Frequently Asked Questions

General Information:

• When and where is the meeting taking place?
• Where is my Advance Program?
• Where are the JCAHPO and ASORN meetings?
• Where are the Alumni and other Related Group meetings located?
• Where can I find information about the 2008 Joint Meeting?

Registration:

• When does registration open?
• Where can I find registration forms?
• What are the Annual Meeting registration fees?
• What are the Subspecialty Day registration fees?
• How do I get the MIT 50% discount?
• Am I registered? How can I verify my registration?
• I work for a commercial company; how do I register for the meeting?
• What are the meeting registration deadlines?
• What is the meeting cancellation deadline for a refund?
• How do I get a refund?
• Where do I register onsite for the Annual Meeting and Subspecialty Day?
• Is there a One-Day-Only Annual Meeting registration category?
• When will badges and materials be sent?

Hotels and Travel:

• How do I reserve a hotel room?
• How do I make airline and/or car reservations?
• Will there be a shuttle from my hotel to the convention center?
• What other kinds of ground transportation are available?  Are there any parking lots?

Presenters:

• When are acceptance letters sent for papers/posters and videos?
• I am presenting a course at the Annual Meeting; do I need to register?

Scientific Program, Subspecialty Day, Practice Management/AAOE:

• How many CME credits is the Annual Meeting worth?
• How many CME credits are the Subspecialty Day meetings worth?

International Attendees:

• How do I get a Letter of Invitation to the Annual Meeting?
• How do I get a visitor visa to come to the United States?

Exhibition:

• When will the Exhibit Hall be open?
• Who is allowed to enter the Exhibit Hall?

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General Information:

When and where is the meeting taking place?

Where is my Advance Program?

The Advance Program will be mailed in late May to all Academy and AAOE members, in addition to those who have attended a meeting in the last three years, to the address on record as of early May. You can also use the Annual Meeting Online Program (available May 30) and the Subspecialty Day Online Program (available May 30) to search the course and event databases.  

Where are the JCAHPO and ASORN meetings and can JCAHPO and ASORN registrants attend the Academy's Joint Meeting?

Full registration for the ASORN meeting entitles registrants to attend both the ASORN meeting and the 2008 Joint Meeting.

Where are the Alumni and other Related Group meetings located?

During the Joint Meeting, many medical school alumni and ophthalmology related groups will also meet in Atlanta. You may download the current list of Alumni & Related Group Events beginning July 23, or pick up an updated listing onsite at the Bags & Programs counters, Meeting Information booths, or Academy Resource Center. Contact the specific organizations for more information.

Where can I find information about the 2008 Joint Meeting?

• Atlanta City Highlights - Weather, things to do, CityPass, and more.
• Scientific Program - Joint Meeting Highlights, general program information.
• 2008 Online Program (available May 30) - Search the database by course, subspecialty, or instructor.
• Subspecialty Day - Choose from six exciting meetings.
• 2008 Subspecialty Day Online Program (available May 30) - Search the database by course, subspecialty, or instructor.
• Exhibition - Find exhibitors, products, and floor plans.

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Registration:

When do registration and housing open?

Preregistration and housing for the Joint Meeting, Subspecialty Day, AAOE Program and Coding Camp will open to members on June 25 and to nonmembers on July 9. Onsite registration will be available at the GWCC, Hall A-2.

Where can I find registration forms?

Registration forms will be available in the back of the Advance Program and Spouse Guide, and online. The last day to register by fax or mail is Sept. 10. The last day to register online is Oct. 15.

What are the Annual Meeting registration fees?
View the Annual Meeting registration categories and fees.

What are the Subspecialty Day registration fees?
View the Subspecialty Day registration categories and fees.

How do I get the MIT 50% discount?
Academy Members in Training automatically receive a 50% discount on all standard Instruction Courses, Skills Transfer Courses, and Breakfast With the Experts ticket purchases. This discounted rate is already applied when you register. This offer applies only to Academy Members in Training.

Am I registered? How can I verify my registration?
Preregistration and housing for the Joint Meeting, Subspecialty Day, AAOE Program and Coding Camp will open to members on June 25 and to nonmembers on July 9. After those dates, you may verify your registration on this Web site.

