What’s Happening
FYI
Academy Store
Meeting Matters
Washington Report
Members at Large
What’s Happening
Academy Raises Standards for Its Educational Programs
The Academy board of trustees, acting on the resolute will of its Council, has passed the following resolution:
The American Academy of Ophthalmology does not permit attendance or participation by optometrists at any educational activity at its Annual Meeting.
The Academy’s educational programs are developed for ophthalmologists who have the educational basis of medical school, internship and residency as a background for understanding the materials that are presented during each Annual Meeting. These programs are presented to help Academy members provide better patient care.
Unfortunately, nonmembers have attended these courses and then cited their attendance when lobbying legislatures.
The Academy board of trustees believes that using Academy educational activities in such a manner is not in the interest of the public or good patient care.
For that reason, optometrists will no longer be allowed to participate or attend any of the education activities of the Academy’s Annual Meeting.
2004 Mid-Year Forum
Optometry’s push to obtain surgical privileges from the Department of Veterans Affairs and Oklahoma’s new law authorizing incisional surgery for optometrists were the hot items on the agenda at this year’s Mid-Year Forum, April 22 to 23.
Eye care in the VA. Last year, veterans were put at risk when Oklahoma-licensed optometrists were allowed to perform surgery in VA facilities. The Academy and its allies have worked overtime ever since to ensure that veterans have access to quality surgical care. During the Opening Session, Randolph L. Johnston, MD, chaired a wide-ranging discussion on optometry’s bid to circumvent existing laws that prohibit OD surgery in 49 U.S. states. James C. Orcutt, MD, chief of ophthalmology within the VA, recommended improvements to the disjointed ophthalmology/ optometry reporting structures. Mary G. Lawrence, MD, MPH, a member of the Academy’s Secretariat of State Affairs and past-president of the Association of Veterans Affairs Ophthalmologists, discussed the lack of laser backlogs and excellent productivity of VA ophthalmology. U.S. Rep. John Sullivan (R-Okla.) discussed the likelihood of congressional action on his bill “The Veterans Eye Treatment Safety (VETS) Act,” HR 3473, to reform VA policy. Michael W. Brennan, MD, former secretary for State Affairs, described the efforts of the VETS coalition including the major veteran’s service organizations. (Ophthalmologists meeting with Congress during Advocacy Day that morning had succeeded in winning several representatives and one or two senators as new VETS Act sponsors.)
Oklahoma law. Cynthia A. Bradford, MD, secretary for State Affairs, presented the action of the 2004 state legislature to enable optometric surgery. In response, said Dr. Bradford, the Academy is planning a major offensive, grounded in the public opinion that surgery must be done by surgeons. Stay tuned; the line in the sand has been crossed, but a unified response can correct this anomaly.
In other symposia, the following topics were discussed:
- future trends in the evaluation of surgical competency;
- the Academy’s new ethics rule on expert witness testimony (for more on this go online at www.aao.org/aao/member/ethics);
- ophthalmology’s future in academic medical centers;
- major third party payment issues; and
- the anticipated boom in need for eye care in the aging population, and the implications for practices under various manpower scenarios.
During the lunchtime session, Col. Donald A. Gagliano, MD, gave a gripping account of progress that has been made in rebuilding Iraqi medical care.
Want to attend the next Mid-Year Forum? It will take place in Washington, April 7 to 8, 2005.
Where Do Eye M.D.s Stand on Subspecialty Certification?
Last year, the American Board of Ophthalmology asked the Academy to sound out the profession on the subject of subspecialty certification for oculofacial plastic surgery.
In turn, the Academy’s Council asked each state society and 27 subspecialty and specialized interest societies to solicit the opinions of their members and then submit a position paper.
A total of 55 papers were presented at the 2004 Spring Council Meeting in late April. Of these, 14 (25 percent) were in favor of the proposed certification, 30 (55 percent) were opposed and 11 (20 percent) took no position.
The Academy also sent out a questionnaire on this topic to its 15,500 U.S. members. Of the 5,159 returns, 29 percent favored the proposed certification, 65 percent opposed it and 6 percent had no opinion (see last month’s Academy Notebook at www.eyenetmagazine.org/archives).
The Council forwarded the position papers and the questionnaire results to the ABO, which now will decide whether to propose the new certification to the American Board of Medical Specialties.
