The temps are up, coffee is on near-IV levels of drip, and the American Academy of Ophthalmology Annual Meeting 2025 (AAO 2025) in Orlando rolls on in the swamp for more ophthalmology on Day 3.
Crowds were down slightly from a rowdy Day 2, but there were still plenty of docs in seats as the latest innovation and research in eye care poured through the halls of the Orange County Convention Center.
We were there to cover the highlights, and we rounded up, wrapped up and put a bow on all the action here in Florida.
Novel corneal treatments
A Cornea Society symposium traced the sometimes messy, always non-linear path from laboratory hypothesis to operating room reality. Dr. Steven Wilson (USA) opened by announcing his impending retirement in 42 days—but not before sharing three decades of work on topical losartan for corneal fibrosis. Clinical trials launch next year. Prof. Shigeru Kinoshita (Japan) detailed ROCK inhibitors’ two-decade evolution, Dr. Ellen Koo (USA) presented futuristic magnetic cell nanotherapy using nanoparticles and external eye patches to improve endothelial cell adhesion, and that was just the beginning. For the rest, read the article here.
READ MORE: OCTAVIUS Customized Corneal Treatment by Bausch + Lomb: A First Look at 3-Month Outcomes
AI policy meets ethics
The futurists’ symposium examined where technology meets policy—and why human judgment remains irreplaceable. Dr. Michael Levitt (USA), Dr. Sophia Wang (USA) and more looked at the other side of the equation in the rapid advancement of artificial intelligence: the intersection of policy and practicality. What does a future with regulatory guardrails and harmonious man-machine collaboration look like? Read more to find out.
READ MORE: AI Tools in Ophthalmology: From Virtual Scribes to Surgical Planning at ASCRS 2025
Viral pathogenesis
Sunday morning’s early symposium on ocular viral infections covered the intersection of viral infection and ophthalmic disease—and, crucially, what you can do about it. Dr. Todd Margolis (USA) explored herpes simplex virus reactivation in ocular tissues, while Dr. Russell Van Gelder (USA) presented insights from next-generation sequencing of ocular viruses. Dr. Steven Yeh (USA), Dr. Bennie H. Jeng (USA) and Dr. Carol L. Karp (USA)‘s Jones/Smolin Lecture on viral and infectious culprits of conjunctival tumors, also weighed in with presentations of their own, so see what practicable insights they shared here [LINK].
READ MORE: The World’s First Femtosecond Laser Image-Guided High-Precision Trabeculotomy (FLIGHT) at ESCRS 2025
Industry updates
Topcon Healthcare (Booth #2743) announced their acquisition of Toku, Inc., bringing its suite of oculomic AI platforms into its Healthcare from the Eye initiative. Leveraging one of the world’s largest retinal-image datasets, Toku’s algorithms deliver real-time cardiovascular risk, biological aging and chronic kidney disease assessments from standard fundus photographs, advancing preventive screening at scale.
BVI (Booth #3521) launched the Leos laser system, the only laser and digital endoscopy platform designed for inflow control, offering precision and workflow integration. Additionally, BVI’s FINEVISION HP trifocal IOL gained FDA approval—marking the first debut of a trifocal IOL in the U.S. after 15+ years and millions of global implantations.
Avisi Technologies (Booth #3467) received FDA IDE approval for its VisiPlate aqueous shunt. The ultrathin metamaterial device uses a microchannel network to create diffuse, low-lying blebs—”building a better bleb”—with one-year VITA study findings presented at the Avisi booth.
Editor’s Note: The American Academy of Ophthalmology Annual Meeting 2025 (AAO 2025) is being held on 17-20 October 2025, in Orlando, Florida. Reporting for this story took place during the event. This content is intended exclusively for healthcare professionals. It is not intended for the general public. Products or therapies discussed may not be registered or approved in all jurisdictions, including Singapore.