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| Partner Luncheon Friday, November 7th, 12:30 PM - 1:30 PM Windsor Hosted By:  *Capacity is limited; first come, first served |
| Partner Breakfast Saturday, November 8th, 7:00 AM - 8:00 AM Swannanoa Hosted By:  *Capacity is limited; first come, first served |
| Partner Luncheon Saturday, November 8th, 12:30 PM - 1:30 PM Swannanoa Hosted By:  *Capacity is limited; first come, first served |
Agenda:
Thursday, November 6
4:00 PM - 7:00 PM: Registration, Grand Ballroom Foyer
Friday, November 7
7:00 AM - 8:00 AM: Breakfast Provided by NCOS, Grand Ballroom Foyer
7:00 AM - 4:15 PM: Registration, Grand Ballroom Foyer
7:00 AM - 4:15 PM: Partner Exhibit Hall, Grand Ballroom Foyer
8:00 AM - 10:00 AM: Glaucoma Mimickers, COPE Pending, Lindsay Thornton, OD (2 hours), Grand Ballroom
Course description coming soon!
8:00 AM - 10:00 AM: Breakout Session: CPR Basic Life Support for the Healthcare Provider (add-on course), Victoria
Need to renew your CPR certification this year? Zack Kemp of Weaverville Wellness is back with a 2-hour optional course on Friday morning! Cost is $125/person and includes certification, digital handbook, supplies for practicals and a CPR mask for each individual.
*Register for this add-on course on the main Fall Congress registration form. This is a breakout session that runs concurrent to the general session lecture in this same time slot.
10:15 AM - 12:15 PM: The Anterior Segment Encyclopedia from A to Z, COPE 97235-TD, Chris Wroten, OD (2 hours), Grand Ballroom
This fast-paced course covers 26 clinically significant topics related to the anterior segment of the eye. Relevant clinical signs and symptoms, differential diagnoses, pertinent anatomy, and treatment options will be discussed along the way, as we explore everything from the eyelids to the cornea to the angle of the eye, including ulcerative keratitis, blepharoptosis, blepharitis, management of neuropathic corneal pain, meibomian gland dysfunction, nutriceuticals, systemic medication side effects, diagnostics, therapeutic interventions, and more.
12:30 PM - 1:30 PM - Alcon Partner Lunch, Windsor (capacity is limited; first come, first served)
12:30 PM - 2:00 PM: NCOS PAC Board Meeting, Swannanoa
2:00 PM - 3:00 PM: Atypical Causes of Diplopia, COPE Pending, Lindsay Thornton, OD (1 hour), Grand Ballroom
Course description coming soon!
3:15 PM - 4:15 PM: Tackling Myopia, COPE Pending, Chris Wroten, OD (1 hour), Grand Ballroom
Myopia has been diagnosed for centuries, but today more options exist than ever before to manage it. From glasses and contact lenses, to refractive and lens-based surgeries, to myopia control, let’s discuss all things myopia!
Saturday, November 8
7:00 AM - 8:00 AM: Breakfast Provided by NCOS, Grand Ballroom Foyer
7:00 AM - 8:00 AM: Johnson & Johnson Vision Partner Breakfast, Swannanoa
7:00 AM - 4:15 PM: Registration, Grand Ballroom Foyer
7:00 AM - 2:00 PM: Partner Exhibit Hall, Grand Ballroom Foyer
8:00 AM - 10:00 AM: Laser Surgeries and Lid Procedures in Eye Care, COPE 97367-LP, Chris Wroten, OD (2 hours), Grand Ballroom
Various ophthalmic lasers and their clinical applications for the optometric physician are broadly reviewed in a fast-paced, multimedia format, including surgical considerations, peri-operative pearls, and technological advances, with special attention to YAG and SLT lasers. Commonly encountered lid pathologies are also discussed, including characteristics and differential diagnoses, along with options and techniques for procedural intervention.
10:15 AM - 12:15 PM: Hot News/Not News?, COPE 97369-GO, Chris Wroten, OD (2 hours), Grand Ballroom
Using a multimedia format, you the audience get to vote on whether new and emerging eye care innovations are really “Hot News” or “Not News”. This unique course presents developments with diagnostic equipment, new and pipeline pharmaceuticals, wearable technology, surgical advances, contact lenses and spectacles, gene and cell therapy, and more, all vying for your votes as noteworthy breakthroughs in eye care.
12:30 PM - 1:30 PM - Bausch + Lomb Partner Lunch, Swannanoa
12:30 PM - 1:30 PM: NCOS Overview and Discussion (New Licensees Only), Alexander
2:00 PM - 4:00 PM: How Nutrition Can Prevent Chronic Disease and Protect Vision, COPE 97360-PB, Kara Foster, OD (2 hours), Grand Ballroom
In today’s healthcare landscape, optometrists are uniquely positioned to lead the charge in prevention—not just for eye disease, but for whole-person wellness. This dynamic, evidence-based course explores how nutrition and lifestyle medicine can be integrated into clinical optometry to help prevent and slow the progression of chronic ocular conditions such as macular degeneration, glaucoma, diabetic retinopathy, and dry eye disease. Drawing on powerful research from landmark studies like AREDS, the Nurses’ Health Study, and The China Study—as well as insights from Dr. Michael Greger, Dr. Joel Fuhrman, and Blue Zone populations—participants will learn how to use food, movement, and mindset as tools for long-term vision preservation. Through practical strategies, clinical dialogue examples, and real-world case stories, this course empowers optometrists to educate patients, challenge outdated paradigms, and embrace a more holistic approach to care.
