OSN New York 2010 features outstanding faculty

OSN New York 2010 will feature accomplished faculty who continue to focus on skills relevant to the comprehensive ophthalmologist and anterior segment surgeon.

Presentations will center on the latest advances in cataract surgery, lens- and cornea-based refractive surgery, and new glaucoma surgical approaches. The meeting, Nov. 19 to 21 at the Sheraton New York Hotel & Towers, offers case presentations and interactive forums to involve the attendees through discussion and activity.

“We continue to recruit an outstanding faculty,” Ocular Surgery News Chief Medical Editor and Course Director for OSN New York 2010 Richard L. Lindstrom, MD, said.

Dr. Lindstrom said that he anticipates interest in femtosecond laser-assisted cataract surgery as well as new glaucoma surgical approaches. Regarding lens-based refractive surgery, symposia will address details of presbyopia-correcting and toric IOLs and how they enhance outcomes, he said.

This year, attendees can earn up to 16.25 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits over the course of the weekend.

“An emphasis on a quality educational experience and a great weekend in New York keeps people coming back,” Dr. Lindstrom said.

Friday sessions

On Friday, Rosa M. Braga-Mele, MD, Med, FRSC, will moderate the cataract surgery session, featuring a comprehensive agenda on difficult and challenging cataract case scenarios.

“It will be 2 hours of intense and interesting learning for the cataract surgeon,” she said.

Topics will include how to manage challenging cases such as the small pupil, compromised cornea or post-vitrectomized eyes; how to deal with a broken capsule, vitreous loss or malpositioned IOLs; how to run a more efficient ASC; and how to prevent endophthalmitis more effectively. The curriculum will also include new and emerging technologies such as femtosecond laser in cataract surgery.

The glaucoma program, moderated by Thomas W. Samuelson, MD, will feature presentations on cataract surgery for the glaucoma patient, imaging, and visual field testing and interpretation.

“The glaucoma program at the 2010 OSN New York meeting will highlight the management of patients with both cataract and glaucoma, newer minimally invasive glaucoma surgeries as well as the more traditional glaucoma surgeries,” Dr. Samuelson said. “The latest innovations in glaucoma imaging and diagnosis will also be featured, followed by the freewheeling annual round table panel discussion of current glaucoma hot topics.”

Saturday sessions

Uday Devgan, MD, FACS, will moderate Saturday’s lens-based refractive surgery section. Faculty will cover issues of how to address astigmatism intraoperatively and postoperatively and how to treat residual refraction.

During the cornea-based refractive surgery presentations, moderated by Marguerite B. McDonald, MD, FACS, Dr. Lindstrom will present the keynote address on corneal approaches to the correction of presbyopia. Other presentations will include an update on surface ablation, a legal approach to refractive surgery screening, pearls for excimer laser photoablation and a study presentation of femtosecond laser vs. mechanical microkeratome flaps in wavefront-guided LASIK.

Timothy W. Olsen, MD, will moderate the retina session, which will cover topics such as advanced retinal visualization with high-resolution optical coherence tomography.

Zoltán Nagy, MD, from the Department of Ophthalmology at Semmelweis University, Budapest, Hungary, will receive the Waring Medal for his significant contribution to the Journal of Refractive Surgery. Dr. Nagy will present on the speed and safety of teaching cataract surgery in residency programs, the effectiveness and predictability of cataract surgery refractive outcomes in clinical practice, and the overall sophistication of the procedure compared with more manually based techniques.

The Subspecialty Challenge, led by Dr. Lindstrom, will provide updates in neuro-ophthalmology, pediatric ophthalmology, contact lenses and oculoplastics. OSN Regulatory/Legislative Section Editor Alan E. Reider, JD, MPH, will detail how new laws will affect physicians and how physicians can legally protect themselves in his presentation, “Health Care Reform Legislation and the Fraud and Abuse Provisions: Can It Get Any Worse for Physicians?”

William B. Trattler, MD, will moderate an open forum session encouraging interaction between a panel of experts and audience members in “Controversies in Refractive IOLs.” Discussions will focus on interesting and challenging cases of presbyopic IOLs, including pseudoexfoliation, epithelial basement membrane dystrophy, epiretinal membrane, previous retinal surgery and abnormal topographies.

Sunday sessions

The OSN Surgical Techniques and Technology Video Symposium, moderated by J. Bradley Randelman, MD, will present a series of attendee-submitted videos in cataract, refractive and glaucoma surgery, followed by a panel discussion.

Dr. Donnenfeld will conclude OSN New York 2010 with the corneal health round table discussions. Two panels of experts will give their perspectives on dry eye, allergy, NSAIDs and anti-infective issues.

To learn more about OSN New York 2010, visit www.osnny.com. — by Stephanie Vasta