Laser certification program among new offerings at SECO 2025
Key takeaways:
- SECO is partnering with Northeastern State University Oklahoma College of Optometry on a laser course.
- The keynote session will tackle AI, diagnostics, wearable technology and pharmaceutical advancements.
Attendees can expect to see new programs, educational tracks and networking opportunities at SECO 2025, which will be held Feb. 25 to March 1, in Atlanta.
One highlight for this year is a laser certification program.
“For the first time, SECO is partnering with Northeastern State University’s Oklahoma College of Optometry to offer a comprehensive 16-hour, hands-on program in advanced laser procedures,” SECO President Horace Deal, OD, owner of Professional Eye Care in Statesboro, Georgia, told Healio.
NSU Oklahoma College of Optometry Dean Nate Lighthizer, OD, will provide training in advanced ophthalmic procedures including lasers, injections, lump removal and other office-based techniques, according to the SECO 2025 website.
In addition, “See it first @ SECO” is a new series of sessions that will debut at the Atlanta conference, which Deal describes as “ground-breaking education on clinical advancements, disease management, artificial intelligence applications and more.”
He also noted expanded programs for students, including a recruiting fair, a “Family Feud”-style competition called SECO Showdown: Optometry Edition, board review, Futures in Focus VIP reception and extra opportunities for travel grants.
This year’s MedPro360 business program will highlight topics such as AI implementation, leadership strategies and staff retention, Deal said.
The keynote session, “Expansion of eyecare: What’s new and what’s next,” will tackle trends in AI, diagnostics, wearable technology and pharmaceutical advancements, and includes panelists Chris Wroten, OD, Julie Rodman, OD, MS, FAAO, Lawrence Woodard, MD, and Walter Mayo, OD.
In addition, Atlanta-based ophthalmologist Arkadiy Yadgarov, MD, will host the special session, “Interventional glaucoma: Empowering optometry.”
New educational tracks include AI’s role in eye care and advanced clinical techniques, Deal said.
The exhibit hall will feature more than 900 brands of eye wear, technology and services, with a new frame gallery, an expanded surgical and aesthetics skills pavilion, a young professionals forum and National Academy of Opticianry lounge and allied health care theater.
Optometrists will have the opportunity to earn up to 42 hours of continuing education at SECO 2025, and “congress package registrants will receive a complimentary 1-year subscription to SECO University for year-round CE access,” Deal said.
“With early registration numbers already ahead of last year’s figures, SECO 2025 is expected to host over 4,000 optometrists, students, allied health personnel and industry professionals,” he said. “These figures reflect the unwavering trust and enthusiasm of the eye care community in SECO’s unparalleled value and legacy.
“As a mission-driven, nonprofit organization, SECO reinvests in programs that benefit the eye care community, ensuring that this event remains rooted in authenticity,” Deal added.
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