
Optometry Tomorrow 2026 – Early bird booking is now open
Sunday 14 and Monday 15 June at the Harrogate Convention Centre.
Secure your place today and take advantage of the early bird discount for the best value tickets
Bookings open today for Optometry Tomorrow 2026, The College of Optometrists’ flagship conference, on Sunday 14 and Monday 15 June at the Harrogate Convention Centre.
Optometry Tomorrow 2026 brings a refreshed and expanded programme, exciting new collaborations and more ways than ever to learn, connect and grow alongside your professional community. Across the two-days, delegates can expect a diverse mix of expert-led talks, practical sessions, clinical updates and skills workshops, all shaped by an expert advisory panel and member feedback.
New partners, new learning and community zone – and an expanded programme shaped by members

The College has collaborated with Optometry Tomorrow’s new partners, the Association of British Dispensing Opticians, the Royal College of Nursing and the Royal College of Ophthalmologists, to ensure a truly multidisciplinary perspective for the 2026 programme.
The two-day conference includes over 50 unmissable sessions, with over 90 CPD points available. Sessions span four themes: clinical confidence and excellence, multidisciplinary working, professional development, education and career growth, and technology and innovation.
Programme highlights include:
- Keynote from Double Paralympian and England’s most decorated blind footballer Darren Harris
- Changes in global burden of visual impairment and the implications for the UK with Rupert Bourne, Professor of Ophthalmology at the Vision and Eye Research Institute of Anglia Ruskin University
- The AI-ready optometrist: skills for future practice with Fiona Buckmaster MCOptom, community optometrist and PhD researcher at the University of Huddersfield.
Dr Gillian Rudduck MCOptom, President of The College of Optometrists, said, “Bringing together more than 1,000 eye care professional peers over two days, Optometry Tomorrow is designed to inspire, challenge and grow your practice.
“Beyond the lecture theatre, our growing and vibrant exhibition will showcase the latest industry insights, products and services, as well as a new learning and community zone designed to give delegates space for even more conversation, connection and collaboration.”
Book now to secure your early bird discount
- Standard two-day tickets are available for members of The College of Optometrists and Optometry Tomorrow’s partners’ members at the early bird are of £200 until 17 April.
- Newly Qualified College members can take advantage of the early bird rate for standard two-day tickets at £140 until 17 April. Student members can purchase standard two-day tickets for a reduced rate of £100.
- Standard rate two-day tickets for non-members are £520.
For more details about booking visit www.college-optometrists.org/optometrytomorrow



Optometry Tomorrow 2026’s media partner is OpchatNews.com and Mylocaloptician.co.uk, published by Primary Health Net.
The Programme so far:
This dynamic panel will explore how artificial intelligence is reshaping eye health, offering a balanced look at both its potential and its challenges. Panellists will share diverse perspectives on emerging applications in diagnostics, treatment planning and education, as well as the ethical, workforce and patient‑centred questions AI raises. A moderated discussion will delve into what AI can and cannot do, how it may influence clinical roles, and what the profession needs to prepare for next. Delegates will be invited to contribute through interactive Q&A, leaving with a clearer, more informed view of AI’s evolving place in eye care.
CPD
1 Point
CPD 1 Point
CPD 1 Point
This peer review session will cover your GOC peer review requirement and is worth three interactive CPD points. Working in small groups, you’ll discuss three cases guided by an experienced facilitator – all supporting reflection and professional growth.
CPD 3 Points
CPD 3 Points
This discussion workshop will explore how presbyopic patients often present unique challenges, especially when astigmatism is involved. This interactive workshop explores strategies to achieve successful outcomes for presbyopic patients. We’ll cover the latest innovations and best practice for fitting and troubleshooting multifocal toric contact lenses. Enhance your confidence, refine your approach, and deliver exceptional vision solutions for your presbyopic patients. Delivered by Johnson & Johnson Vision.
