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Kiawah Eye 2012 aims to advance surgeons from good to great
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The comprehensive ophthalmology program for Kiawah Eye 2012 will abide by a theme of “From Good to Great” regarding all aspects of surgical procedures, with expert commentary and direction from specialists concerning diagnosis, medication and surgical technique.
“What makes Kiawah so special is the easy access to the faculty and the free exchange of ideas,” OSN Cornea/External Disease Board Member Eric D. Donnenfeld, MD, co-director of Kiawah Eye 2012, said. “Regardless of your experience, surgical technique or specialty, we want to raise your patient management skills. If you are a good cataract surgeon, expect to be much better when you leave Kiawah Eye.”
“I always enjoy the video sessions in which leading surgeons get into trouble and then we all have the opportunity to comment on what we would have done and watch as they manage their complications,” Dr. Donnenfeld added. “This year there will be a lot more video and case management.”
This is Dr. Donnenfeld’s first year as a director of the meeting, and his influence has generated an exciting new energy, according to his co-director, OSN Refractive Surgery Board Member Kerry D. Solomon, MD.
“We’re trying to come up with more out-of-the-box interactive ways to get information across,” Dr. Solomon said. “We don’t have any canned 7-minute lectures. What we try to do is bring current topics out in an interactive forum, which has always been a strength of the meeting. And we’ve got a panel of experts second to none.”
“We’re going to break down, step by step, every aspect of a surgical procedure — whether it be cataract surgery, whether it be challenges within a cataract surgery. We’re going to talk about how to go from good to great with specific portions of the surgical procedure,” Dr. Solomon said. “If we want to take our skills to the next level, sometimes we need to focus on the very basics of what we do.”
Other challenges that will be addressed include specific trouble areas, such as how to deal with a small pupil or weak zonules.
The program will also address diagnostic capabilities for dry eye, ocular surface disease, blepharitis, viral keratitis, conjunctivitis and other common corneal problems, along with multidisciplinary topics such as neuro-ophthalmology and oculoplastics.
“It’s all going to be geared toward the comprehensive ophthalmologist. It’s not retina for retina surgeons; we’re talking about retina diagnostic and management options for the comprehensive ophthalmologist, with new things and new treatments and new algorithms that will be discussed at this meeting for the first time ever,” Dr. Solomon said.
Spoleto Festival
Coinciding with the meeting, as it does every year, will be the Spoleto Festival, one of the largest performing arts festivals in the country, and the Piccolo Spoleto Festival, a companion festival focusing on local and regional artists.
“It’s a tradition in Charleston,” Dr. Solomon said. “Commonly, meeting attendees will drive in to see different operas, symphonies, concerts, plays and Piccolo events. This year, we’re sponsoring a cocktail hour on Saturday night where you can mix and mingle with some of the Spoleto people. … I think it’s a nice opportunity for people to socialize together and spend more time with attendees, faculty and industry in an entirely different way.”
Meeting information
Kiawah Eye 2012 is scheduled for May 31 through June 3 on Kiawah Island, a preserved barrier island approximately 15 miles from Charleston, S.C. Leisure activities on the island include golf, tennis and walking tours. Kiawah Eye attendees can register for the bus trip into Charleston on the Kiawah Eye website.
Up to 21.25 CME credits are offered for this meeting.
More information is available online at www.kiawaheye.com. – by Daniel R. Morgan
For more information:
Eric D. Donnenfeld, MD, can be reached at OCLI, 2000 North Village Avenue, Rockville Centre, NY 11570; 516-766-2519; fax: 516-766-3714; email: eddoph@aol.com.
Kerry D. Solomon, MD, can be reached at Carolina Eyecare Physicians, 1280 Johnnie Dodds Blvd., Suite 100, Mt. Pleasant, SC 29464; 843-881-3937; fax: 843-884-8587; email: kerry.solomon@carolinaeyecare.com.