US conference enjoys record attendance

This year's annual conference of the American Academy of Optometry took place last weekend in San Francisco and was by far the largest to have taken place.

With 5,604 registered delegates, many from overseas including the UK, attendance was more than 1,000 greater than the best attended event at Anaheim in 2008.

The four-day event comprised hundreds of lectures, workshops and symposia covering all competency areas of optometry, alongside an exhibition of the latest technology and treatments. There was also an opportunity for those who have furthered the profession to be rewarded at several prize-giving events. This year the UK was well represented. Dr Alex Bowers, who completed her PhD at Glasgow Caledonian, was presented with the Irvin Borish Prize while Kristine Dalton of Aston University was a winner of one of the prestigious Ezell Fellowships for her work in vision strategy in sport.