AAO meeting kicks off with speakers focusing on blindness prevention

The 2006 Joint Meeting of the American Academy of Ophthalmology and the Asia Pacific Academy of Ophthalmology in Las Vegas will feature two acclaimed physicians at the opening session on Sunday, Nov. 12 from 8:30 to 10 a.m.

Lawrence (Larry) Brilliant, MD, will present "Blindness Prevention: Challenges to Meet" and Alfred (Al) Sommer, MD, will present "Reaching our Patients: Those We Know and Those We Don't."

Dr. Brilliant is credited with ending smallpox in India and co-founded The Well with renowned futurist Stewart Brand. He is the founder of the international health nonprofit organization, the Seva Foundation, which has helped restore sight to nearly 2 million people worldwide.

Dr. Sommer is former director of the Dana Center for International Ophthalmology at Johns Hopkins University and the 1997 Lasker Award recipient.