All eyes on Vegas for 2015 American Academy of Ophthalmology

Take-home message: The American Academy of Ophthalmology annual meeting returns to Las Vegas on Nov. 14 to 17 at the Sands Expo/Venetian. Attendees will encounter a “full house” of educational options from which to choose.

Las Vegas-The American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO) annual meeting returns to Las Vegas on Nov. 14 to 17 at the Sands Expo/Venetian. Attendees will encounter a “full house” of educational options from which to choose.

In addition to the regular meeting, Subspecialty Days will be held Nov. 13 and 14. The American Academy of Ophthalmic Executives/Practice Management Program will be held at the same time as the main convention, Nov. 14 to 17.

Named lectures

Named lectures are often high points of the meeting. Here are the ones planned for this year:

Sunday, Nov. 15

-8:30 a.m.-10 a.m. The Opening Session will include the Jackson Memorial Lecture. Anne Louise Coleman, MD, PhD, will speak on “How Big Data Informs Us about Cataract Surgery.” Also, the Michael F. Marmor, MD, Lecture in Ophthalmology and the Arts will be given by Edmund Morris, Pulitzer Prize and National Book Award-winning presidential biographer. His topic will be “Two World Visions: The Myopia of Theodore Roosevelt and Ronald Reagan.”

-10:30 a.m.-noon. The symposium “We’re Getting Older: The Care of Geriatric Anophthalmic Patients” will be a combined meeting with the American Society of Ocularists. At its Ruedemann Lecture, Thomas Edward Johnson, MD, will speak on “Management of Patients with Congenital Anophthalmos and Microphthalmos.”

Another symposium at that time will be “New Updates in Pediatric Oculoplastic Surgery,” which is a combined meeting with the American Society of Ophthalmic Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery. In the Wendell L Hughes Lecture, David T. Tse, MD, FACS, will speak on “Lacrimal Gland Adenoid Cystic Carcinoma: Intersection of Science and Patient Care.”

Also, “A Day in the Clinic,” a combined meeting with Prevent Blindness, will be held at the same time. The Robert N. Shaffer Lecture will be given by David S. Greenfield, MD, on the topic of “Glaucoma at Low Tension: When Normal Isn’t Good Enough.”

-2-3:30 p.m. The “Myopia Treatment: What Is the Best Strategy?” symposium, a combined meeting with the Contact Lens Association of Ophthalmologists, will include the Whitney G. Sampson Lecture. Dan Z. Reinstein, MD, will speak on “Small Incision Lenticule Extraction (SMILE): The Time Has Come.”

-3:45-5:15 p.m. The symposium “Challenges and Pitfalls in Femtosecond Cataract Surgery,” a combined meeting with the International Society of Refractive Surgery, will include the Barraquer Lecture. Eric D. Donnenfeld, MD, will discuss “How Good is Lasik? The Myths, Misconceptions, and Reality.”

Monday, Nov. 16

8:15 a.m.-12:15 p.m. “Spotlight on Cataracts” features the Charles D. Kelman Lecture
It will be given by Warren E. Hill, MD, FACS, on the topic “IOL Power Selection: Think Different.”

8:30-10:30 a.m. “Glaucoma and the Anterior Segment: Coexistence in Harmony or With Harm?” a combined meeting with the Cornea Society, features the Castroviejo Lecture. Elisabeth J. Cohen, MD, will speak on the topic “Herpes Zoster.”

10:15-11:45 a.m. “Nanotechnology in the Diagnosis and Treatment of Ocular Diseases,” a combined meeting with the American Association of Ophthalmic Oncologists and Pathologists, will feature the Zimmerman Lecture. Given by David J. Wilson, MD, the topic will be “The Pathobiology of Cell Based Therapies for Inherited Retinal Disease.”

12:45-1:45 p.m. The Dr. Allan Jensen & Claire Jensen Lecture in Professionalism and Ethics will be given as part of the combined meeting with the Ethics Committee. Given by Carl Elliott, MD, PhD, the topic will be “The Dark Side of Medicine.”

3:45-5:15 p.m. “Optic Neuritis: The Good, The Bad, The Ugly,” a combined meeting with the North American Neuro-Ophthalmology Society, will feature the William F. Hoyt Lecture. Anthony C. Arnold, MD, will speak on the topic “Ischemic Optic Neuropathy: The Evolving Profile, 1966-2015.”

Tuesday, Nov. 17

8:30-10:15 a.m. “Controversies in Ocular Infections,” a combined meeting with the Ocular Microbiology and Immunology Group, will include the Jones/Smolin Lecture. Todd P. Margolis, MD, PhD, will speak on the topic “Changing Times in the Diagnosis and Management of Ocular Infectious Diseases.”

