This article is more than 5 years old. Information may no longer be current.
APAO-AAO Newsmaker Interview with Alexander J. Brucker, MD
OSN presents excerpts from a podcast interview with Dr. Brucker about the upcoming Asia-Pacific Academy of Ophthalmology meeting in Bali.
Click Here to Manage Email Alerts
Ocular Surgery News: What are you looking forward to most about the scientific program at the upcoming Asia-Pacific Academy of Ophthalmology-American Academy of Ophthalmology meeting?
Alexander J. Brucker, MD: The Asia-Pacific Academy of Ophthalmology Congress is the most important congress of the Asia-Pacific region. The most important element of this congress is clearly going to be the quality of the scientific program. In the upcoming Bali meeting, there are going to be over 400 international experts invited from all over the world who are going to participate in the scientific program. This scientific program is going to cover all aspects in all subspecialties of ophthalmology.
Moreover, more than 40 international and national organizations will be sponsoring various symposia during the congress. The congress will be an excellent forum for ophthalmologists from Asia-Pacific region and throughout the world to exchange the most up-to-date clinical research and developments in ophthalmology. We’re looking forward to a very stimulating scientific meeting.
OSN: What new research or technology in the retina medical subspecialty is the scientific program looking to feature?
Dr. Brucker: The medical subspecialties have expanded tremendously through imaging technology. The Asia-Pacific Vitreo-Retinal Society will be sponsoring and holding a symposium to show and strengthen the understanding of recent advancements in the management of retinal degenerations and age-related macular degenerations and, of course, polypoidal choroidopathy, which is a very common condition in the Asia-Pacific area.
 Alexander J. Brucker |
Two other symposia will be updating the management of age-related macular degeneration and, again, the use of intravitreal injections.
The medical program will absolutely focus on the new diagnostic tools that are now being used and available for the medical retina specialist. These tools include spectral domain optical coherence tomography, fundus autofluorescence imaging, and we will also, once again, focus on electrophysiologic studies, as they help us in the diagnosis and treatment of medical retinal diseases.
So imaging technology will probably be considered the focus of much of these symposia, and imaging technology is, in fact, the new wave of interest for the medical specialist going forward. We believe that the Asia-Pacific meeting will in fact bring the world together in understanding these very new and innovative technologies.
- Alexander J. Brucker, MD, can be reached at the Scheie Eye Institute, 51 N. 39th St., No. 501, Philadelphia, PA 19104; 215-662-8100; e-mail: ajbrucke@mail.med.upenn.edu.