Among the highlights of AAO 2023 and Subspecialty Day are the honorary lectures. These informative presentations by leaders in their field are easy to fit into your schedule, as they are usually between 14 and 35 minutes long. Friday’s honorary lecturers preview their presentations below.
RETINA
Charles L. Schepens MD Lecture: Macular Telangiectasia Type 2: Tale of a Global Private & Public Collaboration
Presented by Emily T. Chew, MD
When: Friday, 9:40-10:00 a.m., during Retina Subspecialty Day 2023 (Ret04)
Where: West 3004
“Idiopathic macular telangiectasia type 2 (MacTel type 2), once a poorly characterized and little-understood retinovascular entity, has now been studied in a large, multinational collaborative research project focusing on this disease. In 2004, the family of an affected individual—who consulted ophthalmologists around the world—provided generous funding after learning that little was known about MacTel type 2, for which there was no effective treatment or active research. This lecture will discuss highlights from this project that has evolved over 18 years with strong interactions and collaboration between clinicians from 31 clinical sites and investigators from a dozen basic science laboratories worldwide.
“While performing an observational longitudinal study of MacTel type 2, the investigators determined an outcome measurement for clinical trials: the optical coherence tomography feature of ellipsoid zone break (using en face images), which correlated well with the functional loss. Successful phase 1, 2, and 3 clinical trials employing a ciliary neurotrophic factor (CNTF) implant for MacTel type 2 have been completed. MacTel type 2 has now been extensively studied by this group of dedicated researchers who have had the good fortune of consistent support and an agile administrative system in a global environment with diverse opinions that encouraged innovative research.”
—Emily T. Chew, MD
Retina Subspecialty Day 2023: Looking to the Future (8:00 a.m.-5:19 p.m., and Saturday, 8:00 a.m.-5:07 p.m.) is organized in conjunction with the American Society of Retina Specialists, the Macula Society, the Retina Society, and Club Jules Gonin.
GLAUCOMA
American Glaucoma Society Subspecialty Day Lecture: It Began In San Francisco—How Treatment of Childhood Glaucoma Continues To Evolve
Presented by James D. Brandt, MD
When: Friday, 11:51 a.m.-12:21 p.m., during Glaucoma Subspecialty Day 2023 (Gla05)
Where: Esplanade Ballroom
“Angle surgery was born in San Francisco some 80 years ago when Otto Barkan used direct gonioscopy for the first time in an operating room to guide incisional angle surgery. It quickly became apparent that this approach, which he named ‘goniotomy’ was particularly useful in childhood glaucoma, a disorder that until then was uniformly blinding.
“Pediatric glaucoma remains an orphan disease for clinicians, industry, and regulatory bodies. Most treatment advances have come from approaches developed in adults and tried in children. Much of what we do is anecdote-based. That needs to change.
“There is a resurgence of interest in the management of childhood glaucoma, and pediatric glaucoma is emerging as a true sub-subspecialty, spanning not only glaucoma and pediatrics but increasingly clinical and molecular ophthalmic genetics. Childhood glaucoma is not a single disorder, it comprises many syndromes, anatomies, genetics, and surgical approaches. It is a pan-ophthalmic disorder affecting eyes throughout a patient’s life.
“In my talk, I will provide an overview of how the management of childhood glaucoma has evolved over the past 80 years and what we must do to move from anecdote-based to data-driven management of this group of rare disorders.”
—James D. Brandt, MD
Glaucoma Subspecialty Day 2023: Glaucoma Care at the Golden Gate and Beyond (8:00 a.m.-5:05 p.m.) is organized in conjunction with the American Glaucoma Society.
REFRACTIVE SURGERY
Troutman Award: Losartan Inhibition of Myofibroblast Generation and Late Haze (Scarring Fibrosis) After PRK in Rabbits
Presented by Lycia Maria Martins Pinho Pedral Sampaio, MD
When: Friday, 3:21-3:36 p.m., during Refractive Surgery Subspecialty Day 2023 (Ref11)
Where: West 3014
The Troutman Prize recognizes the scientific merit of a young author publishing in the Journal of Refractive Surgery. This prize and associated lecture honors Richard C. Troutman, MD.
This year’s recipient is Lycia Maria Martins Pinho Pedral Sampaio, MD, from Brazil.
Refractive Surgery Subspecialty Day 2023: Refractive GPT2023 (8:00 a.m.-5:27 p.m.) is the annual meeting of the International Society of Refractive Surgery (ISRS).
This content is excerpted from the Friday/Saturday edition of AAO 2023 News, the newspaper distributed at the convention center.
Read more news about Subspecialty Day and AAO 2023.