2:30 PM - 3:30 PM: Student Seminar (Students Only), Alexander
4:00 PM - 4:15 PM: North Carolina Board of Optometry Election (open to NC-licensed optometrists residing in North Carolina), Grand Ballroom
Join us at the conclusion of Saturday's General Session to elect who will be recommended for appointment to the NC Board of Optometry.
4:15 PM - 5:15 PM: NCOS Business Meeting (1 hour general credit, open to NCOS members), Grand Ballroom
Please join us for our annual business meeting where we will be discussing important matters of the Society and electing our new officers and trustees.
6:00 PM - 8:00 PM: Celebration of NC Optometry (open to NCOS members and spouses/guests), Top of the Plaza
Join us for drinks and hors d'oeuvres to celebrate NC optometry with beautiful views at the Top of the Plaza! During the evening there will be remarks from the outgoing and incoming President, recognition of your new officers and trustees, our awards presentation, and the ceremonial passing of the gavel. Plus plenty of time to mingle with your fellow ODs. You won't want to miss it!
Sunday, November 9
7:00 AM - 8:00 AM: Breakfast Provided by NCOS, Grand Ballroom Foyer
7:00 AM - 10:15 AM: Registration, Grand Ballroom Foyer
8:00 AM - 10:00 AM: The Many Faces of Retinal Vein Occlusions, COPE Pending, Mark Miriello, OD (2 hours), Grand Ballroom
This course reviews retinal vein occlusions including common and uncommon sequelae. This course will then discuss retinal vein occlusion management, including the optometrist's role in management and current and up-and-coming treatment modalities
10:15 AM - 12:15 PM: The Relationship Between Sleep and Ocular Health, COPE Pending, Mark Miriello, OD (2 hours), Grand Ballroom
Course description coming soon!
Speakers:
Kara Foster, OD
Apex, NC
Kara Foster, OD is the owner of EyeCare for You, a Direct Care optometry practice in Apex, North Carolina, and President of VOSH-NC, where she leads local and international eye care outreach. A passionate advocate for prevention-first medicine, Dr. Foster integrates nutrition into her eye care approach, helping patients understand the connection between what they eat and how they see. She is also the host of The Opt-Out Podcast, where she explores healthcare reform, ocular wellness, and practical strategies for improving patient outcomes through lifestyle change.
Mark Miriello, OD
Winston-Salem, NC
Dr. Miriello graduated from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro with his Bachelor’s of Science degree in Human Biology. He received his Doctor of Optometry degree from the Southern College of Optometry, graduating Magna Cum Laude, in 2015. After graduation, he completed a residency in Ocular Disease at Omni Eye Services of Atlanta, where he trained under retina, cornea, and glaucoma surgeons. Following residency, Dr. Miriello worked as a full-time optometrist at MyEyeDr in Wake County before moving to Philadelphia to join the faculty at the Pennsylvania College of Optometry in 2019. There, he was voted as PCO’s “Outstanding Clinical Preceptor” for the 2022-23 academic year by his students and peers. Now, having returned to his home state of North Carolina, Dr. Miriello practices at Hillcrest Vision in Winston-Salem and Mocksville, providing comprehensive optometric care to a diverse patient population.
Lindsay Thornton, OD
Advance, NC
Dr. Lindsay Thornton graduated from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 2017. She then attended Southern College of Optometry and graduated summa cum laude in 2022. During her optometric education, she was inducted into the Gold Key Society and Beta Sigma Kappa International Optometric Honor Society for her leadership and academics. After graduation, she completed her residency at the W.G. (Bill) Hefner VA Medical Center in Salisbury, North Carolina, focusing on ocular disease, low vision, and specialty contact lenses. Dr. Thornton is a member of the American Optometric Association and the North Carolina Optometric Society. She currently practices at Carolina Center for Eye Care, a private practice outside of Winston-Salem.
Chris Wroten, OD
Amite City, LA
After receiving a Bachelor of Science in Chemical Engineering from Louisiana State University, Chris Wroten, O.D., graduated from Southern College of Optometry (SCO) before completing a Residency in Hospital-based Primary Eye Care at the Memphis Veterans Affairs Medical Center. Dr. Wroten has served as Chief Operating Officer at the Bond-Wroten Eye Clinics, with 3 offices in southeast Louisiana, while supervising its Primary Care & Ocular Disease Residency and assisting with its Student Externship Programs, both of which he founded. He has received appointment as Adjunct Faculty at several schools & colleges of optometry, twice been elected President of the Optometry Association of Louisiana (OAL), Chairs SECO International’s Education Committee, and received two appointments to the Louisiana State Board of Optometry Examiners. He’s also served on numerous committees within the American Optometric Association, moderated the Presidents Council meetings, and served on the Board of Trustees for SCO, including two terms as Chair. Dr. Wroten has lectured internationally, participated in clinical research, and been the recipient of several professional awards throughout his career. He is a devoted husband to his wife, Sarah Wroten, OD, and is the proud father of two children, Emily and Ben.
For questions contact Christy Santacana, Meetings Coordinator, at (919) 977-6964 or [email protected].
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