FYI
2004 Membership Dues—A Reminder
Have you paid your 2004 membership dues? The Academy must receive your payment by the end of June to guarantee that you continue to enjoy the many benefits of membership, which include uninterrupted delivery of Ophthalmology and EyeNet Magazine, the specialty’s leading peer-reviewed and clinical news publications.
To renew your membership, you can either pay your dues online at www.aao.org or contact Member Services by phone, 415-561-8581, or by fax, 415-561-8575.
Go Online for EyeCare America’s Press Room
EyeCare America has officially launched its online press room.
Now members of the media can go online to read ECA news, download the ECA press kit and view public service announcements and video news releases.
To view the new press room, go to www.eyecareamerica.org and click “Press Room.”
Academy Store
New Edition of BCSC Adds All-New Volume on Refractive Surgery
The 2004–2005 Basic and Clinical Science Course has a new look that adds extra color and readability.
It also features a completely new volume, Section 14: Refractive Surgery (Product #0280144), which offers a current look at the vital issues in refractive surgery: Evaluating whether a patient is a candidate, wavefront analysis and technology, general types of lasers and the latest surgical techniques. It also covers incisional corneal surgery, photorefractive keratectomy, laser subepithelial keratomileusis, LASIK, thermokeratoplasty and intraocular surgery, including patient selection, outcomes and complications.
As always, the new edition of BCSC includes 10 sections that have undergone minor revisions and three major revisions.This year’s major revisions are:
- Section 10: Glaucoma (#0280104) covers the most recent developments in the field. It features an updated look at the classification of glaucoma and discusses the importance of the latest breakthroughs in genetic mapping and understanding of gene mutations to our knowledge of the disease. The volume examines the dynamics of IOP and aqueous humor and the evaluation of glaucoma patients. It includes detailed discussions of open-angle glaucoma, angle-closure glaucoma and childhood glaucoma, and looks at both medical and surgical therapies.
- Section 11: Lens and Cataract (#0280114) begins with an in-depth look at the lens: its anatomy, biochemistry, physiology and embryology. Examination of the pathology of the lens then leads to an extensive discussion of cataracts, including the evaluation and management of cataracts in both adults and children and current surgical options and possible complications.
- Section 12: Retina and Vitreous (#0280124) presents current information on disorders of the retina and vitreous, including AMD, CNV, diabetic retinopathy and retinal detachment. It discusses diagnostic approaches to retinal diseases and features an expanded look at the latest developments in laser therapy and vitreoretinal surgery.
Each of the 14 volumes provides up to 30 or 40 Category 1 CME credits.
Individual volumes cost $69 for members, $99 nonmembers; the complete 14-volume set (#0280954) costs $685 for members, $982 nonmembers. The entire 2004–2005 BCSC will soon be available on CD-ROM.
The books are available now at www.aao.org/store; the Academy will begin accepting orders for the
CD-ROM in August.
New Cataract Surgery DVD Includes Aid to Informed Consent
The new Understanding Cataract Surgery patient education DVD (Product #050107) clearly and concisely explains cataracts and the phacoemulsification procedure. The seven-minute main presentation features interviews with real patients, a physician’s explanation and animated graphics of the eye.
An additional chapter, Aid to Informed Consent, details risks, benefits and alternatives to cataract surgery. You can use this chapter—which was reviewed by OMIC—either on its own or to augment the main presentation.
Understanding Cataract Surgery, which also includes a Spanish-language option, costs $180 for members and $232 for nonmembers.
To preview a clip of the DVD, visit www.aao.org/store.
Try the Online Demo for Practice Forms Master CD-ROM
Go online for a free, 90-second demo of Practice Forms Master (Product #012020). It highlights the functionality and convenience of the Practice Forms Master CD-ROM, which contains more than 300 ophthalmic business forms. The CD-ROM also includes OmniForm 5.0 software, which enables you to quickly edit existing forms and create new ones.
Practice Forms Master costs $285 for members, $385 for nonmembers.
For a free online demo, go to www.aao.org/PFMdemo.
New OTA on Adult Strabismus Surgery
An Ophthalmic Technology Assessment, published in this month’s Ophthalmology, reviews the available evidence for the effectiveness, reported functional benefits and complications of surgical treatment of adult patients with strabismus. Reprints of Strabismus Surgery for Adults (Product #112050) cost $11 for members, $16 for nonmembers.
To read the Academy’s OTAs, visit www.aao.org and click “Clinical Information.”
Meeting Matters
Starting This Month: Meeting Registration and Hotel Reservation
2004 Joint Meeting housing, registration and course ticket sales will open on the following dates:
- June 23 for Academy and AAOE members, and
- July 7 for nonmembers.
