ASCRS, ASOA to converge in Boston

Take-home

This month’s simultaneous meeting of the American Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgery and American Society of Ophthalmic Administrators will convene in Boston from April 25 to 29.

The Boston Convention Center will host the concurrent sessions of the ASCRS and ASOA meetings this month (Images courtesy of the Greater Boston Convention & Visitors Bureau).

Boston-Plans are under way for the 2014 annual symposium of the American Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgery (ASCRS)-the only U.S. meeting dedicated exclusively to the needs of anterior segment specialists, according to organizers-in Boston from April 25 to 29.

Likewise, preparations for the simultaneous annual congress of the American Society of Ophthalmic Administrators (ASOA) promise a comprehensive practice management program.

According to the societies, last year’s combined event drew record attendance, bringing together more than 7,500 physicians, administrators, and health-care professionals.

This year’s agenda includes innovative lectures on surgical techniques and technologies, scientific discussions, legislative and regulatory updates, and practice management programs, plus offerings for technicians and nurses. Among the highlights:

Friday

Two subspecialty days will be held Friday, April 25, from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.

• ASCRS Glaucoma Day 2014 will feature updates, debates, and interactive case studies on what comprehensive ophthalmologists and anterior segment surgeons need to know about glaucoma management.

Scheduled topics include “Imaging: Pearls for Diagnosis and Progression,” “Surgical Management of Chronic Angle Closure,” “Update on Medical and Laser Treatment in Glaucoma: Pearls for Your Practice,” and the 2014 Stephen A. Obstbaum, MD, Honored Lecture, to be given by Thomas W. Samuelson, MD, clinical associate professor of ophthalmology, University of Minnesota.

• Cornea Day 2014 is sponsored by the ASCRS Cornea Clinical Committee and The Cornea Society. This 1-day symposium promises an overview of anterior segment surgery, corneal issues in cataract and refractive surgery, and infectious and inflammatory disease, as well as innovations in medical and surgical cornea. The program features lectures, debates, panel discussions, and surgical video reviews.

Planned sessions include “Recent Advances in Cataract Surgery for the Corneal Surgeon,” “What Do I Do with the Intraocular Lens? (Case/Video Presentations),” “Refractive Surgery: Screening, Surgery, and Beyond,” “Current Management of External Ocular Infections: What Works, What Doesn’t, and What Might,” “Diagnosis and First-Line Treatments of Fungal Keratitis,” and “Video Pearls in Keratoplasty Surgery: You NEED to SEE This.”

Both events require separate registration from the general meeting.

Also on Friday, the ASCRS/ASOA Special Government Relations Session will be held from 5 to 6 p.m. The invited guest speaker is Sen. Rand Paul, MD (R-KY). Prior to serving in the Senate, Dr. Paul was a practicing ophthalmologist in Bowling Green, KY, and he has been a leading voice in health-care policy representing the physician’s perspective. He is a co-sponsor of ASCRS/ASOA priority legislation to repeal the Independent Payment Advisory Board, to implement a viable Medicare private contracting option, and to delay the implementation of ICD-10.

The ASCRS eyePAC Reception, a private event for eyePAC donors, will be held from 6 to 8 p.m. at the Isabella Stuart Gardner Museum.

(Figure 2) Always a popular attraction in Boston, Faneuil Hall is one of the nation’s premier urban marketplaces.

Saturday

On Saturday, April 26, the Opening General Session will be held from 10 a.m. to noon. After a welcome from Edward J. Holland, MD, chairman of the ASCRS Program Committee, the Presidents’ Addresses will be delivered by outgoing and incoming presidents Eric D. Donnenfeld, MD, and Richard A. Lewis, MD, respectively.

Honored Guests Philip C. Hessburg, MD, and Keiki R. Mehta, MD, will be acknowledged at this session and Richard L. Lindstrom, MD, chairman of the ASCRS Foundation, will give an update on the foundation. The ASCRS Ophthalmology Hall of Fame Ceremony will be led by Dr. Holland.