CPD 3 Points
CPD 3 Points
This practical skills workshop develops confidence in assessing and managing keratoconus through three focused skill areas. Delegates will practise evaluating keratoconic corneas, interpreting topography and tomography images, and assessing the fit of specialist contact lenses. With guidance from expert facilitators, participants will refine their clinical judgement, learn how to select appropriate lens options, and understand when adjustments are required to ensure safe and effective outcomes for patients with keratoconus.
CPD 3 Points
CPD 3 Points
Lunch, Exhibition and Learning & Community Zone
Lecture
CPD 1 Point
CPD 1 Point
Discover the breadth of career possibilities within the eyecare sector in this lively and interactive session. Our panellists will share insights from their diverse journeys before diving into an audience‑driven discussion using live polling and Q&A. We’ll explore common questions around progression, flexibility, workplace choice, and building a career that aligns with your strengths and values. Expect practical guidance, honest reflections, and fresh inspiration to help you map your next step with confidence.
CPD 1 Point
This peer review session will cover your GOC peer review requirement and is worth three interactive CPD points. Working in small groups, you’ll discuss three cases guided by an experienced facilitator – all supporting reflection and professional growth.
CPD 3 Points
CPD 3 Points
This session is designed specifically for optometrists.
This practical skills workshop focuses on the systematic assessment and management of patients presenting with flashes and floaters. Delegates will learn how to perform dynamic vitreous examination techniques, recognise key signs such as Weiss rings and Schaffer’s sign, and carry out effective peripheral retinal evaluation to detect retinal breaks. The session also covers how to differentiate between types of retinal breaks and determine which require urgent treatment. By working with real patient cases, participants will build confidence in investigating and managing presentations linked to posterior vitreous detachment and retinal detachment risk.
CPD 3 Points
CPD 1 Point
CPD 1 Point
CPD 1 Point
CPD 1 Point
A collaborative peer review session designed for both optometrists and dispensing opticians, fulfilling your GOC peer review requirement and earning three interactive CPD points. Working in small groups, you’ll discuss three diverse clinical cases guided by an experienced facilitator.
CPD 3 Points
This session is designed specifically for optometrists.
This hands-on skills workshop will guide delegates to perform intra-vitreal injections using dummy eyes. The session covers how to communicate effectively with patients, including discussing consent and the patient experience from referral to treatment. We’ll review how post injection care is managed through OCT and how this is discussed with patients, as well as “treat and extend” protocols with the latest comments on AMD treatments.
CPD 3 Points
14:45-15:45
Every patient is unique- the way we communicate, adapt and deliver care should be too. But when a patient presents with additional or spectrum related needs, how confident do we really feel in adjusting our approach? This interactive discussion workshop will explore a range of spectrum conditions and the wide variation in how these may present in practice. Through real life scenarios, collaborative challenges and peer discussion, delegates will explore how different needs can impact routine optometric care- and how small, thoughtful adjustments can make a big difference. Designed to be engaging and genuinely fun, this session will build confidence, encourage shared learning and expand delegates’ understanding of spectrum conditions, while providing strategies that can be taken straight back into practice. Expect participation, discussion and a fresh perspective on adapting care for every patient – because great patient care starts with flexible thinking.
Delivered by Boots.
CPD 3 Points
The Lead Assessor team will guide Supervisors through proven, practical approaches to supporting pre-registration optometrists for success, both in assessment and in everyday professional practice. Through this discussion based workshop, attendees will explore a range of realistic scenarios and develop confident, effective strategies to manage common challenges.
CPD 3 Points
Contact lenses have the ability to improve peoples lives from the young through to teens, adults and later life. In this peer review, we will examine the key elements to consider at each of these life stages, to ensure, happy, healthy and successful contact lens wear.
Delivered by Coopervision.
CPD 3 Points
CPD 1 Point
CPD 1 Point
This joint session delivered by The College and The Royal College of Ophthalmologists will look at the changes in eye care policy and how that impacts the future of eye care delivery. The session will highlight a range of examples across the UK and the profession of shared care.
CPD 1 Point
A lecture and discussion on the optometrists role in Myopia. To include scale of the problem, management and pathways now and in future.
