SAN FRANCISCO—Academy 2016 Anaheim, the 95th annual meeting of the American Academy of Optometry (AAO), was the largest meeting in AAO history with 7,720 total registrants for the four-day event, which was held Nov. 9 to 12 at the Anaheim Convention Center.

In addition, AAO formally inducted Joseph P. Shovlin, OD, FAAO, as president during the meeting in Anaheim, and at the Saturday evening President’s Banquet a record 267 new Fellows were inducted into the AAO, according to an announcement from the Academy.

Fellows of the Academy must complete a candidacy process that includes submitting written work demonstrating their skills as an optometrist or vision scientist, and sitting for an oral exam at the annual meeting, according to AAO. It is estimated that 10 percent of practicing optometrists in the U.S. are Fellows of the American Academy of Optometry (FAAO).

Five individuals were awarded Diplomate status. Diplomates are Fellows of the Academy who wish to demonstrate their skill in a specific area.

The overall increase in attendance was 3 percent compared to the year-ago meeting, and the attendees included 4,379 optometrists and vision scientists and 1,593 students.


At the opening plenary session, best-selling author Malcolm Gladwell spoke to more than 3,000 attendees about the changing nature facing health care practitioners in the 21st century. The second half of the plenary session featured a panel discussion moderated by Karla Zadnik, OD, PhD, FAAO, and featuring Robert Warner, MBA, of Alcon, Herm Cukier of Allergan, and Howard B. Purcell, OD, FAAO of Essilor of America.

In addition to Dr. Shovlin, the 2017-2018 Board of Directors is as follows: Barbara Caffery, OD, PhD, FAAO, president-elect; Brett G. Bence, OD, FAAO, immediate past president; Timothy T. McMahon, OD, FAAO, secretary-treasurer; and at-large board members Susan A. Cotter, OD, MS, FAAO; Pete S. Kollbaum, OD, PhD, FAAO; Carl H. Spear, OD, FAAO; and Jeffrey J. Walline, OD, PhD, FAAO.