Beth Thomas Hertz

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The Glaucoma Research Foundation (GRF) kicked off its 8th annual Glaucoma 360 Thursday night. The three-day event highlights the latest innovation in glaucoma technology and therapies to bring a cure for glaucoma.

The Annual Gala, GRF’s fund-raising event, was attended by about 400 people at the Palace Hotel in San Francisco. In addition to the reception, the evening included a silent auction, dinner, and a live auction, including a matching gift opportunity as part of the Fund-A-Scientist Initiative.

Glaucoma 360 runs from Jan. 31 to Feb. 2. It is co-chaired and co-founded by Andrew Iwach, MD, chairman of the board of GRF, and executive director, Glaucoma Center of San Francisco, and Adrienne Graves, PhD, a GRF board member and an independent director on the boards of many ophthalmic companies.

 is the official partner and media sponsor for Glaucoma 360.

Thomas Brunner, GRF’s president and CEO, said this year’s gala was one of the largest crowds for the fundraising event to date. The theme for the gala was “The Cure Is In Sight.” To date, this annual event has raised more than $5 million.

Money raised at the black-tied event will help fund the next phase in GRF’s breakthrough research program, “Catalyst for a Cure.” This latest phase, which builds upon 16 years of research into the early biological indicators and measurement of glaucoma, will focus on the ambitious goal of actual vision restoration for glaucoma patients.

“We appreciate all of our supporters coming out and attending this fun event each year,” Brunner said. “We could not continue to advance our important mission without their dedication and passion.” 

The evening’s festivities concluded with a special musical performance from San Francisco native Fred Ross joined by two-time Grammy Award winning violinist Mads Tolling.

At the event, the Catalyst Award, GRF’s highest honor, was presented to Mona and Ed Zander of Carmel, CA, in recognition of their leadership and lifelong commitment to advancing medical research.

“GRF is indebted to Mona and Ed for their outstanding support and ongoing involvement in our mission to cure glaucoma and restore vision through innovative research,” Brunner said prior to the event. “As a member of the (GRF) Board of Directors, Mona was instrumental in our board and fund-raising activities. We are honored to have an opportunity to recognize and celebrate Mona and Ed’s extraordinary dedication to a future free from glaucoma.”

Robert L. Stamper, MD, of Berkeley, CA, received the 2019 Visionary Award in honor of his more than 30 years of service on GRF’s Board of Directors. Dr. Stamper is a distinguished professor of clinical ophthalmology and director emeritus of the Glaucoma Service, University of California, San Francisco.

“We are delighted to have an opportunity to recognize Dr. Stamper for his numerous contributions to the field of glaucoma,” Brunner explained. “Helping patients and teaching the next generation of ophthalmologists are his greatest pleasures. As a member of (the GRF) Research Committee, Bob inspired the next phase of our Catalyst for a Cure consortium. He is a true visionary.”

The 2019 Shaffer Prize for Innovative Glaucoma Research was presented to Adriana di Polo, PhD, professor, Department of Neuroscience, University of Montreal. The Shaffer Prize is presented annually at the gala to recognize an exceptional research project that best exemplifies the pursuit of innovative ideas in the mission to better understand glaucoma. Dr. Di Polo was honored for her research seeking treatments to restore vision in glaucoma patients.

GRF also announced the names of the principal researchers who will lead the vision restoration initiative for Catalyst for A Cure. They are Xin Duan, PhD, assistant professor, Department of Ophthalmology and Physiology, Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco; Yang Hu, MD, PhD, assistant professor, Department of Ophthalmology, Stanford University School of Medicineâ¨Stanford, CA; Anna La Torre, PhD, assistant professor, Department of Cell Biology and Human Anatomy, University of California, Davis, and Derek Welsbie, MD, PhD, assistant professor of ophthalmology, San Diego Shiley Eye Institute, University of California, San Diego.

Glaucoma 360 is dedicated to finding a cure for glaucoma. More than 1,000 attendees are expected to participate in at least one of the three events-The Annual Gala, the New Horizons Forum, and the Annual Glaucoma Symposium-this weekend. Last night’s gala was the first piece of Glaucoma 360’s annual goal to “celebrate, innovate, and educate.”