Explore This Year’s Educational Program
Use your Advance Program—which you should receive in the mail this month—or go online (www.aao.org) to review the 2004 Joint Meeting’s scientific program.
Spotlight sessions. Major highlights of the New Orleans program include Spotlight on Cataracts 2004: Cataract Controversies (Oct. 25, 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.) and Spotlight on Refractive Surgery: Where Have We Been and Where Are We Now? A Symposium Honoring the Memory of Jose Barraquer, MD, and the Contributions of Steve Trokel, MD, and Jan Worst, MD, to the Development of Refractive Surgery (Oct. 25, 5:30 to 7 p.m.).
Hundreds of presentations. This year’s program includes: 180 Breakfast with the Experts roundtables, 260 standard Instruction Courses, 68 AAOE courses, 76 Skills Transfer courses and 23 symposia.
Transatlantic highlights. Seven of this year’s symposia are jointly sponsored by the following U.S. and European subspecialty societies:
- American Association of Ophthalmic Pathologists and the European Ophthalmic Pathology Society
- American Society of Ophthalmic Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery and the European Society of Ophthalmic Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery
- The American Association for Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus and the European Society of Pediatric Ophthalmology
- American Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgery and the European Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgery
- Cornea Society and the European Cornea Club
- The Retina Society and the Club Jules Gonin
- Prevent Blindness America Inc. and the European Glaucoma Society
Subspecialty Day
The 2004 Subspecialty Day offers an intensive review of the latest advances in retina, refractive surgery and glaucoma:
- Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About Retina . . . (Oct. 22 to 23)
- International Refractive Surgery: Science and Practice (Oct. 22 to 23)
- Under Pressure: The Optic Nerve and Glaucoma (Oct. 23)
These three meetings are designed to provide clinicians with practical information that they can implement in their practices.
Freedom to pick and choose. Registered Subspecialty Day attendees can float among the three specialty meetings. Register for a two-day meeting (retina or refractive surgery) and float between the meetings both days. Saturday-only attendees (glaucoma) can float among all meetings on Saturday.
Extended exhibit hours. The Subspecialty Day tabletop exhibit area will be open from 10 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 22, and the Subspecialty Day Welcome Reception will be held there from 5 to 6:30 p.m. Your Subspecialty Day badge also will give you access to the Joint Meeting exhibit hall on Saturday.
Free evening session. New this year, the Refractive Surgery meeting is offering a complimentary evening session on Friday from 6 to 7:45 p.m. to all registered Subspecialty Day and Joint Meeting attendees and exhibitors. This rapid-fire paper session will consist of almost 30 cutting-edge papers selected from around the world.
To find out more, visit www.aao.org/annual_meeting.
Join ISRS/AAO
Attend the Refractive Surgery Subspecialty Day meeting as a member of the ISRS/AAO subspecialty society and enjoy a discounted registration fee. Visit www.isrs.org to join ISRS/AAO.
Visiting From Outside the United States?
International members planning to attend this year’s Joint Meeting may need a visa to enter the United States.
Visit the Academy’s Web site at www.aao.org/annual_meeting and select “Visa Information” for helpful links and a list of countries participating in the visa waiver program. Apply for a visa by contacting the U.S. embassy or consulate in your locality.
If you need a letter of invitation, fax your request to 415-561-8575 or visit www.aao.org/annual_meeting, select “Visa Information” and fill out the online form.
Free Registration for AAOE Members
New this year, Joint Meeting registration will be free to American Academy of Ophthalmic Executives members.
The AAOE program of the 2004 Joint Meeting will include a total of 74 educational workshops. It also will feature nearly 60 practice management roundtable discussions.
Several educational presentations and roundtables will be offered free of charge, including the AAOE General Session, ProfitAbility: Leading Teams to a Better Bottom Line, presented by Kevin O’Connor, CSP (see his Practice Perfect article in this issue of EyeNet).
The program also will include 43 new courses covering the seven core competencies of ophthalmic executives.
AAOE members can purchase Instruction Course and Breakfast with the Expert tickets beginning June 23; nonmembers must wait until July 7.
For more information on the AAOE program at the Joint Meeting, visit www.aao.org/aaoesite.
ASORN Welcomes Nurses to New Orleans
The American Society of Ophthalmic Registered Nurses invites both prospective and current members to its Annual Meeting in New Orleans (Oct 22 to 26).
