SECO has long been known as the education destination. But this year, the congress revolves around a theme, “The Big Picture, Widen Your Perspective,” which is designed to help you and your staff gain a greater perspective on how to implement the latest research and technology into your day-to-day practice.

This year’s congress will be held from Feb. 24-28 in Atlanta. SECO 2016 will offer nearly 400 courses and a total of 173 CE credit hours, with a maximum of 35 CE credits available for optometrists.

 “SECO is the go-to meeting for those who want the tools to tackle the challenges of today’s health care demands,” says Paul C. Ajamian, OD, SECO optometric education committee chair. “From ground-breaking sessions to custom-tailored teaching, SECO sets the stage for an unforgettable experience.” 

Some highlights of this year’s congress you don’t want to miss include:

Thursday, Feb. 25
Pre- and Post-op Cataract Surgery, 2-4pm. During this new learning lab in the exhibit hall, Daryl Mann, OD, Jason Duncan, OD, and Nilou Soltanian, OD, will help you become proficient with pre-op and post-op cataract evaluations, including patient selection, IOL counseling and understanding traditional vs. laser surgery. During the lab, a variety of patients (one day, one week and one month post-surgery) will be available for you to examine to reinforce proper examination protocols. This course is for the novice as well as the experienced doctor. 

Friday, Feb. 26
Understanding Alzheimer’s, 7:45-8:45am. Leonard Messner, OD, will provide an overview of the pathophysiology and non-ocular and ocular manifestations of Alzheimer’s disease. Special attention will be paid to OCT, low contrast acuity and visual motor dysfunction as biomarkers of disease activity and progression. 


Terry Kim, MD, spoke on cutting-edge cornea during a 2015 Special Session. Photo: SECO.

The Sky’s the Limit—Or is It?!, 9-11am. This special session will question the underlying assumptions about glaucoma that have been made for decades. It will also propose new mechanisms of disease pathophysiology and introduce new treatment options to help patients. In this exclusive SECO session, John Berdahl, MD, will update the audience on innovations in eye care, what is making news at the ASCRS meetings and special insights into his research with  NASA.

Answers about AREDS, 1:45-2:45pm. With the understanding that AMD is everywhere and doctors must have a working knowledge of nutritional therapy, this course will discuss AREDS1 from a historical perspective and AREDS2 from a current-day practical perspective to help you implement changes into practice. The course will be presented by Jeffry Gerson, OD.

Heads Up! The Science Behind Concussions and Vision, 5-7pm. Christina Master, MD, and Michael Gallaway, OD, will discuss the pathophysiology of concussion injury and acute management strategies. Clinical assessment of the vestibular and oculomotor systems will be described along with approaches to rehabilitation patients with post-concussion vision deficits. Recent data on the prevalence and treatment of visual dysfunction in concussion will be presented as well.

Saturday, Feb. 27
Fresh Look at Fields and OCTs, 9:15-11:15am. Nationally-respected expert Don Hood, PhD, will increase your understanding of glaucomatous damage and how to measure it using OCT and adaptive optics during this special session. You’ll see the nature of glaucomatous damage to the macula through both visual fields and imaging results, as well as learn methods for improving the detection of glaucomatous damage. 

Secrets of an Oculoplastic Surgeon, 1:15-3:15pm. Byron Wilkes, MD, will cover the common diagnoses and management of a comprehensive oculoplastic and orbital surgery practice. Dr. Wilkes will describe common eyelid lesions and functional eyelid diagnoses such as entropion, ectropion, dermatochalasis and ptosis. Dr. Wilkes will also discuss cosmetic surgery in a comprehensive ophthalmology practice using pre- and post-op photos.

Amniotic Membranes Learning Lab, 1:15-3:15pm. This two-hour wet lab is designed to give the clinician hands-on experience in placing amniotic membranes. Indications for clinical use and proper coding and billing will also be discussed. The course will be presented by Doug Devries, OD, and Dave Kading, OD.

Beyond Ebola and HIV Update, 5-6pm, 6-7pm. Presented by infectious disease expert Robert Kalayjian, MD, these two courses will explore genetic and environmental factors that drive new and resurgent epidemics such as ebola, multidrug resistant pathogens and malaria. The benefits and controversies of vaccines in the control of such epidemics will also be discussed. 

Dr. Kalayjian will also present information on the Zika virus.

Inside MS, 5-7pm. Dr. Messner will take the stage again to present this course, which will provide a comprehensive review of the neuro-ophthalmic manifestations of multiple sclerosis (MS), including optic neuritis, brainstem motility disorders, nystagmus and cranial neuropathies. Dr. Messner will also present the epidemiology and pathogenesis of MS, along with an overview of neuro-imaging and OCT findings.

For more information or to register, go to www.seco2016.com