EyeCon 2025: Sruthi Arepalli, MD, spotlights a deep-dive orbital tour of the eye

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Set against the backdrop of a scenic Florida coastline and a growing emphasis on cross-specialty collaboration in eye care, the Ophthalmology Times and Optometry Times EyeCon® 2025 conference is set for September 26 and 27 at the Margaritaville Hollywood Beach Resort. Sruthi Arepalli, MD, of Emory University School of Medicine, is a member of this year’s EyeCon educational committee, which also includes Joseph Allen, OD, FAAO, Dipl ABO; Jade Coats, OD, FAAO, and Oluwatosin U. Smith, MD.

Arepalli anticipates the conference as a “fantastic experience where we bring together trainees, people in early career, and then outside of early career together to talk about all parts of the eye.” The emphasis, she noted, is on a collaborative and educational format designed to reach a wide audience across subspecialties.

This year’s conference agenda is built around the theme of “Orbiting the Globe - Comprehensive Tour of the Eye for the Comprehensive Ophthalmologist/Optometrist,” which Arepalli explained was chosen to reflect the structure of the sessions. “It basically talks about how we're going to move from the front of the eye to the back of the eye and talk about every subspecialty as we hit it, sort of like the way we do an exam in clinic. We start with the lids and move all the way back to the retina,” she said.

For her portion of the meeting, Arepalli will focus on uveitis and retina. She plans to highlight new therapeutic options, clinical trial end points, and recently approved medications for retinal diseases. Of particular interest are emerging treatments for geographic atrophy and age-related macular degeneration. “One of the big things that I'm really excited to talk about are the new drugs that we have coming out in retina,” she said. She points to gene therapy as an important innovation on the horizon. “Gene therapy that’s coming could really revitalize the way we approach patients,” she noted.

In previewing the broader program, Arepalli stressed the value for comprehensive ophthalmologists, who are often the first point of contact for patients. “Patients walk into your office at 3 or 4 pm on a Friday, and you’re in charge of triaging them and making sure that they’re okay until they can get to a subspecialist,” she said. For this reason, EyeCon 2025 will focus on distilling practical takeaways—what not to miss, how to treat effectively, and when to refer.

Beyond the clinical content, EyeCon 2025 also aims to foster connection and mentorship. “For our attendees I'm hoping to create a really collaborative, collegial environment. And of course, create networking opportunities for people who are attending,” Arepalli said. The program will bring participants into the same space as “giants in the field” while also including residents, fellows, and early-career physicians. The goal, she emphasized, is “to create this really warm welcoming environment.”

In terms of what she hopes participants, especially residents, will take away, Arepalli said: “I hope they walk away…refreshed and excited to approach ophthalmology and learning some pearls about especially what patient conditions to not miss and what’s new in the field.”

Finally, she noted the venue as another highlight. “We’re going to be in a beautiful part of Florida, and I’m really looking forward to taking advantage of the Margaritaville Resort and exploring everything that it has to offer.”