European Academy of Optometry and Optics

The 15th annual conference of the European Academy of Optometry and Optics (EAOO), co-organized by the EAOO and the Finnish Association of Vision and Eyecare NÄE ry, took place in Helsinki, Finland, 10–12 May 2024. It was great to see so many of our members and Fellows in person. The annual conference is also the time when we hold our Annual General Meeting and this year, we said farewell to a few of our hardworking Trustees. This meant that we had hold elections for Board of Trustee roles. Prof Nick Rumney finished his term as immediate past president. Nick’s input in keeping the Academy going during the covid pandemic was greatly appreciated. Fiona Anderson stepped down from the Treasure role and her contributions to ensuring that the Academy was financially stable during the past 6 years has allowed us to continue providing amazing conferences and other professional development events. We also said goodbye to Elaine Grisdale, who provided insight into the international Opticianry community. It was au revoir to Jose Manuel Gonzalez Meijome as he stepped down as the Chair of the Education Committee after serving his 6-year term. His drive to keep improving the standard of our conferences as well as the professional development session has meant that we have provided excellent content during the conferences as well as within our new website and Academy Hours. Liliana Stankova is our immediate past president and Rupal Lovell-Patel is the new President. Four other Trustees were elected: Dr David Parkins, FEAOO as the Treasure, Matic Vogric, MSc as the practicing optometrist, Prof Daniela Nosch, FEAOO as the Chair of the Education Committee and Prof Jose Manuel Gonzalez Meijome as the Vice-President. The College of Optometrists appointed Trustee is Prof Edward Mallen, who joined the Board in March 2024.

Maria Giulia Muzzi, FEAOO and Ving Fai Chan, FEAOO are joining the Education Committee.

On her appointment as the President, Rupal gave thanks to Liliana and previous past presidents for their hard work and dedication in ensuring that the Academy strives to support and develop the professions of Optometry and Optics. She wants to continue to work collaborative with the members and Fellows so that the Academy continues to grow whilst meeting the needs of the professions. She wants to provide a welcoming space for students and early career researchers as well as providing a range of high-quality professional development sessions/events throughout the year for members.

The 15th annual conference was an amazing conference with a variety of content and excellent networking opportunities. The 15th annual conference showcased a diverse range of content, including 5 workshops, 19 oral presentations, and 27 rapid fire sessions. Additionally, there were 3 early career presentations and 22 posters on display. The event was well-attended, with 472 participants from 37 different nationalities, and 40 individuals joining remotely. The conference closed with announcement that the 16th annual conference will be taking place in Ljubljana, Slovenia co-hosted by DOOS from 16th to 18th May 2025. Please hold these dates and we are looking forward to welcoming you in Ljubljana.