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 

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”

“Management of Complicated Cases in Cataract and Refractive Surgery, presented in Spanish “

“Surgical Essentials: Getting You out of Trouble in Cataract Surgery”

“Is This the End of Fee-for-Service?”

“Mastering It All: Tips for Success from Successful Female Leaders”

“Global Efforts in Addressing Avoidable Blindness and Models of Care/Training”

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.

ASCRS/ASOA annual meeting setting sail to San Diego

Glaucoma 360, the Glaucoma Research Foundation’s annual three-day event devoted to all things glaucoma, will continue today with its New Horizons Forum. This is the “innovate” portion of the event dedicated to “celebrate, innovate, and educate” about glaucoma.

New Horizons is a full day of presentations and discussions, featuring leaders from start-up companies, industry executives, ophthalmic experts, venture capitalists, and FDA.

“If you have an idea for advancing glaucoma care, we have assembled everyone you need to turn that idea into a solution,” said Andrew Iwach, MD, one of the co-founders and co-chairpersons of Glaucoma 360. “This all-in-one-room aspect is a unique opportunity for everyone involved.”

Adrienne Graves, PhD, also a co-founder and co-chairperson of Glaucoma 360, said the event has helped foster an enormous amount of innovation since its inception eight years ago, with about 70 companies presenting at this meeting over the years.

“From drugs to minimally invasive glaucoma surgery (MIGS) to diagnostics to drug-delivery devices, the field is exploding,” Dr. Graves said. “This meeting is well-positioned to help bring new ideas to fruition.”

Numerous ideas presented at New Horizons have gone on to receive funding, be acquired by strategics, and/or brought to market over the years, she added.

“Forming connections is what New Horizons is all about,” Dr. Graves said. 

The day will start with the New Horizons opening keynote address: the Drs. Henry and Frederick Sutro Memorial Lecture. Janey L. Wiggs, MD, PhD, the Paul A. Chandler Professor of Ophthalmology, associate director of the Ocular Genomics Institute, Harvard Medical School, and the associate chief for clinical research in ophthalmology and interim director of the Glaucoma Service, Massachusetts Eye and Ear, Boston, will deliver this year’s lecture.

Dr. Wiggs’ lecture is entitled: “Glaucoma Genetics: Working Toward a Cure.”

The in-depth discussions and presentations will begin with an outlook on funding for innovation. Emmett Cunningham, Jr., MD, PhD, MPH, and Christy Shaffer, PhD, will moderate “Show Me the Money-Getting to Go in Early Stage Glaucoma Financing.”

Panelists include George A. Cioffi, MD, Columbia University Medical Center; Jane Rady, Glaukos Corp., and Tracy M. Valorie, MBA, Bausch + Lomb. Presenters include John B. Ciolino, MD, Harvard Medical School, Massachusetts Eye and Ear/Schepens Eye Research Institute; John Freshley, ONL Therapeutics Inc., and Ben Backus, PhD, Vivid Vision.

Another topic of discussion that is expected to draw interest among attendees is “Telemedicine: Promising Future for Glaucoma Management.” The session, moderated by Lama Al-Aswad, MD, MPH, and Felipe A. Medeiros, MD, PhD, will provide presentations from Michael F. Chiang, MD, Casey Eye Institute, Oregon Health & Science University; Alberto GonzÃ¡lez GarcÃ­a, MD, Olleyes, and Khizer Khaderi, MD, MPH, Vizzario Inc.

The next panel discussion will focus on the FDA and its role in ophthalmology, and glaucoma specifically. Reay H. Brown, MD, and Kuldev Singh, MD, MPH, will moderate “The FDA and Industry: Teamwork to Promote Innovation.”

Panelists in this session include Wiley A. Chambers, MD, deputy director, Division of Transplant & Ophthalmology Products, Center for Drug Evaluation & Research, FDA; Tieuvi Nguyen, PhD, chief, Intraocular and Corneal Transplants Branch, Center for Devices and Radiological Health, Office of Device Evaluation, FDA, and Thomas W. Samuelson, MD, Minnesota Eye Consultants and president, American Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgery.