10:15-11:45 a.m. “Myopia Matters!” a combined meeting with the American Association of Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus, will include the Marshall M. Parks Lecture. David Anthony Mackey, MD, will speak on “The Future Progression of Myopia: Seeing Where We Are Going.”

10:15-11:45 a.m. “Personalized Education for Ophthalmology Residents: An Idea Whose Time Has Come?,” a combined meeting with the Association for University Professors of Ophthalmology, will include the Straatsma Lecture. Tara A. Uhler, MD, will speak on “What’s in the Toolbox.” Also, the Excellence in Medical Student Education Lecture will be given by Susan H. Forster, MD, on the topic “Medical Education Climate Change ‒ Where Does Ophthalmology Fit In?”

Other highlights

-“Great Insights and Great Thinkers in Ophthalmology,” a combined meeting with the Museum of Vision, will be held Sunday from 12:15 to 1:45 p.m. Learn about scientists and ophthalmologists who created seminal turning points in both therapy and surgery. Speakers will present ideas and their context, recreating some of the greatest stories in the field.

-“Ebola and the Eye: A Story of Survivors” will be held Sunday from 3:45 to 5:15 p.m. Dr. Ian Crozier, an Ebola survivor, patient, and healthcare provider, and Dr. John Fankhauser, a lead clinician at ELWA Hospital in Monrovia, Liberia, will discuss their approach to Ebola virus disease survivor care and their perspectives on difficult issues of access, resource limitations, and the need for subspecialty care.

-The Young Ophthalmologists’ program will be held Sunday. “Part 1: Pearls for Building a Solid Clinical Foundation” will be held from 10 a.m. to noon. “Part 2: Put Your Pearls Into Practice” will be noon to 2 p.m.

-“Hot Topics 2015” will be held Monday from 3:15 to 4:45 p.m. Designed for the comprehensive ophthalmologist, this symposium is a series of 10-minute talks on emerging trends, technologies, and therapies across ophthalmology.

-Cataract Monday features three events: “Spotlight on Cataract Complications: M&M Rounds ‒ Learning From My Mistakes” from 8:15 a.m. to 12:15 p.m.; “Improving Your Odds in Anterior Segment Surgery,” a combined meeting with the American Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgery, from 2 to 4 p.m.; and “Lessons Learned About New Technologies for Refractive Cataract Surgery,” a combined meeting with the International Society of Refractive Surgery, from 4:15 to 5:30 p.m.

American Academy of Ophthalmic Executives

The AAOE Program is designed or practice administrators and managing physicians with an interest in billing, coding, compliance, human resources, and business strategy.

A variety of classes is offered throughout the Academy meeting.

Orbital Gala

The 2015 Orbital Gala will be held Sunday from 6 to 10 p.m. at the Wynn Las Vegas. Attendees are invited to “wear a mask for an aura of mystery or come as you are!” The event includes cocktails, a silent auction, buffet dinner, dancing, and live entertainment.

Marilyn T. Miller, MD, will be recognized as this year’s special honoree.

Tickets are $300 per person, with a $150 rate for young ophthalmologists. Proceeds benefit the Academy’s education, quality of care, and service programs.

Exhibit Hall

The Academy says the exhibit hall will be the largest exhibition of ophthalmic technology, products, and services in the world.

It will be open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday through Monday and 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Tuesday.

Subspecialty Days

Here are the options for pre-meeting subspecialty days. For details, visit www.aao.org/annual-meeting/subspecialty-day.

-Cornea Subspecialty Day 2015: Show Me the Evidence! Back to the Basics and Beyond. In conjunction with the Cornea Society, this will be held Saturday from 8 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.

-Glaucoma Subspecialty Day 2015: Winning Strategies ‒ Glaucoma in the 21st Century. In conjunction with the American Glaucoma Society, this will be held Saturday from 8 a.m. to 5:15 p.m.

-Neuro-Ophthalmology Subspecialty Day 2015: Neuro-Ophthalmology Made Ridiculously Simple. In conjunction with the North American Neuro-Ophthalmology Society, this event will be Saturday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

-Pediatric Ophthalmology Subspecialty Day 2015: Golden Nuggets of Knowledge. In conjunction with the American Association for Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus and the American Academy of Pediatrics, this event will be Saturday from 8 a.m. to 5:15 p.m.

-Refractive Surgery Subspecialty Day 2015: The Vegas Player’s Guide of Refractive Surgery–Everyone Wins! Sponsored by the International Society of Refractive Surgery, this event will be Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

-Retina Subspecialty Day 2015: Upping the Ante. In conjunction with the American Society of Retina Specialists, the Macula Society, the Retina Society and Club Jules Gonin, this program will be held Friday from 8 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. and Saturday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.