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ASCRS leads advocacy and innovation efforts
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SAN FRANCISCO — Ophthalmic leaders stand poised to tackle ongoing clinical and regulatory challenges in the years ahead, Eric D. Donnenfeld, MD, the newly installed president of the American Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgery, said here.
Donnenfeld was installed during the opening ceremonies at the annual ASCRS meeting. He accepted the mantle of leadership from his predecessor, David F. Chang, MD.
Eric D. Donnenfeld
"The world of medicine continues to evolve," Donnenfeld said. "In many ways, to paraphrase Dickens, this is the best of times and the worst of times. Substantial changes in health care delivery, access to patients and monitoring are impacting the daily lives of every ophthalmologist and, most importantly, the patients they care for. These are confusing, complex times in medicine."
Donnenfeld called on national societies to show leadership and make decisions based on patients’ needs.
"This is exactly what ASCRS has been doing and what we will continue to do. We understand your concerns and recognize your challenges," Donnenfeld said. "Government intervention, electronic medical records and ever-increasing patient expectations coupled with declining reimbursements are issues that we all face."
ASCRS advocates for patients and innovations that improve care. For example, when the U.S. Food and Drug Administration called for a panel to examine LASIK safety, ASCRS assumed leadership and its efforts led to the FDA reaffirming its endorsement of LASIK.
ASCRS was the only ophthalmic society to sign a petition supporting a premium IOL pathway that spurred prodigious development of advanced IOL technology, Donnenfeld said.
"As ophthalmologists, we commit out daily lives to the enhancement of our field and ASCRS is committed to us," he said.
Cataract and refractive surgeries are safer than ever, Donnenfeld said. He also noted the increasing diversity of ophthalmologists; for example, 50% of ophthalmology residency graduates are women, he said.
Disclosure: Donnenfeld is a consultant for Abbott Medical Optics, AcuFocus, Alcon, Allergan, AqueSys, Bausch + Lomb, Elenza, Glaukos, Katena, Merck, NovaBay, Odyssey, Pfizer, PRN, QLT, SARcode, TearLab and WaveTec.