Contributing to the education of American and International Ophthalmologists
Several Vanguard Ophthalmology Society members served as panelists and presenters at the Annual Meeting of the International Society of Refractive Surgeons (ISRS), Refractive Surgery 2012: The Era of Laser and Lenses.
Sherman W. Reeves, MD, MPH, and George O. Waring, IV, MD, highlighted a group panelists for the Foundations of Refractive Surgery section. Dr. Waring discussed the decision-making process between corneal and lens-based refractive surgery. He presented numerous case studies and demonstrated how the use of Scheimpflug imaging can help to identify the effect of the lens on patients' vision. Dr. Reeves outlined the categories and options of FDA-approved IOLs that are availalbe in the U.S. He overviewed monofocal, toric, and presbyopic lenses, and explained why different patients may benefit most from each IOL type. David A. Goldman, MD, dealt with the difficult topic of managing the unhappy refractive IOL patient. Basic principles include careful use of the YAG laser, correction of untreated astigmatism, and treating dry eyes. John P. Berdahl, MD, discussed refractive lens exchange, an excellent option for patients who may not be good candidates for corneal refractive surgery. Careful attention to all aspects of diagnosis and treatment is important for a successful outcome. Thomas M. Harvey, MD, talked about tips and techniques with phakic IOLs. This included pearls for the creation of laser or surgical peripheral iridectomies.
In the Laser Refractive Lens Surgery Symposium, Daniel H. Chang, MD, presented his work on IOL centration as it relates to lens implant position at the end of surgery and the shape of the capsulotomy. While the capsulotomy may affect long-term centration, surgeons do have considerable control of the IOL location by careful positioning it on the visual axis. Dr. Chang also presented a paper on behalf or Dr. Elizabeth A Davis, giving the interim results of a multicenter clinical evaluation of a hydrophobic acrylic diffactive 1-piece multifocal IOL, including patient outcomes, patient satisfaction, and surgeon experience.
As a whole VOS was well-represented at the ISRS Subspecialty Day meeting, with members contributing significantly to the educational content of the meeting.