Today, the meeting moves into the “innovate” phase, with the 8th Annual New Horizons Forum, a full-day meeting dedicated to pushing the envelope on innovations in glaucoma therapies and diagnostics. The event is designed to help fast-track ideas from concept to reality by bringing together funders, clinical leaders, representatives of the FDA, and more. Many ideas presented at this event over the years are now products helping patients.

Saturday will highlight “educate” with the Annual Glaucoma Symposium. There will be two half-day continuing medical education symposia, one for ophthalmologists in the morning and another for optometrists in the afternoon.

“Glaucoma 360 has become our signature event and has truly been an important catalyst in advancing new therapies to help patients preserve their vision,” Brunner added. “We simply must do more to preserve sight and restore vision lost from glaucoma.”

Articles

Glaucoma 360 celebrates with festive fund-raising gala 

 resumed its Best Programs Survey in 2017 after a brief hiatus, the Bascom Palmer Eye Institute at the University of Miami is at the top of the 2018 Best Overall Programs category, followed again by the Wilmer Eye Institute at Johns Hopkins University. Massachusetts Eye & Ear Infirmary at Harvard University is third, moving up from seventh place last year.

Rounding out the Best Overall category are Wills Eye Hospital at Thomas Jefferson University in fourth, Duke University Eye Center in fifth, University of Iowa in sixth, W.K. Kellogg Eye Center at the University of Michigan in seventh, Stein & Doheny Eye Institute at the University of California, Los Angeles in eighth, Casey Eye Institute at University of Oregon in ninth, and the Moran Eye Center at University of Utah in tenth.

There is a tie for 11th: Storm Eye Institute at Medical University of South Carolina and Dean McGee Eye Institute/ University of Oklahoma. The Storm Eye Institute is the only new name on that list this year, narrowly edging Cleveland Clinic’s Cole Eye Institute out of the top dozen.

The Best Clinical Care category included Wills in second, Wilmer in third, Massachusetts Eye & Ear in fourth, and Duke in fifth. Best Residency Programs, after Bascom Palmer, were Wills in second, Wilmer in third, University of Iowa in fourth, and Duke in fifth. The Best Research Programs included Bascom Palmer in second, Massachusetts Eye & Ear in third, Duke in fourth, and W.K. Kellogg Eye Center in fifth. Ophthalmology Times conducted the survey through Survey Gizmo.

Of 232 chairmen and residency program directors invited to participate nationally, 58 did, for a 25% response rate. In interviews with 

, the chairmen at the Bascom Palmer Eye Institute and the Wilmer Eye Institute expressed their appreciation for the commendation and shared some of their thoughts about what makes for a successful program today.

At Bascom Palmer, Chairman Eduardo C. Alfonso, MD, attributed his institute’s first place ranking in clinical care to the outstanding team that is there, including physicians, scientists, nurses, technicians, and more. About 1,200 people work at Bascom Palmer, he noted, making it one of the biggest eye care teams in the United States, caring for one of the largest patient populations.

“We continue to try to excel in patient care, vision research, and education, working to be at the cutting edge of innovation in all those areas,” he said. Bascom Palmer was one of the first institutions in the United State to offer the Nightstar gene therapy eye clinical trial for X-linked retinitis pigmentosa, he noted.

“A 23-year-old man from Puerto Rico was the first patient, and he gave a very heart wrenching interview as to how he was already beginning to feel the difference in terms of his eyesight and, more importantly, the promise that he will not continue to lose eyesight. It is quite remarkable,” Dr. Alfonso said.

He noted that Bascom Palmer has been at the forefront of the use of voretigene neparvovec-rzyl (Luxturna, Spark Therapeutics) to treat RPE65 mutation-associated retinal dystrophy, with 

 writing about their efforts in September (https://on.wsj. com/2DsPlLn).

“We treated a 9-year-old boy from Florida. This was thanks to the wonderful basic research and clinical team headed by Dr. Byron Lam. He and the whole group have been instrumental in advancing gene therapy,” Dr. Alfonso said.

He also praised the work of Dr. John Dye, a Bascom Palmer basic science researcher who developed the early form of mitochondrial gene therapy.