Delivered by Santen UK Ltd
CPD 2 Points
This interactive discussion workshop session will begin with an overview of the previous medical retina pathway, it will then continue asking participants to reflect on the challenges and benefits of the system and begin to look at what parts of the service they would redesign and how they would do this.
Participants will be encouraged to share their own experiences of implementing extended practice roles, discuss barriers they have encountered, and collaboratively explore practical solutions.
The session will conclude with an overview of the changes made at MEH, including a summary of some of the benefits to patient care, staff retention and professional bodies acceptance. Future recommendations will be drawn from the lessons of the past , challenges and opportunities.
Adam Mapani
CPD 3 Points
This session is designed specifically for optometrists.
This hands-on skills workshop will guide delegates to perform intra-vitreal injections using dummy eyes. The session covers how to communicate effectively with patients, including discussing consent and the patient experience from referral to treatment. We’ll review how post injection care is managed through OCT and how this is discussed with patients, as well as “treat and extend” protocols with the latest comments on AMD treatments.
CPD 3 Points
In Contact Lens Correction of Presbyopia (2008), Edward S. Bennett stated, “It is particularly important to under-promise and over-deliver.” This workshop will explore whether, sixteen years on, this approach is still relevant in the context of multifocal contact lens fitting, or if advancements in technology have allowed us to be more confident in delivering consistent, successful outcomes. It will look at advancements of multifocal technology and designs, as well as digital tools available to help with accuracy. It considers the approach taken by the practitioner from language to lens selection as well as challenging if fitting multifocals earlier would prove to yield greater long-term success and drive retention in this area of the category.
Delivered by Coopervision.
CPD 3 Points
Join colleagues for a welcoming networking reception. The perfect chance to unwind, enjoy a drink, and connect after the first day’s sessions.
How Wales is Redefining Optometry and Blurring the Lines with Ophthalmology
Step into a day in the life of Welsh optometry – a system that’s not just keeping pace but setting the standard for integrated eye care. This session explores how Wales has broken down traditional barriers between optometry and ophthalmology, delivering advanced clinical care closer to patients and transforming outcomes. Through real-world cases and discussion, we’ll showcase why Wales is leading the way, what England can learn, and how collaboration is shaping the future of eye health.
CPD 1 Point
CPD 1 Point
CPD 1 Point
This peer review session will cover your GOC peer review requirement and is worth three interactive CPD points. Working in small groups, you’ll discuss three cases guided by an experienced facilitator – all supporting reflection and professional growth.
CPD 3 Points
This session is designed specifically for optometrists.
This practical skills workshop provides a concise, clinically focused introduction to when and why to perform gonioscopy, alongside a clear explanation of the optical principles that underpin it. Delegates will review the anatomy of the anterior chamber angle, understand how structures appear in practice, and learn how this informs accurate angle grading.
The session will demonstrate technique using the two most commonly used gonioscopy lenses, highlighting the strengths and limitations of each. Crucially, delegates will then gain supervised, hands-on experience performing gonioscopy on patients, with expert guidance to help introduce the skill and experience firsthand the spectacular view of an anterior chamber.
CPD 3 Points
The College of Optometrists guidance was updated in December 2023 to make myopia management part of the core skills of an optometrist, and ABDO guidance also makes clear that myopia management is a key skill of a dispensing optician. Therefore, more myopic patients will be coming in for return appointments having been recommended myopia management previously. This session explores scenarios where the patient has returned and investigates how ECPs can use their detective skills to analyse the patient’s individual situation to be able to provide the correct advice and myopia management solution going forward.
Delivered by Coopervision.
CPD 3 Points
This is a live patient video demonstration of punctum plug insertion, demonstrating the technique for safe insertion. The indications for punctum plug insertion, the possible complications, as well as tips for safe insertion will be covered. Punctal plugs will then be inserted into patients using a video slit lamp, to enable visualisation of the technique by attendees.
