Andrew Iwach, MD, on the foundation and innovation of Glaucoma 360

The conversation covers the history and evolution of the Glaucoma 360 event, as well as the emerging trends and innovations in the field of glaucoma. Andrew Iwach, MD, the executive director of the Glaucoma Center of San Francisco and co-founder of Glaucoma 360, explains that the roots of the event go back around 30 years.

The meeting started as a CME program to ensure Iwach didn't fall behind in his career. The first event had 50 attendees, which grew over the years, leading to the addition of a Gala at the Glaucoma Research Foundation. Iwach then co-founded the New Horizons meeting with Adrienne Graves, PhD, inspired by the recent addition of the OIS meeting. They later added the Optometric Glaucoma Symposium, creating an event that celebrates, innovates, and educates. The Gala is on Thursday, New Horizons is on Friday, the CME program is on Saturday.

Iwach discusses the forward movement and innovation at the meeting, highlighting emerging trends in glaucoma. The agenda includes discussions on new diagnostics, better medication delivery, surgical issues, and payment barriers. The goal is to help patients keep their vision through incremental improvements. Iwach mentions the introduction of new data, supported by the American Academy of Ophthalmology, that will show dramatic changes in glaucoma treatment over the past 20 years, including the use of trabeculectomy and specific medications. He also highlights the importance of surveys and data insights. Glaucoma 360 has partnered with Market Scope for 10 years, raising over $25,000 for research through surveys. Attendees who complete the survey get full access to the results, and the Glaucoma Research Foundation benefits from the donations. The data helps in understanding how to better assist patients and identify future directions for research and innovation.