“I am really looking forward to that day when we can stop giving them the monthly injections of anti-VEGF factors and be able to just do very specific gene therapy for them. Hopefully, that day will come soon,” he added.

Bascom Palmer continues to grow and will be adding more than 100,000 square feet of clinical space over the next five years or so, Dr. Alfonso said. This includes expanding throughout South Florida, as well as adding a facility in Abu Dhabi that is set to open in fall 2019. The institute is also working on growing in the virtual eye care space.

It is currently upgrading communications capabilities across all sites to have the bandwidth to facilitate image transfer and remote visits. For example, the Abu Dhabi facility will not have a full complement of eye specialists on site, but rather will augment the ophthalmologists who will be there with “super specialists” consulting from Miami.

“We want to make it easier for patients to not have to travel a long way when they need a procedure. In our new physical space areas, we are really not concentrating so much on patient exam rooms because I think (some examinations) will happen at the patient’s home. We will focus instead on spaces where patients will be physically treated, which requires a sterile room or equipment that cannot be deployed to homes,” he said.

How all of that develops will ultimately depend on if payment models can be shifted toward population health rather than treating diseases, he noted.

“We think we will be able to move a lot of care to patients’ own space, using devices they have with them, at home or at work,” he said. “We hope that will change how we provide care because keeping people healthy is a different paradigm.”

Dr. Alfonso noted that Bascom Palmer continues to build on its strong commitment to community service, internationally as well as locally. For example, the institute holds eye care health fairs almost every weekend in underserved areas around Miami.

The institute was also on standby to help after Hurricane Florence this summer, staying in communication with colleagues in the Mid-Atlantic Region in case they were needed.

“Fortunately, we weren’t needed, but we were ready to go if we were. And we keep in touch with our Caribbean and South American colleagues, because that is where needs tend to arise and the infrastructure is not available for medical responses to crises,” Dr. Alfonso said.

“We are available.” He also said that Bascom Palmer’s Philip J. Rosenfeld, MD, PhD, did a great service to the United States by going to Congress to discuss the cost of optical coherence tomography testing recently.

“He was able to save Medicare over $9 billion in healthcare costs,” he said. “That’s part of our community effort. Our faculty is not just looking at providing clinical care but is really out there at the national and international level being leaders and advocating for patients.”

Although enacting change in health care today is complex, he said Bascom Palmer is committed to pushing forward, especially in the area of caring for retinal degeneration.

Thanks to a $12 million gift from philanthropist Lois Pope, and support from others, Bascom Palmer is creating a one-of-a-kind building at its Palm Beach campus that is dedicated just to scientists and clinicians working on retinal and macular degeneration.

 survey in which Bascom Palmer ranked number one, continues to be a growing area for the institute as well. It launched a Global Education Center this year to coordinate all of its educational efforts, including students, residents, and fellows, as well as patients who attend courses.

“We also provide our courses online, so our colleagues everywhere can benefit in their continuing medical education,” he said.

Bascom Palmer also now offers a unique master’s degree in Vision Science and Ophthalmology. Students come from all over the world to take this two-year program, he said. Many have finished medical school abroad and want to get a better background in ophthalmology, so they can embark on a research career, in industry or academia, or apply for clinical positions such as residencies and fellowships.

“It gives them the didactic basis that they may have not gotten in the country where they obtained their degree,” Dr. Alfonso said.

“We really found a need for this because we have such an international presence of observers and residents and fellows who rotate at Bascom Palmer and we clearly saw that they were in need of a core curriculum, so they could expand their careers.”

Peter J. McDonnell, MD, chairman at the Wilmer Eye Institute, said his program’s top ranking in research has deep historical origins.

“When Dr. Wilmer started the Wilmer Eye Institute in 1925, he felt that a focus on science was so important that having science throughout the institute would make us better doctors and better teachers,” Dr. McDonnell said.

“He created what was unique at the time-all-in-one-building, all-underone-roof, laboratories and scientists next to doctors, and patients next to students. Everyone mixed together.”

That was the first time such a thing had been done, he noted, and the vision behind it continues today. All faculty members at the Wilmer Eye Institute are tenure-track and are expected to do research, write papers, and advance the field, he said.

