Posters
The Heart of America invites you to attend the 2026 Scientific Poster Session. The poster session will take place on Friday, February 20, from 5:45 PM to 7:00 PM at the entrance of the exhibit hall. Optometrists can earn one hour of COPE credit while learning from doctors, residents, and students about their clinical and scientific posters.
Congratulations to our 2026 Poster Winners!
Katelynn Edwards, OD (Larry Stoppel Award)
Diplopia as the Initial Manifestation of Metastatic ALK-Positive Lung Adenocarcinoma
Residency: NOVA SOUTHEASTERN UNIVERSITY
Anna Beth Harris, OD
Beyond the Usual Suspects: Idiopathic Orbital Inflammatory Syndrome in a Pediatric Patient
Residency: Indiana University
Hannah Walleck, OD
Central Retinal Artery Occlusion Reveals Atrial Septal Defect and Factor V Leiden Mutation in Pediatric Patient
Residency: UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI AT ST. LOUIS
Alexander Rief, OD, MS
Complications of residual rust rings: siderosis and other related manifestations
Residency: NORTHEASTERN STATE UNIVERSITY - OKLAHOMA COLLEGE OF OPTOMETRY
Juliann Rados, OD
Compressive Optic Neuropathy: Not Always What Meets the Eye
Residency: NORTHEASTERN STATE UNIVERSITY - OKLAHOMA COLLEGE OF OPTOMETRY
Five residents were selected to receive an award for outstanding poster for the 2026 meeting. These posters were recognized as having the highest rankings from our poster selection committee. The residents were awarded a $2,000 scholarship, free registration, free travel and accommodations at the Heart of America meeting. Congratulations to our poster winners!
Poster submission is not currenly available. Please check this page for future updates.
2025 Poster Winners
Nathan Patterson, OD
A New Perspective on Acute Retinal Ischemia
Mallory Wright, OD
Acute Horner's Syndrome Leading to a Diagnosis of Trigeminal Autonomic Cephalalgia
Jordan Gott, OD
Bilateral CRVO in Polyclonal Hyperviscosity Syndrome Secondary to Multiple Myeloma
Rodnell Batac, OD
A Case of Peripapillary Choroidal Neovascular Membrane (CNVM) in a 12-year-old with optic disc drusen – An Extremely Rare Complication
Shihij Takoo, OD, MS
If Eyes Could Talk: Using scleral lenses to regain eye-tracking communication device use in an ALS patient
Poster Gallery
103 posters found
Click on the thumbnails below to open a larger version of the posters.
"Serum Helping the Epithelium": Serum Tears Improving Corneal Epithelial Integrity in Limbal Stem Cell Deficiency Secondary to Chemotherapy
Marina Rios, OD
A Case of an Atypical Retinal Finding Presenting as Subacute Unilateral Vision Loss in a 37-Year-Old Male
Zarin Anjum, OD
A Case of Stellate Non-hereditary Idiopathic Foveomacular Retinoschisis (SNIFR): A Novel Differential of Stellate Maculopathy
Genevieve Ehlers, OD
A Complex Case of Dry Eye from Ocular Cicatricial Pemphigoid with Correlating Corneal Scarring, Neurotrophic Keratitis, and Severe Trichiasis
Allison Wu, OD
Application of Visual Evoked Potentials to Assess Visual Pathway Integrity in a Patient with Multiple Sclerosis
Emma Strunks, OD
Beyond the Cataract: Addressing EBMD With Superficial Keratectomy for Better Surgical Precision
Payton Lock, OD
Beyond the Usual Suspects: Idiopathic Orbital Inflammatory Syndrome in a Pediatric Patient
Anna Beth Harris, OD
Bilateral Acute Angle Closure Glaucoma Following the use of Daratumumab: A Treatment for Multiple Myeloma
Salvador Gonzalez, OD
Central Retinal Artery Occlusion Reveals Atrial Septal Defect and Factor V Leiden Mutation in Pediatric Patient
Hannah Walleck, OD
Clear Vision without Compromise: Addressing the Unique Craniofacial Needs of a Special Olympic Athlete with Intellectual and Developmental Disability
Sally Stein, BS, LDO, ABO-NCLE, BS
Combining Keratoconus and Translating GP Lens Designs to Improve Visual Quality in a Presbyopic Patient with Corneal Ectasia
Rebecca McNeill, BA
Complications of residual rust rings: siderosis and other related manifestations
Alexander Rief, OD,MS
Consideration of Drusen-Associated Ischemic Optic Neuropathy (DAION) in a Young Patient with Acute Vision Loss
Alyssa Lancaster, OD
Count Fingers to 20/20: A Case of Managing Advanced Keratoconus with Scleral Lenses
Odalys Leyte-Akman, OD
Diplopia as the Initial Manifestation of Metastatic ALK-Positive Lung Adenocarcinoma
Katelynn Edwards, OD
