Know Before You Go

Conference Venue
Minneapolis Convention Center (MCC)
1301 Second Ave. South
Minneapolis, MN 55403

Time Zone
All times listed are local Minneapolis time in the Central Time Zone (UTC-06:00).

Weather
Average high/low temperature in June: 80°F / 59°F (26° C / 15° C)

Conference Attire
Business casual attire is preferred for the conference. Meeting rooms can vary in temperature, so dressing in layers is recommended. Some events do occur offsite or outdoors and attendees should dress accordingly.

The AOSA Optometry Student Bowl XXXIV, powered by EssilorLuxottica, is a casual event for students. Remember, the Spirit Award goes to the flashiest or most creatively dressed team, too.

The Celebration of Optometry, supported by Bausch+Lomb, is partially outdoors at Peavey Plaza & Orchestra Hall. Attendees may wear purple to this Prince-inspired evening.

Transportation
The MCC is approximately 12 miles from the Minneapolis-Saint Paul International Airport.

Helpful resources from Meet Minneapolis:

• Guide to Minneapolis Driving, Parking and Public Transportation
• Downtown Minneapolis & Area Maps
• Your Guide to the Minneapolis Skyway System

MCC Wi-Fi Availability
Wi-Fi is provided throughout the MCC during the conference, supported by Astellas.

• AOA2025
• IZERVAY!

Social Media
Follow Optometry’s Meeting | 5th World Congress of Optometry on social media using the official 2025 hashtags: #OptometrysMeeting and #WCO5

Check back periodically to see the conversation on our event social wall here.

Conference & Education Guide

While the Optometry’s Meeting mobile app is your source for the most up-to-date information and resources, attendees may access the digital Conference & Meeting Guide for information, including:

• Schedule at a Glance
• Eye Care Square exhibit hall hours
• Mobile app instructions
• Minneapolis ‘things to do’ recommendations
• Full CE schedule

CONFERENCE & EDUCATION GUIDE

Continuing Education
Consult the Optometry’s Meeting Frequently Asked Questions page for additional information not contained within this know before you go.

On-site Registration
The registration desk is located at the MCC in Lobby B and C near the Eye Care Square exhibit hall.

Registration Hours

• 3-5 p.m. | Tuesday, June 24
• 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. | Wednesday, June 25
• 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. | Thursday, June 26
• 6 a.m. to 5 p.m. | Friday, June 27
• 6 a.m. to 1 p.m. | Saturday, June 28

What’s Included with My Registration?
Inclusions are dependent on your purchased admission item. For questions related to what is included in your badge purchase, please reach out to optometrysmeeting@aoa.org.

If you need to add or modify your registration, please use the Attendee Service Center. Note: Special events, such as the Celebration of Optometry or Paraoptometric Awards Celebration Luncheon require specific registration and badging.

Can I Register On-Site?
Yes, a credit card is required to complete on-site registration. Checks will not be accepted.

Attendee Badges
Attendees will receive their badge upon check-in at the on-site registration desk in the MCC. Badges are required for entry to all events, education or the exhibit hall. No exceptions.

How to Access Your Registration
Open your registration confirmation email (from optometrysmeeting@aoa.org) to access your login credentials for the Attendee Service Center where you can:

• Modify your registration details
• Access hands-on workshops, symposiums and special events
• Access CE certificates (post conference)
• Make a payment and view a copy of your invoice/confirmation

Use the button below to open the Attendee Service Center, then reference your confirmation email to get your login set up.

ATTENDEE SERVICE CENTER

How to Download the Mobile App
Attendees are strongly encouraged to download the Optometry’s Meeting | 5th World Congress of Optometry mobile app, supported by Astellas, for the best attendee experience. The mobile app provides access to an agenda, schedule of events, interactive exhibit hall floorplan, the ability to track and find CE, and add select events.

• Download the App. Use the App Store or Google Play Store and download for the “AOA/AOSA Optometry’s Meeting” app.
• Search for the 2025 Event. Once downloaded, choose the “2025 Optometry’s Meeting” and select “See Details” to load the current year’s app.
• Enter Attendee Info. Click “Start” in the bottom-right corner, then you will be prompted to enter your email and password. These credentials are the same ones used to access your Attendee Service Center and included in your registration confirmation email. Please visit the registration desk for assistance resetting your password on-site.