“We do our best to stay true to Dr. Wilmer’s vision of asking ourselves: Is the way we are doing things the best way, or is there a better way? That is the recipe for essentially taking better care of our patients and being better teachers to our residents and advancing the field of ophthalmology. It is the basis for our strong focus on research and why we spent over $40 million last year on research,” he said.

“Research is not a separate thing here. It’s throughout the institute,” he added.

Wilmer has just over 200 full-time faculty members, with 50 of those being PhD-level scientists who do not do patient care. It also has many clinician-scientists who see patients two or three days a week and spend the rest of their time in the laboratory or doing clinical research.

All residents are expected to do research as well, and they are motivated at least in part by a generous prize given each year to the one who does what the faculty judges as the most exciting work. Along those lines, Wilmer’s residency program is intentionally kept small-five per year-to enable the faculty to really focus on their complete development.

“Our goal is not to produce the largest number of residents, or to provide all the ophthalmologists for the state of Maryland. Our goal is to produce people who will be the leaders in the field,” Dr. McDonnell said.

“We have a map of the world in which we have highlighted all the places that people who trained at Wilmer have gone on to be department chairs. It’s now at 110.”

Dr. McDonnell also said that in the past two years, Wilmer faculty members have started six biotech companies to work on translating laboratory discoveries into new drugs and device.

“We think that partnering with an existing large company or creating a new company is the best way to do that,” he said, noting that the institute has a large partnership with German pharmaceutical company Bayer to develop several of its laboratory discoveries into therapies for retinal disease.

These ventures also include nanotechnology to replace glaucoma drops and cell engineering for optic nerve regeneration, he said.

Dr. McDonnell said that the Wilmer Eye Institute has expanded around Maryland in recent years to try to meet the ever-growing demand for its services.

“We are dealing with a demographic tidal wave in America of age-related eye problems,” he said. He proudly noted that every patient who has called for an appointment in the past three years was asked if they want to be seen that same day.

About 50,000 people have said, “yes.” Patients are not just coming from the area around Baltimore, he noted. The staff saw patients from all 50 states and 84 countries last year, he added.

Bascom Palmer again tops in annual survey

Mix art and science together and what do you get? The theme for the 2018 meeting of the American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO), which is being held in conjunction with the Pan-American Association of Ophthalmology (PAAO). The combined event convenes Saturday, Oct. 27 through Tuesday, Oct. 30 in Chicago, and is officially themed “Art + Science.”

The theme was chosen because it connects to both Chicago and ophthalmology, said Maria M. Aaron, MD, secretary for the annual meeting. Chicago has a long history of art, showcasing the Bean sculpture and the Art Institute of Chicago, as well as science, featuring the Field Museum and the Museum of Science and Industry, she noted.

“And while ophthalmology is obviously a science, it’s the art that differentiates the virtuosos from the average; it’s what most ophthalmologists aspire to,” she said. “Our role as ophthalmologists is to practice the art of genuinely caring for the whole person and communicating compassionately. That’s what makes being a doctor a privilege.”

Dr. Aaron said the academy also plans to offer some art-related sessions at the annual meeting, including the Michael F. Marmor Lecture in Ophthalmology and the Arts, which will be Monday from 12:45 to 1:45 p.m. In it, Howard Schatz, MD, will speak on the topic “In Search of Wonder.”

Dr. Aaron highlighted what’s new this year. There will be more of the increased Saturday programming including the International Council of Ophthalmology conference for ophthalmic educators, coding sessions, American Academy of Ophthalmic Executives (AAOE) practice management master classes, and two Academy CafÃ© sessions on neuro-ophthalmology and cataract, according to Dr. Aaron.

“We’re offering eight symposia on topics, such as vision rehabilitation, neuro ophthalmology, and globalizing human resources; plus, the highly interactive, competitive Diagnose This PAAO lineup Live. And we’re offering more Skills Transfer labs on Saturday,” Dr. Aaron said.

Also new this year, will be the AAOE Practice Management Program on Friday, with two sessions: (Re)Focus on Remarkable Patient Care Experiences and Top Strategies for Successfully Running Your Retina Practice.

“These sessions are recommended for physicians as well as practice managers,” she said.

