AAO vs ASCRS for Exhibitors
Side-by-side data and our editorial take on which conference is the right exhibit investment for your medical device.
By Buzzbox Media · Last reviewed August 3, 2026
If you exhibit medical devices, AAO and ASCRS are likely both on your shortlist. Both serve overlapping clinical buyers, but the audience composition, booth economics, and exhibit floor experience differ in ways that materially affect ROI. AAO draws 25,000 attendees with an estimated all-in 10×10 of $18,000-$30,000, read from the published exhibitor prospectus. ASCRS draws 10,000 attendees with an estimated all-in 10×10 of $8,000-$14,000, read from the published exhibitor prospectus. Below is the side-by-side data plus our editorial take on which conference fits which kind of exhibitor.
| 9.5 AAO | 9.1 ASCRS | |
|---|---|---|
| Score | ||
| Buzzbox Score | 9.5 (Exceptional) | 9.1 (Exceptional) |
| Event Details | ||
| Dates | October 9-12, 2026 (Expo Oct 10-12) | April 10-13, 2026 |
| Location | Ernest N. Morial Convention Center, New Orleans, LA | Walter E. Washington Convention Center, Washington, DC |
| Scale | mega | large |
| Audience | ||
| Attendees | 25,000 | 10,000 |
| Exhibitors | 450 | 200 |
| Purchasing authority | ~45% | ~50% |
| Effective buyers | 11,250 | 5,000 |
| Costs | ||
| $/sqft | n/a | n/a |
| 10×10 space | n/a | n/a |
| All-in estimate | Est. $18,000-$30,000 | Est. $8,000-$14,000 |
| Cost per buyer | $2.13 | $2.2 |
Why exhibit at AAO
The largest ophthalmology meeting in the Western hemisphere. If you sell ophthalmic equipment (OCT, fundus cameras, slit lamps, IOLs, surgical instruments, lasers, diagnostics), AAO is mandatory. The concurrent AAOE program attracts practice administrators who influence purchasing. Subspecialty Day expands the audience to retina, glaucoma, cornea, and oculoplastics specialists.
Why exhibit at ASCRS
The most commercially productive ophthalmology show in the US. ASCRS attendees come to buy. Surgeons actively evaluate IOLs, phaco equipment, femtosecond lasers, diagnostics, and surgical supplies. At $3,900 per 10x10 inline increment and $41/sqft for islands, pricing is reasonable for the quality of buyer. The co-located ASOA program brings practice administrators who hold the checkbook.
Why skip AAO
Non-ophthalmic devices have zero audience here. The show competes with ASCRS (which is more commercially oriented for anterior segment). AAO is more education-focused, so pure booth-driven sales can be slower than ASCRS.
Why skip ASCRS
Narrow anterior segment focus: retina, neuro, and oculoplastics specialists attend AAO instead. If your device is not used in cataract, refractive, cornea, or glaucoma surgery, ASCRS is the wrong show.
AAO booth figures are estimates read from its published exhibitor prospectus ↗, not quotes. ASCRS booth figures are estimates read from its published exhibitor prospectus ↗, not quotes. Confirm current pricing with each organizer before committing a budget.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is AAO or ASCRS better for first-time exhibitors?
Both work, but ASCRS is the lower-budget pilot. An all-in 10×10 at ASCRS is estimated at $8,000 to $14,000, against $18,000 to $30,000 at AAO. ASCRS also puts you on the smaller floor, with about 10,000 attendees against roughly 25,000 at AAO, so a modest first booth is less likely to get lost. Both ranges are Buzzbox Media estimates built from public prospectuses and exhibitor kits, covering space, drayage, electrical, carpet, and basic services but not travel, staffing, or the booth build. Confirm current pricing with each organizer before you commit a budget.
Does AAO or ASCRS have more decision makers?
AAO does, on our estimate: roughly 11,250 effective buyers against about 5,000 at ASCRS. Effective buyers multiplies total attendance by the share of attendees who hold purchasing authority, so AAO works out to about 25,000 attendees at roughly 45% authority, and ASCRS to about 10,000 at roughly 50%. Both inputs are estimates drawn from organizer reporting and our own exhibitor research, so read the gap as directional rather than exact.
Want to add a third conference to this comparison?
Compare these conferences in our interactive tool →Other conferences you might consider
Buzzbox Media is a medical device marketing agency with over 15 years in medtech. See our conference marketing.