Fiona Jazayeri
CPD 3 Points
CPD 3 Points
Supporting you and shaping the future together (incorporating the College AGM and Presidential Handover)
This session offers the opportunity to hear directly from College representatives about how the organisation is working to support you and the profession. Through updates on key areas of work and upcoming initiatives, the session will highlight the impact of the College – from professional guidance and clinical leadership to advocacy, learning, and recognition. More than the Annual General Meeting, this is a chance to discover how your membership is making a difference to the development of optometry. It will also be an opportunity to meet the new President of the College.
CPD 1 Point
CPD 1 Point
This peer review session will cover your GOC peer review requirement and is worth three interactive CPD points. Working in small groups, you’ll discuss three cases guided by an experienced facilitator – all supporting reflection and professional growth
CPD 3 Points
Lecture + Discussion
This session is designed specifically for optometrists.
This session provides a clear and practical exploration of the paediatric optic disc, focusing on how to distinguish benign anatomical variants from sight‑ or life‑threatening pathology. Delegates will revisit the mechanisms behind raised intracranial pressure and true papilloedema, and learn how disrupted axoplasmic flow creates the clinical signs seen in practice. Through current neuro‑ophthalmic evidence and accessible imaging strategies, the session will highlight key markers of pseudopapilloedema and strengthen confidence in referral decision‑making. Attendees will leave with a more structured, physiology‑driven approach to assessing the “swollen” disc and greater clarity when managing clinical uncertainty.
CPD 2 Points
This CPD session is designed to challenge common myths and misconceptions about soft toric contact lenses. This interactive peer review will take you through three real-world case studies, exploring the pitfalls of preconceptions, practical strategies for successful fits, and evidence-based tips to improve patient outcomes. Whether you are an experienced practitioner or new to fitting toric lenses, this session promises to provide valuable insights, collaborative discussion, and enhance your clinical confidence.
Delivered by Alcon.
CPD 3 Points
In a profession that is evolving rapidly, a champion optometrist goes beyond routine eye care; they connect deeply with patients, stay curious and committed to learning, and continue to grow as confident, compassionate professionals. This inspiring keynote explores how putting people first strengthens communication and relationships, how embracing new knowledge and emerging technologies enhances clinical confidence, and how cultivating a growth mindset empowers both practitioners and patients to thrive. Delegates will leave feeling energised, motivated, and equipped with practical insights to elevate their practice, champion their patients, and see new possibilities for their own professional journey.

CPD 1 Point
Advances in laser technology and surgical innovation have changed the glaucoma management landscape, and as we’ve become aware of the limitations of topicalAdvances in laser technology and surgical innovation have changed the glaucoma management landscape, and as we’ve become aware of the limitations of topical eye drops to prevent disease progression, Interventional Glaucoma has become increasingly common. This presentation gives information about the patient and system benefits of Interventional Glaucoma, and explains how cataract surgery plays a significant part, and how optometrists can support patient understanding of glaucoma options at the time of cataract referral eye drops.
Delivered by Glaukos.
CPD 1 Point
CPD 1 Point
This dedicated therapeutics peer review session will cover your GOC IP peer review requirement and is worth three interactive CPD points. Working in small groups, you’ll review three cases guided by an experienced facilitator.
This session is only open to delegates who are fully qualified independent prescribers.
Lecture + Discussion
This session is designed specifically for optometrists.
This demonstration‑based workshop focuses on the key clinical skills used when assessing patients suspected of having glaucoma or ocular hypertension. Delegates will observe slit‑lamp techniques for identifying anterior segment signs (including van Herick, Redmond‑Smith, and iris transillumination). Following the demonstration, you will work in small groups to review clinical images, discuss cases, and consider appropriate management approaches.
CPD 2 Points
CPD 3 Points
CPD 1 Point
CPD 2 Points
Artificial intelligence (AI) is poised to have major impacts on optometry practice, making it increasingly important for optometrists to learn how to navigate the AI hype. This session introduces the core concepts of AI in a clear, jargon‑free way, focusing on what AI outputs really mean in an optometry setting. During this lecture, you’ll build confidence in navigating the rapidly evolving technology landscape and prepare for the future of optometry practice.
CPD 1 Point
Miss this year and you miss the moment!




















