'Cataract Surgery: Telling It Like It Is!' re-engineered for 5th year

By Beth Thomas Hertz

Sarasota, FL-With planning well under way for the fifth year of “Cataract Surgery: Telling It Like It Is!”-set for Thursday, Jan. 15, to Sunday, Jan. 18-meeting organizer and course director Robert H. Osher, MD, promises “more faculty, more topics, and a lot more fireworks” for this latest gathering here.

“We have re-engineered the program-adding many exciting new sessions,” said Dr. Osher, professor of ophthalmology, University of Cincinnati, as well as medical director emeritus of the Cincinnati Eye Institute and editor of the Video Journal of Cataract and Refractive Surgery.

“We have added a lot more subspecialty updates-which are included in the registration fee-the day before the meeting and the morning it begins,” he said.

These include sessions on retina, glaucoma, refractive surgery, cornea, and neuro-ophthalmology. “Wednesday Night at the Movies,” hosted by Dr. Osher, will also be held the night before the meeting officially begins.

The keynote speech, “Uveitis and Cataract,” will be given by Sunil Srivastava, MD-described by Dr. Osher as a charismatic and entertaining speaker-on Friday. The international guest speaker is Boris Malyugin, MD, of Moscow, Russia, whom Dr. Osher describes as a world-renowned innovator.

what makes the event unique

The success of the meeting is due primarily to the uncensored information that is available and not restricted by continuing medical education (CME) guidelines. It also is affordable, has a top-notch faculty (See Page 9), and is at a Florida location that is more easily accessible than other popular winter meetings, he said.

“This meeting provides intense, useful clinical information in an innovative and entertaining format-unlike any other that you have ever attended,” he said. “We want every attendee to depart Sarasota more confident about delivering the best possible surgical care.”

Dr. Osher, who also is Associate Medical Editor on the Editorial Advisory Board for Ophthalmology Times, expects about 500 ophthalmologists this year-the most the venue can hold.

“This size still permits an intimate atmosphere with lots of audience interaction,” he said.

The American Academy of Ophthalmology is organizing the logistics, he noted. About 90 exhibitors will attend as well-triple the number that attended the first meeting.

Attendee Details

The cost for residents and fellows is $300. For practicing physicians, the cost is $600 by Dec. 17. Onsite registration, based on space availability, will be $650. Registration fees include general sessions, tutorials, exhibits, subspecialty updates, New Technology Symposium, sponsored breakfasts, and lunches. Wet labs have an additional fee.

Room blocks have been reserved at the Ritz-Carlton, Sarasota, the Hyatt Regency Sarasota, Hotel Indigo Sarasota, The Resort at Longboat Key Club, and The Lido Beach Resort.

The Ritz-Carlton, Sarasota  941/309-2000

Hyatt Regency Sarasota
on Sarasota Bay
941/953-1234

Hotel Indigo Sarasota 877/834-3613

The Resort at Longboat
Key Club
800/237-8821, ext. 7765

Lido Beach Resort
800/441-2113

The hotels are about 4 miles from the Sarasota/Bradenton International Airport, which is serviced by eight airlines. The Tampa International Airport has more flight options but is about 1 hour from the hotels.

The meeting is being held over the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday weekend.