February 25, 2009
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Interaction the main focus of Kiawah Eye 2009 meeting

Ocular Surgery News is partnering with the Storm Eye Institute and Vindico Medical Education to present Kiawah Eye 2009, a meeting focused on preparing ophthalmologists for the clinical challenges they face each day in practice.

Kerry D. Solomon, MD
Kerry D. Solomon

The meeting, now in its 35th year, aims to offer clinically pertinent information across a broad range of topics and subspecialties in an interactive format, according to Kerry D. Solomon, MD, an OSN Refractive Surgery Board Member and a course director for the meeting.

Meeting attendees will find an assortment of panel discussions and video case presentations by faculty members from around the world, Dr. Solomon said. But the real value of the meeting is that it will encourage audience involvement.

“It’s one thing to have our faculty disagree and debate each other, which happens all the time. It’s another to see the attendees get involved with this process as well. It’s a true learning experience for all of us,” he said. “If we can bring everyone up to speed in a way that provokes some thought and keeps everyone’s attention and honestly have some fun along the way, then we have accomplished our goal.”

Interactive format

Unlike other meetings with concurrent sessions based on 7- to 10-minute didactic lectures, Kiawah Eye 2009 encompasses key subject areas such as cornea hot topics or management of challenging cases and complications for cataract, glaucoma and refractive surgery. The format is video and case presentations, panel discussions, debates and, most importantly, encourages interaction between faculty and attendees, Dr. Solomon said.

“What makes [Kiawah Eye 2009] unique is the format. We are really geared for an interactive meeting, with case presentations and materials that are topic-driven — things that are topical and pertinent to everyone’s practice,” he said.

Some topics may lend themselves to brief lectures, such as certain pediatric, glaucoma or retina topics, according to M. Edward Wilson Jr., MD, a co-course director for the meeting. However, even in the lecture setting, faculty have been instructed to open the discussion to panel members and leave time for audience questions.

“We will emphasize panel discussion, interaction with the audience, case-based learning and lots of short and well-prepared videos that show complications and alternative techniques that lend themselves to discussion and even argument among panel members about why one technique is better than another,” Dr. Wilson said.

“We encourage the audience to get involved,” Dr. Solomon said. “It’s really an interactive format. But within that format, we are able to cover a variety of topics that are pertinent to the comprehensive ophthalmologist, covering everything from the front of the eye to the retina.”

At its inception, the Kiawah Eye meeting was a venue for residents to present faculty-directed research projects. This year’s meeting will include some research updates, but Kiawah Eye will be more than a resident primer, Dr. Wilson said.

“General ophthalmologists need to know a little bit about all of the subspecialty areas,” he said. “We are looking at what is the core knowledge that the general ophthalmologist should have and what new advances should they be aware of.”

The meeting has grown from its original focus and now includes about 40 distinguished faculty members selected for their expertise in the field and for their teaching acumen.

As the meeting has grown, it has attracted a more diverse group of attendees and speakers.

“We have moved beyond the point of being a local meeting, to where we are more of a national meeting. In fact, our attendees came from 37 of the 50 states from around the country. Our faculty are true experts from all over the globe and are available for lots of one-on-one interaction,” Dr. Solomon said. “The opportunity to have personal interaction with our thought leaders is invaluable.”

New to this year’s meeting is the partnership with OSN and Vindico Medical Education, which is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education to offer AMA PRA Category 1 Credits. These partnerships should add further value to the meeting, according to the course directors.

Meeting information

Kiawah Island is close to Charleston, S.C., and is a preserved barrier island offering a full list of activities and leisure opportunities. Accommodations at The Sanctuary Hotel at Kiawah Island Golf Resort, an AAA five-diamond rated hotel, include beachfront villas, an on-site golf course that has hosted several professional events and a spa ranked No. 2 in the continental United States and Canada by Travel + Leisure magazine.

Nearby Charleston offers a sampling of the history and tradition of Southern culture in one of America’s oldest cities and the famous Boone Hall Plantation, which is touted as the most photographed plantation in America. The area also boasts several top-rated golf courses and outdoor activities.

“Anyone who has not been to Kiawah Island needs to go. It’s not just an island for those that like to play golf. It’s also an island for people who like to walk the beach or play tennis or just relax,” Dr. Wilson said.

Kiawah Eye 2009 is scheduled for May 28 to May 31, and information on the meeting is available online at www.OSNSuperSite.com under the meetings tab. – by Bryan Bechtel

  • Kerry D. Solomon, MD, can be reached at Medical University of South Carolina, Storm Eye Institute, 167 Ashley Ave., Room 221, PO Box 250676, Charleston, SC 29425; 843-792-8854; fax: 843-792-6347; e-mail: solomonk@musc.edu.
  • M. Edward Wilson Jr., MD, can be reached at Storm Eye Institute, 167 Ashley Ave., Charleston, SC 29425; 843-792-7622; fax: 843-792-1166; e-mail: wilsonme@musc.edu.