WashU Medicine Faculty to Present at the 2026 American Academy of Ophthalmology Annual Meeting
Faculty from the WashU Medicine John F. Hardesty, MD Department of Ophthalmology & Visual Sciences will share their expertise at the 2026 American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO) Annual Meeting, taking place October 9–12 in New Orleans, Louisiana.
The annual meeting brings together ophthalmologists and eye care professionals from around the world for education, scientific exchange and discussion of advances across the field of ophthalmology. WashU Medicine faculty will contribute to the 2026 program through lectures, panel discussions, instructional courses, skills transfer sessions and other educational programming.
Aaron Y. Lee, MD, MSCI
Section VI: AI and the Business of Retina
How AI is Making Practice More Efficient
Friday, October 9 | 1:15–2:12 p.m. | Lecture | New Orleans Theater
Retina, Vitreous Original Papers
Sunday, October 11 | 3:45–5:00 p.m. | Panelist | 255–257
Alexandra Zdonczyk, MD, and Andrew R. Lee, MD
Surgical Approaches to Traumatic Pediatric Cataract With Anterior Capsule Violation: A Case Series
Available On Demand
Andrew JW Huang, MD, MPH
Skills Transfer: Surgery for Severe Corneal and Ocular Surface Disease
Saturday, October 10 | 11:00 a.m.–12:30 p.m. | Instructor | 356
Skills Transfer: Microsurgical Suturing Techniques
Monday, October 12 | 8:00–9:30 a.m. | Instructor | 356
Arsham Sheybani, MD
Poster Panel Discussion: Glaucoma
Friday, October 9 | 4:00–4:30 p.m. | Monitor Hall C: Discussion Station 1
Seeing Red – Critical Diagnoses You Can’t Miss
Saturday, October 10 | 2:00–3:15 p.m. | Panelist | The Great Hall A
Spotlight on Cataract: Phaco/IOL Challenges—My Top 5 Pearls
Phaco with Pseudoexfoliation
Monday, October 12 | 9:00 a.m.–12:15 p.m. | Lecture | The Great Hall A
Carla J. Siegfried, MD
The 2026 American Glaucoma Society Subspecialty Day Lecture
Understanding Post-Vitrectomy Glaucoma: A Scientific Journey Led by Curiosity, Sparked by Serendipity
Friday, October 9 | 11:10 a.m.–1:05 p.m. | Lecture | The Great Hall A
AAOE Instruction Course
Rethinking Communication Ethics in Clinical Practice
Saturday, October 10 | 9:45–11:00 a.m. | Instructor | 208–209
Dr. Allan Jensen and Claire Jensen Lecture in Professionalism and Ethics
Saturday, October 10 | 11:30 a.m.–12:30 p.m. | Chair | 271–273
Cecilia Lee, MD, MS
Retina, Vitreous Original Papers
Sunday, October 11 | 3:45–5:00 p.m. | Panelist | 255–257
Erin Sieck, MD
A Jambalaya of Topics to Jazz Up Your Glaucoma Knowledge in 2026
Who, What, Where? The Right MIGS for the Right Patient
Saturday, October 10 | 11:30 a.m.–12:45 p.m. | Lecture | LA Nouvelle Orleans AB
Gregory T. Lueder, MD
Academy Café: Pediatric Ophthalmology
Saturday, October 10 | 8:00 a.m.–9:15 p.m. | Chair | 275–277
Gregory Van Stavern, MD
Section III: The Double Vision Dilemma
Friday, October 9 | 1:20–3:27 p.m. | Panelist | LA Nouvelle Orleans AB
Instruction Course: BCSC 5 Neuro-Ophthalmology: Pearls and Updates
Monday, October 12 | 8:00–9:15 a.m. | Instructor | R06
Instruction Course: The Swollen Optic Nerve: A Basic Guide to Evaluation and Management
Monday, October 12 | 11:30 a.m.–12:45 p.m. | Instructor | R06
Philip Custer, MD, FACS
Section I: Coffee With The Experts: Core Concepts in Oculoplastics
Trachoma in the United States: Success Story or An American Tragedy?
Saturday, October 10 | 8:02–8:57 a.m. | Lecture | 243–245
Section II: The Masked Surgeon—A Comparison of Common Surgical Procedure Videos
Saturday, October 10 | 8:57–10:39 a.m. | Panelist | 243–245
Praneetha Thulasi, MD
Skills Transfer: Surgery for Severe Corneal and Ocular Surface Disease
Sunday, October 11 | 11:00 a.m.–12:30 p.m. | Instructor | 356
Skills Transfer: Phacoemulsification and Advanced Techniques
Sunday, October 11 | 3:30–5:00 p.m. | Instructor | 345
Rajendra S. Apte, MD, PhD
Section IX: Wet AMD
Friday, October 9 | 3:45–4:30 p.m. | Panelist | New Orleans Theater
Steven Couch, MD
Section IV: The Networking Game—Different Approaches to Cosmetic Oculofacial Cases by an Expert Panel
Saturday, October 10 | 11:34 a.m.–1:25 p.m. | Panelist | 243–245
Todd Margolis, MD, PhD
Instruction Course: Evaluation and Management of Painful Dry Eye Symptoms: Nerves vs. Tears
Saturday, October 10 | 9:45–11:00 a.m. | Instructor | 280–282
Marin Woronets, COT, and Tina Edwards, COA
Clinical staff will also contribute to ACE 2026’s hands-on educational programming. Marin Woronets, COT, and Tina Edwards, COA, will teach in the Clinical Skills Learning Labs, including Clinical Skills Learning Lab 1 and Clinical Skills Learning Lab 2.
Learn More About AAO 2026
The 2026 American Academy of Ophthalmology Annual Meeting will take place October 9–12 in New Orleans, Louisiana. The meeting offers opportunities for ophthalmologists and eye care professionals to engage in continuing education, scientific presentations and discussions covering a broad range of ophthalmic specialties.
For the latest information about the annual meeting, including the complete program and schedule, visit the American Academy of Ophthalmology Annual Meeting website.