The annual Binkhorst Lecture will then be given. This year’s title is “Microinvasive Glaucoma Surgery: An Idea Whose Time Has Come,” delivered by Ike K. Ahmed, MD.

Sunday

A highlight of Sunday, April 27, will be the ASCRS Foundation Race for Sight 5K at 7:30 a.m. This race benefits the ASCRS Foundation, which funds humanitarian and educational eye-care projects.

The Combined Symposia of Cataract and Refractive Societies will be held from 8 to 9:30 a.m.

The Sunday Summit also will be held on this day. The first part, the ASCRS Lecture on Science and Medicine, will be held from 10 to 11 a.m. The topic will be “Creation: The History and Future of Life, DNA, and Genes,” and it will be given by Adam Rutherford, PhD. Dr. Rutherford, who holds a doctorate from University College London and whose background is in the genetics of the eye development and disease, is a well-known British science writer specializing in evolution, genetics, and synthetic human biology. His most recent book is entitled “Creation.”

The second part of the event will be “60 Minutes: Future Directions in Anterior Segment Surgery,” from 11 a.m. to noon. “60 Minutes” is a new general session that features specialists in anterior segment surgery. They will discuss the state of the art of each major subspecialty and give their predictions about future trends. The moderator is Dr. Holland. The panelists include Dr. Donnenfeld, Dr. Lewis, and Bonnie An Henderson, MD. Participating experts include:

• Cornea Surgery: Donald TH Tan, FRCS

• Presbyopia Correction: Thomas Kohnen, MD, PhD

• Glaucoma Surgery: Reay H. Brown, MD

• Refractive Surgery: Dr. Lindstrom

• Cataract Surgery: David F. Chang, MD

• An Alternative Model for Eye Care Delivery: Kent Stiverson, MD

Later that day, the ASOA/ASCRS Joint Symposium will be held from 1 to 2:30 p.m. The topic will be “The Integrated Eyecare Model: Should I or Shouldn’t I?”

(Figure 3) The Boston Harbor affords beautiful vantages of the city's waterfront and downtown skyline.

Monday

On Monday, April 28, meeting highlights include the 2014 Update on Medicare, Congress, Coding, and Compliance, from 7 to 8:30 a.m.

The ASCRS Innovators Session, to be held from 10 to 11:30 a.m. Planned presentations include:

• Presbyopia Reversal: Accommodation Research Using Femtosecond Lasers: Sunil Shah, MD, FRCOphth

• Role of Corneal CxL in Management of Infectious Keratitis: Farhad Hafezi, MD, PhD

• Innovations in Excimer Laser Custom Ablation: Paolo Vinciguerra, MD

• Better Therapeutics in Glaucoma Through Drug Delivery: Gary D. Novack, PhD

• Next Generation of Therapeutic Modalities for Corneal Endothelial Dysfunction: Shigeru Kinoshita, MD, PhD

This event also will include the Charles D. Kelman Innovator’s Lecture. This year’s topic will be “Something Borrowed, Something New: Improved Accuracy for IOL Selection,” to be given by Warren E. Hill, MD.

Also, the 32nd Annual Film Festival Reception and Awards will be held from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. The festival will feature 170 films from 32 countries. The films cover a broad range of topics, showing innovations in anterior segment surgery. They can be viewed on-demand at kiosks located throughout the meeting. The winning films will be shown continuously in the Film Festival Theatre on Tuesday.

In the Know

-Exhibit hall: The Exhibit hall will be open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday, Sunday, and Monday, and 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Tuesday.

-The Ophthalmic Photographers’ Society Exhibit: This will be held Saturday through Tuesday. First, second, third, and honorable mention winning photographs in 18 categories will be shown. The overall Best in Show also will be displayed.

-For more details or to register: www.ascrs.org.

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