We’re back from Academy 2025 in Boston and still energized by lobster rolls plus the conversations, connections, and cutting-edge insights shared at this year's meeting. The event, held October 8–11, brought together thousands of optometrists, students, researchers, and educators to explore the frontiers of vision science and optometric care.
From scientific lectures and CE workshops to tech-filled exhibit halls and peer collaboration, Academy 2025 delivered four packed days of inspiration and education. In this recap, we’ll reflect on standout sessions, emerging trends, and Virtual Field’s presence on the show floor, including all the buzz about our latest innovation, DICOM 360 Sync.
Key Highlights and Innovations on the Academy 2025 Floor
Academy 2025’s exhibit hall was a hub of innovation and momentum. Over 150 exhibitors filled the space with diagnostic technology, pharmaceuticals, education platforms, and more.
At the heart of it all was a shared drive to create faster, smarter, and more collaborative patient experiences. For those seeking high-tech solutions in vision care, the exhibit hall was a hands-on look at the future of optometry.
This year’s standout floor buzz included:
- AI tools for dry eye diagnostics and documentation automation
- Next-gen imaging and retinal scanning platforms
- Workflow-centric practice management software
- Wearables for field testing and binocular vision therapy
Education Program and Top Sessions
Academy 2025 offered over 300 hours of CE, and the energy in lecture rooms matched that of the show floor. Tracks spanned across specialties from ocular disease and myopia control to aesthetic optometry and neuro-optometry.
Among the most talked-about sessions:
- The Optometric Glaucoma Society Symposium, focusing on early detection and therapeutic innovations
- A high-energy plenary on Biologics in Eye Care, exploring novel therapeutic pathways
- “Beyond Vision,” a new Saturday workshop on cosmetic and lifestyle vision solutions, reflecting the growing crossover between aesthetics and optometry
- The Monroe J. Hirsch Symposium, which emphasized the growing importance of cross-disciplinary research in shaping patient care
- Friday’s Prentice and Fry Lectures, highlighting foundational research and its clinical impact
Throughout the program, recurring themes were interoperability, efficiency, and patient-centric innovation. The tone was clear: the industry is moving fast, and those who embrace new tools and technologies will lead.
Virtual Field’s Experience at Academy 2025
Our booth at Academy 2025 stayed busy from open to close as optometrists, students, and practice managers stopped by to try our VF3 Pro firsthand. We heard what we always love to hear:
“This is so much more comfortable than the bowl perimeter.”
“It’s the first time I’ve actually enjoyed doing a visual field.”
“This would change the workflow in my satellite office overnight.”
The big conversation this year, however, was about connectivity.
Our new DICOM 360 Sync suite drew a lot of attention for its ability to make exam results instantly appear in a patient’s EMR—with zero manual entry. Attendees told us they’re tired of clunky workflows and scanning reports. Our solution eliminates that friction.
As CEO Jeremy Barlow put it during a booth-side demo:
“Connectivity shouldn’t be a luxury in eye care. It should be the baseline.”
With DICOM 360 Sync, practices can reduce human error, accelerate documentation, and ensure every result is saved in the EMR/EHR and paid with the correct patient record, automatically. Tech-savvy attendees were especially excited about how this could scale across multi-location clinics.
Industry Trends and Takeaways
A few key themes emerged across the Academy floor and education sessions:
1. Interoperability is no longer optional.
Whether it’s diagnostic tools or patient communication platforms, integration into the broader workflow was top of mind. EMR sync, automation, and cross-device compatibility came up again and again in hallway conversations.
2. AI is quietly reshaping optometry.
From diagnostic decision support to practice automation, artificial intelligence isn’t hype: It’s happening. Sessions on machine learning in retinal imaging and AI-aided documentation were standing-room only.
3. Collaborative care is accelerating.
A spirit of partnership between optometry and ophthalmology continues to grow, especially in shared management of cataract surgery, dry eye, and myopia. Multidisciplinary panels emphasized the need for shared data, shared standards, and shared outcomes.
4. Aesthetic optometry is growing fast.
With the launch of sessions like “Beyond Vision,” there’s clear momentum behind blending optometry with aesthetic medicine. From cosmetic contacts to ocular aesthetics, new revenue and care models are emerging.
Looking Ahead: Academy and Beyond
Academy 2025 reminded us just how much energy and purpose live in this profession. Attendees left with valuable CE credits, new strategies, tech inspiration, and peer connections to help push the field forward.
For Virtual Field, it was yet another validation of our mission: to elevate the eye exam experience with technology that’s fast, comfortable, and connected. We’re already looking ahead to what we’ll bring to the next event.
Missed us in Boston? You can still get a demo of our virtual visual field platform and see how DICOM 360 Sync can transform your workflow. We’d love to bring the innovation to you, your patients, and your staff.
Schedule a virtual demo or reach out to our team to learn more about the tools that made waves at Academy 2025. Until then, keep your eyes on the future and we’ll see 👀 you at the next conference.
About Virtual Field
Virtual Field delivers an exceptional eye exam experience. Eye care professionals including ophthalmologists and optometrists examine patients faster, more efficiently, and more comfortably than ever before. Exams include Visual Field, 24-2, Kinetic Visual Field (Goldmann Perimetry), Ptosis, Esterman, Color Vision, Pupillometry, Extraocular Motility (EOM), and more.