The New Horizons sessions offer the latest ideas and innovation in glaucoma, covering a wide range of technologies. This year’s program covers solutions to existing glaucoma problems and some newer approaches.

One of the new clinical approaches to glaucoma is regenerative medicine. “New Horizons in Vision Restoration: Innovations in Regenerative Ophthalmology” will cover all aspects of the topic.

David J. Calkins, PhD, and Joel S. Schuman, MD, will moderate the vision restoration session. Presentations are expected from Adriana di Polo, PhD, University of Montreal; Yiqin Du, MD, PhD, University of Pittsburgh and the Louis J. Fox Center for Vision Restoration; Karl Kador, PhD, University of Missouri-Kansas City; Kenneth Mandell, MD, PhD, Neurotech Pharmaceuticals Inc., and Jeffrey L. Goldberg, MD, PhD, Byers Eye Institute, Stanford University.

Another hot topic in ophthalmology is drug delivery. Eydie G. Miller-Ellis, MD, and Devesh K. Varma, BEng, MD, FRCSC, will moderate a session on “New Horizons in Delivery and Design.”

Presenters include Michael R. Robinson, MD, Allergan; Michael Rowe, Eyenovia Inc.; L. Jay Katz, MD, Glaukos Corp.; Charles P. Semba, MD, FACC, FACR, Graybug Vision Inc.; Yaniv Barkana, MD, Eximore; Christopher Muller, Mati Therapeutics; Michael H. Goldstein, MD, MBA, Ocular Therapeutix, and Joel S. Schuman, MD, FACS, Otero Therapeutics.

The ophthalmic community is always looking for newest approaches to fighting glaucoma. “New Horizons in Devices: New Solutions to Old Problems” will offer the latest innovations in this area.

Malik Kahook, MD, and Thomas W. Samuelson, MD, will moderate the presentations. Panelists Bryan S. Lee, MD, JD, and Inder Paul Singh, MD, will add their insights to the category.

Presentations are planned from Daria Lemann-Blumenthal, BELKIN Laser Ltd.; Max Ostermeier, Implandata Ophthalmic Products GmbH; Brett A. Trauthen, Ivantis Inc.; Chris Pulling, MicroOptx; Douglas Adams, Qura Inc., and Nikos Stergiopoulos, PhD, Rheon Medical.

“New Horizons in Drugs and Drops” will look at the pharmaceutical approach to glaucoma. Robert D. Fechtner, MD, and Neeru Gupta, MD, FRCSC, PhD, will moderate the session.

Presenters include: Steve Pakola, MD, Aerpio Pharmaceuticals; Hermann Russ, MD, PhD, Galimedix Therapeutics Inc.; Brian Murphy, PhD, CEO, Nemus Bioscience Inc., and Tomas Navratil, PhD, Nicox Ophthalmics Inc.

Industry panel discussions will round out the day’s program. Industry Panel Discussion on Glaucoma Drugs and Drops will follow the New Horizons session on the topic.

George A. Cioffi, MD, and Steven Mansberger, MD, MPH, will moderate the discussion.
	Thomas A. Mitro, Aerie Pharmaceuticals Inc.; Tracy M. Valorie, MBA, Bausch + Lomb; and Ellie Chabi, MD, Santen Inc. will provide their industry viewpoints on the direction of pharmaceutical offerings in glaucoma.

Industry Panel Discussion on Glaucoma Devices will look at the latest technologies in this field. Arsham Sheybani, MD, and Inder Paul Singh, MD, will moderate.

The panel of industry experts features Ramin Valian, Allergan; Jane Rady, Glaukos Corp.; Kfir Azoulay, MBA, Heidelberg Engineering; Nicholas Tarantino, OD, Johnson & Johnson Surgical Vision Inc.; Rafael Chan, New World Medical; Omar Sadruddin, MD, Santen Inc., and Angelo Rago, Carl Zeiss Meditec Inc.