Dr. Aaron listed three spotlight sessions on hot topics this year:

Spotlight on Common Approaches to Ophthalmic Urgencies: Sunday, 10:15–11:45 a.m.

Spotlight on Cataract Complications: Pressure Cooker - Managing Nerve-racking  

Complications, featuring the Charles D. Kelman Lecture: Monday, 8:15 a.m.–12:15 p.m.

Spotlight on the Art of Patient Communication: How to Handle the Unhappy Patient: Monday, 2–3:30 p.m.

Of 55 planned symposia, she said the academy predicts these to be especially popular:

Medical Scribes in the EHR Era: Monday, 12:15–1:45 p.m.

Is This Optic Nerve Normal? Monday, 8:30–10 a.m.

Telemedicine in Ophthalmology: Improving Care for Underserved Patient Populations & Reducing Healthcare Costs, Monday, 2–3:30 p.m.

A Critical Evaluation of Top-Line Data: Glaucoma Papers That Will Change Your Practice, Monday, 10:15–11:45 a.m.

 Jewel or Junk: Evaluating New Corneal Technologies, Medications, and Surgical Procedures, Monday, 12:15–1:45 p.m.

Following are other planned meeting highlights:

The opening session, starting at 8:30 a.m. Sunday, will feature the Jackson Memorial Lecture, given this year by Philip J. Rosenfeld, MD, PhD, director and professor of ophthalmology at the Bascom Palmer Eye Institute, University of Miami, Miller School of Medicine.

His topic will be “Lessons Learned from Avastin and OCT: The Great, The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly.” The Laureate Award will be given to Steven T. Charles, MD, clinical professor of ophthalmology at the University of Tennessee, who has developed many of the techniques and devices used by vitreoretinal surgeons worldwide.

Other awards to be given at the opening session:

Distinguished Service Award: Directors of Medical Student Education in Ophthalmology. Rukhsana Mirza, MD, will be accepting.

Special Recognition Award: Ophthalmology Section of the National Medical Association. Chasidy D. Singleton, MD, will be accepting.

Outstanding Humanitarian Service Award: David Heiden, MD, and William L. White, MD

Outstanding advocate award: Bradley C. Black, MD

International Blindness Prevention Award: Jacob Pe’er, MD

Strataatsma Award for Excellence in Resident Education: Preston Blomquist, MD

Visionary Science Award: Ophthalmic Mutual Insurance Company (OMIC)

Guests of honor: Wallace L. M. Alward, MD, Paul R. Lichter, MD, and Jeffrey A. Nerad, MD

EyePlay Experience was a new feature last year, Dr. Aaron said.

“It was so fun, we’re doing it again this year,” she said.

Located in South Hall A, Booth 2581, this is a place to go to relax, energize, and stimulate your mind. There will be therapy dogs as well as bunnies and baby goats. There also will be seated massages, games, and a beer garden serving ale made with hops grown at McCormick Place. Attendees can also assemble hygiene bags for those in need and take a selfie with a giant #AAO2018 hashtag.

The Orbital Gala from 6 to 10 p.m. Sunday is a fun time to catch up with friends while helping a good cause. This year’s theme is the 1960s. Wear psychedelic prints while enjoying what the academy promises to be groovy entertainment, far-out food, and a silent auction at this 15th annual event that raises money for the new Museum of Vision. The gala will be held at the Chicago Cultural Center. Business or cocktail attire is appropriate. Tickets are $300 for ophthalmologists and their guests, with a discounted ticket of $150 available for young ophthalmologists.

Many of these lectures are held as part of a larger session.

Whitney G. Sampson Lecture, “Simple Limbal Epithelial Transplantation,” Kathryn A. Colby, MD, PhD

Ruedemann Lecture, “Choosing the Ideal Implant Size, an Ocularist’s Perspective,” Joseph A. LeGrand, Jr., BCO

Barraquer Lecture, “Lenticular Implantation and Refractive Eye Banking as a New Frontier in Refractive Surgery,” Ronald R. Krueger, MD

C. Stephen and Frances Foster Lecture on Uveitis and Immunology, “The Eye Fights Back: Immune Defense in a Dangerous World,” given by Janet L. Davis, MD

Robert N. Shaffer Lecture, “At the Technological Confluence of Glaucoma Clinical Care and Research,” Sayoko E. Moroi, MD, PhD

Wendell L. Hughes Lecture, “The Evolution and Revolution of Oculofacial Plastic Surgery,” Don O. Kikkawa, MD Monday, 8:15 A.M.–12:15 P.M.

