GPLI Specialty Lens Symposium 2025

For years, I have heard about GPLI, or the Gas Permeable Lens Institute, but I never quite understood what it was all about. A few months ago, I received an email, inviting me to attend the Specialty Lens Symposium in Columbus, Ohio. I started researching and learned that GPLI is a non-profit organization geared towards enhancing education for specialty lenses, and the conference is geared towards Contact Lens and Cornea Residents. My residency was 10 years ago- I was confused. Luckily a few days later, one of my favorite scleral lens reps stopped in and asked me about the invite. He nominated me as a "rising star" in the industry. I felt honored. I checked the date, and it was on my daughter's birthday. What kind of mom would I be if I missed my daughter's birthday to go to a work conference? I thought about it for some time and decided that an invite-only event was something I would never have the chance to attend again.

This year has been the year of specialty lenses for me. I visited Boston Sight to learned from the best scleral lens fitters in the world, I went to Charlotte to the International Congress of Scleral Contact Lenses, to GPLI, and am going to the International Keratoconus Association (and taking the entire staff!), and finishing up with the Global Specialty Lens Symposium in Vegas. While I appreciate all of the opportunities I have had this year, GPLI blew everything else away.

First and foremost, the organization of the event was superb. Ursula, who works with GPLI, may be the most organized human being I have ever met. She booked our flights, hotels, created a bio for every attendee, distributed them, presented us with lectures prior to attending, organized every meal, activity, and even thought to have snacks for us when we landed in Columbus. She gave us water bottles, but not just water bottles, cleaning tablets so we can use them, and stickers to help us personalize our bottles. The event had a schedule that never went a minute over. I have never in my entire life, attended something so efficient. The entire staff at GPLI is worthy of our highest praises.

Now to the learning. I always feel that conferences that are lecture-heavy can be educational, but many times the information does not translate to clinic. I crave wet labs where we see actual patients, but not just any patients, complicated and diverse patients. We saw normal corneas, keratoconus, patients with transplants, intacs, congenital glaucoma, correctopia, iridocorneal endothelial syndrome, aphakia... you name it, they found a patient for us to see. The lens variety was fantastic! We were able to experience almost every brand of lens on the market, but without bias. The industry "badassadors" came together as friends for the weekend to provide us with experience to enhance our fits for our own patients. We saw rigid gas permeable lenses, hybrids, piggy backs, custom soft, sclerals, and impression based scleral lenses.

You may be thinking, but Dr. McConkey, you already fit specialty lenses and even lecture on scleral lenses. That is true, but there is always something to learn, and confidence to be gained. We are only as good as the education we have received; therefore, every educational opportunity is one worth taking. I look forward to implementing new skills and techniques I learned this weekend. I honored to be a part of the GPLI family and excited to foster the relationships that I have made with colleagues.

Lastly, thank you to my rep, Jeff, who nominated me to attend this conference. I am forever grateful to the GPLI staff, Ohio State Optometry, The Havener Institute, and everyone who put so much work into making this weekend happen.

If you're interested in learning more about GPLI, visit https://gpli.info/ or follow them on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/gplensinstitute/

To learn more about scleral lenses, click here.