Innovation is the focus of New Horizon Forum

The Glaucoma Research Foundation’s (GRF) annual Glaucoma 360 event concludes Saturday with a day of continuing education â for ophthalmologists in the morning and optometrists in the afternoon.

Andrew Iwach, MD, one of the co-founders and co-organizers of Glaucoma 360, said the day of educational events features a robust lineup of speakers composed of top leaders in the eye care field today.

This is the 23rd year the ophthalmic event has been held. The optometric edition was a later addition, and is now in its fourth year. Both are offered free of charge to attendees, and both events are expected to record crowds again this year.

“Every speaker is tasked with providing attendees with clinical pearls that they can apply to their practices right away, allowing them to deliver improved results for their patients,” Dr. Iwach said. “This faculty is one of the best that we can possibly assemble. We believe this is one of the reasons that many attendees come back year after year.”

“Getting this type of high-quality information into the hands of doctors who are on the front lines of combatting glaucoma is one of the most important things we can do to help improve glaucoma outcomes for patients who are suffering today,” added Thomas Brunner, GRF’s president and CEO.

For the ophthalmology session in the morning, L. Jay Katz, MD, will highlight the program with the ShafferâHetheringtonâHoskins Lecture. His topic is, “Screening for Glaucoma: New Strategies.”

The rest of the symposium includes presentations from:

Shan C. Lin, MD - “Refractive Considerations in Cataract Surgery in Glaucoma Patients;”

Thomas W. Samuelson, MD - “Stents, Trabs, and Tubes: Decision Making in Surgical Glaucoma;”

Kuldev Singh, MD, MPH - “Will MIGS Replace Trabeculectomy?;”

Janey L. Wiggs, MD, PhD - “Glaucoma and Genetics: What’s Ready for Prime Time?;”

Yvonne Ou, MD - “Virtual Reality and Visual Fields;”

Sunita Radhakrishnan, MD - “When Good Blebs Go Bad;”

Terri Pickering, MD - “Uveitic Glaucoma: Old Challenges, New Options;”

Ruth D. Williams, MD - “Private Equity and Ophthalmology: Will I Be Left Behind?;”

Anita Agarwal, MD - “Meet You at the Pars Plana;”

Robert L. Stamper, MD - “OCT Angiography: Where Are We, What Do We Need To Learn?;”

Dr. Iwach - “Glaucoma: Trends and Challenges.”

The afternoon session geared toward optometrists will include the following speakers:

Dr. Williams - “Should I Treat My Elderly Patient with OHT?;”

Dr. Radhakrishnan - “Old vs. New: Gonioscopy vs. Anterior Segment OCT for Angle Closure;”

Dr. Pickering - “Uveitic Glaucoma: Old Challenges, New Options;”

Dr. Katz - “The Role of Systemic Blood Pressure in Glaucoma;”

Murray Fingeret, OD, FAAO - “Glaucoma Test Results: Facts vs. Fiction;”

Daniel F. Goodman, MD - “Glaucoma: Views from the Cornea;”

Dr. Agarwal - “Glaucoma: Meet You at the Pars Plana;”

John G. Flanagan, OD, PhD - “Glaucoma: Research News and Views;”

Dr. Stamper - “Home Tonometry: Helpful or More Information Than We Need?;”

Dr. Lin - “Refractive Considerations in Cataract Surgery in Glaucoma Patients;”

Dr. Iwach - “Glaucoma: Managing the Odds.”

The Glaucoma 360 event will reconvene in San Francisco on Feb. 6-8, 2020.

Beth Thomas Hertz

Articles

ASCRS/ASOA annual meeting setting sail to San Diego

Innovation is the focus of New Horizon Forum

Education is focus of final day of Glaucoma 360

Glaucoma 360 celebrates with festive fund-raising gala