Chicago this year's host to 2,000 AAO scientific sessions

Chicago will play host to the 109th annual meeting of the American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO). The main meeting will run from Saturday, Oct. 15 to Tuesday, Oct. 18, but it will be preceded by 2 full days of subspecialty presentations beginning on Friday, Oct. 14. All of the subspecialty day programs and scientific program sessions will be held at the McCormick Place Convention Center on Chicago's beautiful lakefront. On Wednesday, Oct. 19, from 8 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., "The Best of the Academy in Spanish 2005" will be held in the Imperial Ballroom at the Fairmont Chicago.

This year's program includes more than 2,000 scientific sessions. Attendees can expect to leave with new perspectives on recent technology advances and their impact for enhancing patient care.

Subspecialty days

Friday sessions start at 8 a.m. and run until 5:15 p.m. Saturday sessions also start at 8 a.m. (7:50 a.m. for Uveitis 2005) and are scheduled to conclude between 5:15 and 6:30 p.m.

Registrants for either of the 2-day sessions have the flexibility to float between any of the subspecialty day programs. Persons registering only for one of the Saturday programs can drop in to any of the other three meetings taking place that day.

Subspecialty Day tabletop exhibits will be open on Friday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.; and a Welcome Reception is being held from 4:30 to 6 p.m.

Opening session

The opening session will be held on Sunday, Oct. 16, between 8:30 and 10 a.m. in North Hall B. The program is being moderated by Edward J. Holland, MD, and includes addresses by AAO President Susan H. Day, MD, President-Elect Harry A. Zink, MD, and Executive Vice President H. Dunbar Hoskins Jr., MD.

At 9 a.m., Francis S. Collins, MD, PhD, director of the National Human Genome Research Institute, will deliver the keynote speech on "Genomics and the Eye." Following Dr. Collins, Randolph L. Johnston, MD, will give the academy's update on optometric surgery efforts. The opening session concludes with the Jackson Memorial Lecture and Award Presentation. Stanley Chang, MD, is this year's recipient of that award, and he is scheduled to speak on "Late Open- Angle Glaucoma After Vitrectomy."

Scientific program

The scientific program presents a spectrum of topics in a variety of forums.

The popular spotlight sessions are again part of the scientific program for the 2005 annual meeting. This year three spotlight sessions are on the agenda, and all will be held in North Hall B. "Spotlight on Cataract Surgery: New Pearls on Managing Complicated Cases and Complications" will take place on Monday, Oct. 17, from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. It includes more than 30 presentations and culminates with I. Howard Fine, MD, delivering the inaugural Charles D. Kelman Lecture entitled "Technique Ahead of Its Time." Monday evening from 5:30 to 8 p.m., the "Glaucoma and More" session will focus on the overlap between glaucoma and other ophthalmology subspecialties. Attendees will enjoy a reception from 7 to 8 p.m. "Spotlight on Glaucoma: Glaucoma Care and Technology" is on the schedule for Tuesday from 8:30 to 11 a.m. and takes a look at state-of-the-art techniques for glaucoma detection and monitoring.