Double Vision, Zero Abduction: A Case of Bilateral Cranial Nerve VI Deficits Following Head Trauma
Jessi Wieck, OD
Dual Therapy for Clarity: Topical Losartan and Scleral Lens Use Following a Post-Crosslinking Corneal Ulcer
Maddison Fortman, OD,MS
Eye WOODn't believe it: Traumatic Endophthalmitis from Penetrating Tree Branch Injury
Kelsey Miller, OD
From Birth to Graves’: A case of unilateral Thyroid Eye Disease secondary to postpartum conversion of Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis to Graves’ Disease
Michael Nguyen, OD
From Infection Control to Optic Atrophy: Exploring Antiviral Therapy–Related Nerve Tissue Loss
Nahwa Badawi, OD
Impact of comorbid protein S deficiency on progressive sickle cell retinopathy progression
Xiao Tong Chen, OD,MS
Low Vision Management in Proliferative Diabetic Retinopathy and the Association with Optic Nerve Damage and Glaucoma
Allissa Chang, OD
Lucky Guy, Unlucky Eye: A Case of CRAO in Conjunction with Exudative Age-Related Macular Degeneration and an Eye Spared by the Cilioretinal Artery
Josephine Choi, OD
Management of Recurrent Intraretinal Fluid in Pachychoroid Spectrum Disease in a Steroid Responder
Tyler Tran, OD
Mentorship in Motion: Integrating Preventative Eyecare and Clinical Education During Community Missions Clinics
Jenny Geevarghese, OD
More Than Meets the Eye: Pediatric Blurred Vision as a Clue to Pituitary Macroadenoma
Samantha Southard, OD
Multimodal Imaging Aids in Diagnosis of Multiple Evanescent White Dot Syndrome
Gabrielle Crockett, OD
Nettleship Collateral: A Rare Indication of a Central Retinal Artery Occlusion
Nancy Garay Espinoza, Student
Off-Center but On Point: Visual Rehabilitation with a Scleral Contact Lens in a Case of an Eccentrically Decentered Tectonic Penetrating Keratoplasty
Brandon Merrill, OD
Orbital Apex Syndrome Secondary to Invasive Fungal Sphenoidal Sinusitis in an Immunocompromised Host
Vanna Nguyen, OD,MS
Past the Post-Op Milestone: Detecting CME After YAG Capsulotomy in a Pseudophakic Patient
Yufei (Faye) Nie, OD
Persistent Lipemia Retinalis Despite Improved Hypertriglyceridemia: A Rare Case of Systemic Dysregulation
Jannah Said, OD
Pigmented Paravenous Retinochoroidal Atrophy: A Rare Finding in a Routine Eye Exam
Kaylin Maxwell, OD,MS
Poor Depth Perception Impairs Activities of Daily Living: A Low Vision Approach to Managing Permanent Vision Loss Secondary to Cerebral Ischemic Event
Brianna Hairston, OD
Posterior Coritcal Atrophy: When Multiple Accidents Point to More Than Bad Luck
Stephen Sanabria, OD
Post-traumatic Lagophthalmos with Exposure Keratoconjunctivitis after Craniofacial Reconstruction due to Osteomyelitis
MJ Bustamante, OD,MS
Regaining Vision After Corneal Trauma: Scleral Lens Fit Using Corneo-Scleral Profiling
Laura Baldino, OD
Restoring Comfort & Continuity: Re-establishing Care for CACG During a Prosthetic Contact Lens Fitting for a Mydriatic Pupil Causing Glare & Headaches
Thuy Trang Vu, OD
Scleral Lens Fitting in Epithelial Basement Membrane Dystrophy (EBMD) with Toric Intraocular lenses (IOL), Trichiasis and Dry Eye
Shang-Yun (Wendy) Huang, OD
Seeing the bigger picture: optimizing visual potential and PKP success in a pediatric patient with bilateral congenital sclerocornea
Catherine Liu, OD
Small Device, Big Impact: Integrating Handheld ERG into the Clinical Management of Inherited Retinal Disease
Brooke Major, OD,MS
Steroid-Induced Chronic Central Serous Chorioretinopathy Secondary to Hydroxycut-Related Hepatitis
Maya Weis, BA
Submacular Hemorrhage Secondary to Retinal Arterial Macroaneurysm: Importance of Early Diagnosis and Coordinated Care
Simrit Kang, OD
Testosterone-Associated Intracranial Hypertension Presenting as Blurry Vision and Grade 4 Papilledema
Alice Kim, OD
The Blueprint of Sight: PCARE-Associated Retinitis Pigmentosa Diagnosed with Genetic Testing
Kaylee Mayo, OD
Therapeutic Challenges in Drug-Induced Ocular Cicatricial Disease: Navigating Pseudopemphigoid, Limbal Stem Cell Deficiency, and Glaucoma
Christina Canellos, OD
Unmasking Multifocal Choroiditis: Key Clues to Distinguish it from Its Mimickers
Sabrina Samnani, Student
Valsalva retinopathy diagnoses post forceful cough resulting in pre-retinal hemorrhage
Jasmine Smith, OD,MS
When “Too Much Minus” Helps: How Over-Minused Contact Lenses Stabilized Clear and Comfortable Binocular Vision
Elmire Bien-Aimé, Student