bausch + Lomb, EssilorLuxottica, Lumenis, Scope Ophthalmics, Thea Pharmaceuticals, Topcon Healthcare; bronze sponsors, Alcon Eye Care Ltd, Docet, Optos and No7 Contact Lenses.
Dr Sara McCullough MCOptom, Dr Lesley Doyle MCOptom and Professor Kathryn Saunders FCOptom were the winners of the Optometry Tomorrow Poster Prize 2022 for their poster, ‘Evidence-based myopia management: Introducing the ‘predicating myopia onset and progression’ (PreMo) indicator.