Charles D. Kelman Lecture, “Dealing with Damaged Zonules,” Robert J. Cionni, MD

 Jones/Smolin Lecture, “The Persistent Enigma of Adenovirus Keratitis: Viral Pathogenesis in the Cornea,” James Chodosh, MD, MPH

William F. Hoyt Lecture, “Unraveling the Enigma of Non-Arteritic Anterior Ischemic Optic Neuropathy,” Joseph F. Rizzo III, MD

Zimmerman Lecture, “Retinoblastoma: Seeing the Big Picture,” Matthew W. Wilson, MD Monday, 3:45–4:45 P.M.

Dr. Allan Jensen & Claire Jensen Lecture in Professionalism and Ethics, “The Intersection of Liability and Ethical Professionalism,” Anne M. Menke, RN, PhD

Marshall M. Parks Lecture, “Evidence-Based Amblyopia Treatment,” Jonathan M. Holmes, MD

Arnall Patz Lecture, “Is All Cystoid Macular Edema the Same?” Alexander J. Brucker, MD

Castroviejo Lecture, “The Ethical Basis of Clinical Research,” Alan Sugar, MD

Pan-American Association of Ophthalmology

The following sessions will be held jointly with the AAO and PAAO:

Symposium: Simplifying Open Angle Glaucoma Management…What Matters, Sunday, 10:15–11:45 a.m.

Symposium: Surgical Innovations in Retina Across the Americas, Monday, 8:30–10 a.m.

Symposium: Corneal Infections and Keratoplasty: Perspectives from the AAO and PAAO, Tuesday, 8:30–10 a.m. Also, the 32nd Best of the Academy in Spanish 2018 will be held Wednesday from 8 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. This event will summarize the important presentations in general ophthalmology and all subspecialty fields from the AAO annual meeting.

New ophthalmic literature and instruments also will be objectively evaluated. The presenting panels will be composed of Spanish-speaking ophthalmologists. Advance registration is requested.

Check out the large exhibition of ophthalmic technology, products and services in the exhibit hall. It will be open Saturday through Monday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Tuesday from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Eight Subspecialty Day meetings will take place before the main meeting begins. Separate registration is required.

Details are at https://www.aao.org/annual-meeting/ subspecialty-day.

Refractive Surgery Subspecialty Day 2018: Better Together - Lens- and Cornea-Based Surgery

Retina Subspecialty Day 2018: The Art + Science of Retina + Vitreous SATURDAY:

Cornea Subspecialty Day 2018: What’s Tried, True, and New

Glaucoma Subspecialty Day 2018: A New Renaissance

Ocular Oncology and Pathology Subspecialty Day 2018: Hot Topics in Ocular Pathology and Oncology - An Update

Oculofacial Plastic Surgery Subspecialty Day 2018: Oculoplastics Real World: Real Cases, Real Lessons, True Learning

Pediatric Ophthalmology Subspecialty Day 2018: Winds of Change in the Windy City

Uveitis Subspecialty Day 2018: Uveal Blues in Chicago

Joint event to feature plenty of symposia, practice management programs, product innovations

 AAO connects ‘Art + Science’ of ophthalmology in Chicago

The 2019 combined annual meetings of the 

American Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgery

American Society of Ophthalmic Administrators

 (ASOA) will be held May 3 to 7 in San Diego.

The event is billed by organizers as the largest U.S. meeting dedicated to the needs of anterior segment surgeons, practice management staff, and ophthalmic technicians and nurses.
	ASCRS and ASOA promise the event will deliver practical information that attendees at all stages of their careers can apply immediately in their practice through a variety of learning experiences, from innovative symposia and paper presentations to practical instructional courses and hands-on skills transfer labs.
	Attendees can enjoy industry-related government relations briefings, an exhibit hall featuring more than 300 exhibitors, and networking opportunities.
	They can earn up to 38 CME credits during the regular ASCRS meeting and another 7.5 by attending a of of the pre-meeting subspecialty days.


