Welcome to
The Real World of Ophthalmology

Everything You Need to Succeed in Early Practice.

Created by Dr. Lisa M. Nijm

Welcome to Real World Ophthalmology, dedicated to helping young ophthalmologists succeed in early practice! RWO is where the world's foremost ophthalmology experts unite to illuminate your journey beyond training. Join us for engaging biannual virtual meetings, enlightening podcasts and captivating in-person events- all FREE and crafted by physicians who've walked your journey.

RWO After Dark is BACK!

Saturday, April 26 | 8:00 PM – 10:00 PM PT
🎬 "Lights, LASIK, Action!”

Join us in Los Angeles for RWO After Dark: Lights, LASIK, Action!—a one-of-a-kind evening experience that blends Hollywood glamour with hands-on learning and high-impact connections. Walk the red carpet, gain new knolwedge as you collect stars on the RWO Walk of Fame, and dive into candid conversations with leading surgeons.

⭐ Get exclusive access to:

  • Hands-on demos of cutting-edge technology

  • Small-group discussions with experienced physician mentors

  • Meet-the-faculty moments with the educators you admire

  • Real-world advice you won’t find in any textbook

Don't miss this exciting event!

GRAND PRIZE! ONE NIGHT LUXURY STAY AT THE W HOTEL DOWNTOWN CHICAGO!!

RSVP is required. Space is limited and we always max out!

RWO Mock Oral Board Review: Practice Like It's the Real Thing

Thurs, April 17 | 7:30– 9:00 PM CT


Get exam-ready with confidence at our RWO Mock Oral Board Review—a high-yield, interactive session designed By Physicians, For Physicians.

Whether it's your first time or a final tune-up, this focused evening event offers:
✅ Live mock oral simulations in small, specialty-specific breakout rooms
✅ Direct feedback from experienced faculty examiners
✅ Test-taking strategies that help you think on your feet

We will cover anterior segment, retina, glaucoma, neuro-ophthalmology, oculoplastics, peds, refractive, and more—the exact topics you’ll face on the boards.

Spots are limited and always fill fast. Don’t wait—register now and get board-ready.

RWO Peaks & Cases: Grand Rounds Lunch – Salt Lake City

Monday, May 5 | 12:30 PM MT
Join us at ARVO for an energizing midday break packed with real-world learning and peer connection.

RWO Peaks & Cases brings you a unique Grand Rounds–style lunch where early-career ophthalmologists and experts come together to share challenging cases, practical pearls, and honest insights from the front lines of clinical care.

🔍 What to Expect:

  • Rapid-fire case presentations across subspecialties

  • Interactive discussion with expert faculty

  • Practical tips you can use immediately

  • A relaxed, collegial atmosphere with lunch provided

Whether you're presenting or just soaking in the cases, this is a can't-miss moment to connect, learn, and elevate your clinical game.

Spots are limited—RSVP now to secure your seat and let us know if you’d like to present a case!

Thank you to everyone who attended

RWO Tell Me Your Secrets: Villains Edition!

RWO’s Signature Virtual Spring Meeting "Tell Me Your Secrets"was amazing!

Villains, Defeated.

The villains saw how popular our Ophthalmic Superhero Faculty were last fall—and this spring, they struck back. But thanks to our all-star RWO community, they didn’t stand a chance.

Real World Ophthalmology: Villains Edition was an action-packed, high-impact day of learning that tackled the real-world challenges young ophthalmologists face—from complex clinical dilemmas to business pitfalls and professional roadblocks. With dynamic sessions, candid insights, and powerful panels (sometimes in villainous attire!), this event delivered exactly what our attendees needed to fight back with confidence.

🎤 A huge thank you to our incredible speakers, including keynote stars Dr. Jennifer Lim and Dr. David Lockington, and to all of the faculty who brought their expertise, energy, and mentorship to every session.

💥 Missed it live? Don’t worry—on-demand access is available for a limited time when you sign up as a new RWO member. Join now to unlock the entire library of content!

Thank YOU to our 500+ incredible members who joined us at RWO After Dark!

We had a great time on the 33rd Floor of the W Hotel on Lakeshore!

Missed it? Don’t worry we have NEW Career Specific Virtual Programs available!

Sign up today so you don’t miss a thing!

Thank you for a Wonderful Year of RWO On the Road!

We concluded our year with incredible programs in Cincinnati and Lexington!

Thank you to UC Department of Ophthalmology and the Cincinnati Ophthalmology Society in Cincinnati, Ohio and

the Kentucky Eye Academy Physicians and Surgeons in Lexington, Kentucky for partnering with us!

Stay tuned to see where we go in 2025!

Want RWO to visit you? Let us know!

Did we mention it’s all FREE?!

And that’s not all! We host online events tailored to different aspects of your career needs throughout the year.

Our curated content addresses the concerns that matter to you most- from learning new clinical innovations to increasing your business acumen to enhancing your professional development— we are coming together to help you achieve earlier success in practice.

A Sincere Thank You to our keynote speakers, Dr. Mark J. Mannis and Dr. Andrew Lee for inspiring so many young ophthalmologists as our Keynote Speakers in the 7th Real World Ophthalmology Meeting, “Top Ten Things I Wish I Knew Sooner: Superhero Edition.” Access their incredible talks and all our world class speakers on the RWO Meeting Platform through December 31, 2024!

Past Keynote Speakers

RWO Hot Seat: “Ask Me Anything” with the CEO of the American Academy of Ophthalmology: Dr. Stephen McLeod

Past Keynote Speakers

RWO Fireside Chat with the Ultimate Researcher, Director of National Eye Institute: Dr. Micheal Chiang

We have all been where you are now. You can’t learn everything about the real world of ophthalmology in residency. As fellow physicians, we rely on each other to get through the real world challenges of being in practice. Real World Ophthalmology is here to help ease your way. From navigating the job hunt, mastering new technologies, understanding billing and coding, dealing with complications, avoiding burnout and more, we are here to share our knowledge on all and help make your journey easier.

I loved all the talks that reviewed core clinical ophthalmology, being able to hear from such a diverse and expert panel of speakers and moderators, and the ability to reconnect with mentors and colleagues through this virtual platform.

Attendee - Virtual Meeting, Spring 2023

The very relevant high yield topics, and the interaction with other participants and leaders.  It was right mix of formality and informality to keep it engaging, and accessible. It's fun and very informative

Attendee - Virtual Meeting, Spring 2023

Real World Ophthalmology Podcast

Subscribe to the RWO Podcast – your gateway to invaluable insights in the Real World of ophthalmology! In the first season, we hosted world-class leaders and experts in the field and talked about the most requested topics for Young Ophthalmologists! Our second season is in production and will be released soon!

Available on Apple Podcast, Castbox and Spotify.

Stay connected with us on social media!

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Don’t miss out on the action! Connect with us on your favorite social media channel to experience a wealth of daily tips, pearls of wisdom, and the freshest updates from RWO!

The Real World Ophthalmology is an exciting educational resource created by Dr. Lisa M. Nijm and dedicated to helping young ophthalmologists succeed in early practice.

With curated content developed for real life questions, this bi-annual virtual meeting complemented by in person events provides young ophthalmologists with time sensitive, real world insight and pearls of wisdom to get a head start in their careers.