Mobile App + EyeExplorer
Download the Optometry’s Meeting mobile app and play EyeExplorer while on-site. Earn AOA swag and prizes simply by answering questions and completing each task in the game. Participation grants access to the grand-prize drawing.

Eye Care Square Exhibit Hall Information
Eye Care Square hosts activations across the floor from exhibitors presenting the latest and greatest. Plus, young professionals can launch their career or take it to the next level during exhibit hall events.

The exhibit hall is open:

• 7-9 p.m. Wednesday, June 25 | Welcome Reception
• 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Thursday, June 26
• 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Friday, June 27

Unopposed break time:

• 12-2 p.m. Thursday, June 25
• 12-2 p.m., Friday, June 26
• 3-4 p.m., Friday, June 26

Education Theater & EYETalks Stage
This year, there are at least 11 courses offered in the Eye Care Square Education Theater. Courses will be offered Thursday and Friday and cover a variety of subjects. Additionally, check out the EYETalks Stage for a variety of short panel-style presentations throughout the conference.

Pre-registration of Courses
There are a select few courses that do require prior registration: doctor and paraoptometric workshops. All other courses are based on first come, first served seat availability. When possible, we suggest arriving at your course of choice 10 minutes prior to the start time to secure your seating. Once a room is full, no one else will be admitted.

Access Course Handouts
Course handouts can be accessed via the Optometry’s Meeting® | 5th World Congress of Optometry mobile app. Additional instructions on accessing handouts prior to Optometry’s Meeting® | 5th World Congress of Optometry will be available at the end of May.

• If a speaker does not provide handouts for their course, no handouts will be available for that course on the mobile app.
• There will not be a printing station on site at Optometry’s Meeting® | 5th World Congress of Optometry this year, so please print out any handouts you want for the meeting prior to the event.

How to Receive CE Credit
Participants are required to be in a course 50 minutes for every one hour of education for credit. If you are more than 10 minutes late for a one-hour course or 20 minutes late for a two-hour course, you will not be allowed to enter the room.

Participants must remain in the session room until the completion of the course. Should it be necessary to leave the room at any time, you must return within 10 minutes. If you do not return within 10 minutes, the course monitor is directed not to allow you back in the course, and you will not receive CE credit.

Earning CE credit requires being scanned into the course AND completing the course survey via the credit claiming platform, available at the end of the course. This two-step process allows you to move more seamlessly between your courses while still providing substantive evidence of your full attendance in a course.

Please make sure you consult the CE schedule to verify if the course qualifies for the credit type you are seeking. Optometry’s Meeting® | 5th World Congress of Optometry offers AOA CE Hours, CPC, CPD, COPE and CEE/TQ courses.

CEE/TQ courses. These courses have an online examination component for those that require it for licensure. Additional details on accessing the online examinations will be made available close to the event.  NOTE: Tests are only available for 60 days from the time you receive the testing notification from ICO; no exceptions or extensions can be granted.

Access & Claim CE Credit

1. Use the QR code at the end of your CE session, or navigate to aoa.org/credit-claiming.
2. Use your AOA username and password to log in.
3. Once logged in, check “Notifications” for courses listed as “Incomplete pre-qualification requirement.” This indicates that your attendance has been verified but additional steps are needed.
4. Click the course to view and complete additional steps needed for validation.
5. Upon completion, the course status will update to “Valid,” confirming that the course credit is posted.
6. Navigate to the "Sharing" tab to share your credit, e.g., emailing the credit to yourself or others.

Looking for your CE transcript? A transcript and certificate can be obtained online after the meeting. Click “Transcripts” on the far-left side menu, then select “Optometry’s Meeting 2025.” From the “Sharing” tab, select how you would like to receive your transcript, e.g., email, print, etc.

CE Attendance Verification
Attendees must have their badges scanned upon arrival outside of each course room. If an attendee fails to scan their badge prior to entry, their credit will not be accepted. NOTE: The AOA will report your credit to COPE and CE Broker so long as the attendee provided accurate information, (e.g., OE Tracker number and/or state license number) during registration;  the AOA does not report credit to individual state boards.

CE Schedule & Courses
Consult the 2025 Education Courses schedule on the mobile app or online here.