	New this year are the “Meet the Experts” roundtables, giving attendees an opportunity to meet with experts in an informal setting to discuss issues in cataract surgery, IOLs, refractive surgery, cornea, and glaucoma. The roundtables will be held from 8:30 to 9:30 a.m. Saturday. They are free but separate registration is required due to space.

 “Management of Dislocated IOLs” with Ashley R. Brissette, MD, MSc, and Richard Tipperman, MD

“Treatment of Astigmatism in Cataract Surgery” with Yuri F. McKee, MD, MS, and Helga P. Sandoval, MD, MSc

“Complex Cataract Management” with Garry P. Condon, MD, and Zachary J. Zavodni, MD

“Intracameral Antibiotics” with Allister Gibbons, MD, and Neal H. Shorstein, MD

“Femtosecond Laser-Assisted Cataract Surgery in Complex Cases” featuring Nicole R. Fram, MD, and Mark A. Kontos, MD

“Management of Subluxated Lenses” with Ehud I. Assia, MD, and Jeremy Z. Kieval, MD

“Managing Complications During Cataract Surgery” with Gregory S. Ogawa, MD, and Abhay R. Vasavada, MS, FRCS

“Complex IOL Calculations” with Sumitra S. Khandelwal, MD, and Douglas D. Koch, MD

“Astigmatism Management” featuring Leela Raju, MD, and Nir Shoham-Hazon, MD

“Biometry and IOL Calculations” by Bryan S. Lee, JD, MD, and Mitchell P. Weikert, MD, MS

“Maximizing Patient Outcomes with Multifocal IOLs” with Jessica B. Ciralsky, MD, and Richard S. Davidson, MD

“Presbyopic IOLs and Astigmatism Correction,” featuring Zaina Al-Mohtaseb, MD, and Karl G. Stonecipher, MD

“Extended Depth of Focus (EDOF) and Multifocal IOLs” with Optics, Surgical Planning: Daniel H. Chang, MD, and William F. Wiley, MD

“The Yamane Technique,” Shin Yamane, MD, PhD

“Managing Bacterial/Viral Blepharitis/Conjunctivitis/Keratitis,” Brandon J. Baartman, MD, and Francis S. Mah, MD

“Keratoconus and Crosslinking,” with Kenneth A. Beckman, MD, and William B. Trattler, MD

“Corneal Lumps and Bumps/Corneal Issues in Cataract Surgery” by Terry Kim, MD, and Amy Lin, MD

“Ocular Disease Management Prior to Cataract and Refractive Surgery” with Alice T. Epitropoulos, MD, and Christopher E. Starr, MD

“Minimally Invasive Glaucoma Surgery-How to Pick the Right Tool for the Right Patient” with Jacob W. Brubaker, MD, and Manjool Shah, MD

“Minimally Invasive Glaucoma Surgery” with Reay H. Brown, MD, and Amy Zhang, MD

“Stand-alone MIGS: What to Do When Meds Have Failed in the Younger Clear Lens or Older Pseudophakic Patient” with David A. Crandall, MD, and Steve R. Sarkisian, Jr., MD

“Management of LASIK Complications” with Sarah M. Nehls, MD, and Roger Zaldivar, MD

“LASIK, PRK, and SMILE Procedures” featuring Kathryn M. Hatch, MD, and George O. Waring, IV, MD

“Retina Considerations for the Anterior Segment Surgeon” with David S. Boyer, MD, and William F. Mieler, MD

“OCT Before Cataract Surgeries and Other Retina Considerations” with Steve Charles, MD

ASCRS Opening General Session
	Saturday, 10 a.m.-noon
	ASCRS President’s Remarks:


	Nick Mamalis, MD, and the 2019 ASCRS David A. Karcher Honored Guests: W. Andrew Maxwell, MD, PhD, and Donald Serafano, MD
	The award honors luminaries whose life-long clinical, research, or ophthalmic industry experience and accomplishments enable the recipient to offer a unique perspective on the current state of ophthalmology and the healing arts. In 2018, ASCRS renamed the award after longtime executive director, David A. Karcher.