I work for a commercial company; how do I register for the meeting?
If your company is exhibiting: Representatives of exhibiting companies are registered in advance for the Joint Meeting and Subspecialty Day by an individual from their company appointed to handle the details of the company’s participation in the exhibition. Do not use the Academy’s Web site or Preregistration & Ticket Order Form to register exhibitor representatives— these methods of registration are for physicians and healthcare professionals only. A link to the Exhibitor Registration web site will be sent to exhibiting companies in August. See Exhibitor Registration Information for more details.

If your company is not exhibiting: A Corporate Representative category has been added to provide the opportunity for a corporate representative with a legitimate business reason, who does not have a product or service to exhibit, to attend the Joint Meeting. Do not register on the Academy’s Web site or use the forms in the Advance Program— these methods of registration are for physicians and health professionals only. See Exhibitor Registration Information for more details.

What is the meeting cancellation deadline for a refund?
Wednesday, Sept. 10 is the last day to cancel with a $50 processing fee—no refunds will be issued after that date.

How do I get a refund?
Wednesday, Sept. 10 is the last day to cancel with a $50 processing fee—no refunds will be issued after that date. To cancel your registration and receive a refund, a written request including your name and Academy identification number must have been received by Wednesday, Sept. 10. There is a per-person, per-meeting cancellation processing fee of $50, or your total registration fee, whichever is less. No refunds will be honored for cancellation requests received after the Sept. 10 deadline.

Where do I register onsite for the 2008 Joint Meeting and Subspecialty Day?

When will badges and materials be sent?

• Registration packets will be mailed in mid-October to all attendees who register by Sept. 10.
• If you do not receive a registration packet before traveling, pick up your materials onsite at Preregistration in Hall A-2.

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Hotels and Travel:

How do I reserve a hotel room?
Housing will open to members on June 25 and to nonmembers on July 9. The most efficient way to register is online.  A form will also be available in the Advance Program.

How do I make airline and/or car reservations?
Airline and car rental discounts have been arranged for meeting attendees. See Hotels & Travel for more information.

Will there be a shuttle from my hotel to the convention center?
Continuous shuttle bus service will operate between most of the official Academy hotels and the GWCC from Saturday, Nov. 8 through Tuesday, Nov. 11.  (Limited shuttle bus service will operate on Friday, Nov. 7.) The Shuttle Schedule is printed in the Pocket Guide and Final Program, and is available to download to your PDA from the Meeting E-Guide. The shuttle schedule will be available on this Web site in mid-July.

What other kinds of ground transportation are available?  Are there any parking lots?
See Ground Transportation for options, including parking.

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Presenters:

When are acceptance letters sent for papers/posters and videos?
Notification letters will be e-mailed at the end of July. Contact Julia Fennell for more information.

I am presenting a course at the Joint Meeting; do I need to register?
All program participants are required to register for the Joint Meeting and pay the appropriate fees. The Academy cannot waive any fees or provide any financial assistance for travel or housing costs.

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Scientific Program, Subspecialty Day, Practice Management/AAOE:

How many CME credits is the 2008 Joint Meeting worth?

A maximum of 31 credit hours can be claimed.

How many CME credits are the 2008 Subspecialty Day meetings worth?

• Cornea Subspecialty Day: Maximum of 7 credits
• Glaucoma Subspecialty Day: Maximum of 7 credits
• Pediatric Ophthalmology Subspecialty Day: Maximum of 7 credits
• Refractive Surgery Subspecialty Day: Maximum of 14 credits
• Retina Subspecialty Day: Maximum of 14 credits
• Uveitis Subspecialty Day: Maximum of 7 credits

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International:

How do I get a Letter of Invitation to the Annual Meeting?
Personalize a Letter of Invitation to assist in your visitor visa application process.

How do I get a visitor visa to come to the United States?
Consult the Visitor Visa page for more information.

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Exhibition:

When will the exhibit hall be open?

Who is allowed to enter the exhibit hall?

All registered Joint Meeting attendees may enter the exhibit hall Saturday through Tuesday. Subspecialty Day attendees may enter the exhibit hall on Saturday only. You must be a registered attendee to enter the Exhibit Hall. Children 17 years of age and under must wear a badge and must be accompanied by a registered adult.

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