ASCRS Foundation Update, Presentation of 2019 Chang Humanitarian Award


	The Chang award, which is endowed by Dr. David F. Chang and his wife, Victoria, was created to celebrate and highlight outstanding humanitarian work in the area of cataract blindness. This year’s recipient is Richard L. Litwin, MD.

ASCRS Ophthalmology Hall of Fame Ceremony


	The annual ceremony honors the distinguished careers of two inductees and their contributions to ophthalmology. This year’s honorees are Howard V. Gimbel, MD, MPH, and Phillips Thygeson, MD (deceased).


	The Binkhorst Medal is awarded annually to a recipient whose contributions to ophthalmic science and practice have established him or her among the world’s most prominent ophthalmologists. This year, it will be given by Stephen Pflugfelder, MD. His topic will be “The Quest for Tear Stability.”

The Sunday Summit General Session
	Sunday, 10 a.m.–noon
	Part 1: “ASCRS Lecture on Science, Medicine and Technology”


	This lecture was established by ASCRS as a forum for expanding and enriching ophthalmology’s appreciation of fields of science and medicine outside of ophthalmology. This year, it will be given by John Medina, PhD, who is a developmental molecular biologist, researcher, professor, and a New York Times bestselling author. He is an affiliate professor of bioengineering at the University of Washington School of Medicine and is the founding director of the Talaris Research Institute.

Part 2: “ASCRS’ The Voice of Ophthal-mology Season 2”


	Hosted by Edward J. Holland, MD, and featuring coaches such as Ike K. Ahmed, MD; John P. Berdahl, MD; Eric D. Donnenfeld, MD, and Elizabeth Yeu, MD, the session will cover a variety of topics in anterior segment surgery.


	This session features the Charles D. Kelman MD, Innovator’s Lecture, to be given this year by Ronald M. Kurtz, MD. His topic will be “Collaborative Innovation.”

37th Film Festival Reception and Awards Ceremony
	Monday, 4:45–6:45 p.m.


	Film Festival winners will be announced at this event. A reception begins at 4:45 p.m. and the ceremony will begin at 5:15 p.m.

The Best of ASCRS 2019 General Session
	Tuesday, 1–2:30 p.m.


	This special wrap-up session will highlight some of the most important and interesting papers presented at this year’s annual meeting from among the “Best Paper of Session” winners.

ASCRS eyePAC Reception
	Friday 7–9 p.m.


	Contributors to ASCRS’ non-partisan political action committee, eyePAC, can attend its annual reception at the San Diego Zoo on Friday, from 7 to 9 p.m. It will be held at Sydney’s Grill, located within the Australian Outback/Urban Jungle section of the world-famous wildlife sanctuary. Shuttle transportation will be provided.


	The ASCRS and ASOA Welcome Party will be held in the exhibit hall Saturday from 4:30 to 6 p.m. There will be music, complimentary hors d’oeuvres, and refreshments for attendees.


	Run along San Diego’s Harbor in the seventh annual 

, which will be held at 6:30 a.m. on Sunday. Registration fees ($35 plus handling fees) help fund humanitarian eye care through the ASCRS Foundation programs and partnerships. All participants will receive a technical running shirt and a finisher’s medal on race day. This event, sponsored by Johnson & Johnson Vision, has raised more than $100,000 since its inception. To learn more, go to www.tracs.net/ascrs5k.

Symposia on schedule
	Saturday, 1–2:30 p.m.

“Refractive Cataract Surgery Essentials”

“Lessons Learned-Challenging Cases and Complication Management”

“Retina Essentials: Everything You Need to Know about Intravitreal Injections”

“Keratoconus: Consensus and Controversy”

“From Learning to Leading: Gaining Clinical and Management Skills in Your First 10 Years of Practice”

“Survive or Thrive in the Modern Healthcare Environment: Clinical Changes to Practice”

“Nailing the Best IOL Refractive Outcomes - Let the Experts Update You”

The 2019 annual meetings of the American Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgery and the American Society of Ophthalmic Administrators will be held May 3 to 7 in San Diego.

Beth Thomas Hertz

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