For meeting information—or to learn about ASORN—visit www.asorn.org.
Whom to Contact for Your Hotel, Travel and Child Care
Now is the time to start planning for New Orleans.
For hotel reservations, contact the official housing company, Expovision, from 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. EDT. (Housing opens on June 23 for members; July 7 for nonmembers.)
Phone: 866-774-0487 (toll- free within the United States) or 703-770-3908
Fax: 703-770-3909
E-mail: aaohousing@expovision.com
For air travel and car rental, phone United Airlines (800-521-4041; give meeting code #556ER), Delta Air Lines (800-241-6760; file #204196A), Avis (800-331-1600; discount code #J100502) or Budget Rent a Car (800-772-3773; convention discount #U064319) and take advantage of discounts that are available to meeting attendees. All phone numbers are toll-free within the United States.
For child-care (Camp AAO) information, contact Accent on Children's Arrangements Inc.
Phone: 504-524-0188
Fax: 504-524-1229
E-mail: registration@accentoca.com
Contact the Academy from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. PDT.
Phone: 415-447-0320
Fax: 415-561-8575
E-mail: meetings@aao.org
Web site: www.aao.org
Washington ReportPediatric Ophthalmology Advocacy DayThe American Association of Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus recently teamed up with the Academy to put on its first ever AAPOS Advocacy Day.
Held March 30 in Washington, it was a smashing success. More than 20 pediatric ophthalmologists descended on Capitol Hill. They met with their members of Congress to discuss the “Children’s Access to Vision Care Act of 2003” (HR 3602), which provides $75 million in state grants for follow-up treatment for uninsured children following a failed vision screening. “This was a chance for our members to help educate Congress on issues of importance to us,” said AAPOS president Susan H. Day, MD. “What better resource to educate members on a children’s vision bill than pediatric ophthalmologists? I believe that they and their staff saw us as a credible source of information and understood the importance of passing this legislation. In fact, several members signed on as cosponsors of HR 3602 during our visits.”
The Academy’s Role. The Academy helped orchestrate AAPOS Advocacy Day by scheduling the Capitol Hill visits and preparing briefing materials. “AAPOS understands the importance of Congress hearing the unified voice of pediatric ophthalmologists,” said Peter J. Whitted, MD, JD, chairman of the Academy’s Congressional Advocacy Committee. “I am confident that, through this success, many more beneficial AAPOS Advocacy Days will follow.”
WHAT YOU CAN DO. Support HR 3602: Go to the Academy Action Center on the Governmental Affairs section of the Academy Web site (
www.aao.org) and send a letter to your members of Congress urging them to cosponsor the Academy-backed bill.
Members at Large
State-to-State: 11 U.S. States Twin With Latin American SocietiesThe Academy’s Ophthalmic Society Relations department is collaborating with the Pan American Association of Ophthalmology on a first-time effort of twinning state ophthalmology societies with national Latin American ophthalmological societies.
The U.S. and Latin American “twins” are developing symposia for the
XXV Pan-American Congress of Ophthalmology to be held from March 18 to 21, 2005, in Santiago, Chile.
Michael W. Brennan, MD, the Academy’s International Envoy, said, “This is an exciting new program that we are developing to encourage educational, fraternal and collegial interaction between our international and U.S. state ophthalmology societies.”
In this pilot effort, 11 Latin American ophthalmological societies have been twinned with U.S. state societies: Argentina and North Carolina Society of Eye Physicians and Surgeons; Brazil and Hawaii Ophthalmological Society; Chile and Michigan Ophthalmological Society; Colombia and Florida Society of Ophthalmology; Costa Rica and Colorado Society of Eye Physicians and Surgeons; Guatemala and Washington D.C. Metropolitan Ophthalmological Society; Mexico and California Academy of Ophthalmology; Paraguay and Vermont Ophthalmological Society; Peru and New Mexico Ophthalmological Society; Spain and Texas Ophthalmological Association; and Venezuela and Utah Ophthalmological Society.
Ana G. Huaman, MD, president of the New Mexico Ophthalmological Society, is collaborating closely with
Jose Antonio Roca, MD, of the Peruvian Society of Ophthalmology in organizing a 90-minute symposium focusing on retina. Dr. Huaman said, “This is a unique opportunity for NMOS to reach beyond our borders and develop a vital cultural and educational exchange with the Peruvian ophthalmologists.” For his part, Dr. Roca stated, “This is going to be a wonderful opportunity for the Peruvian Ophthalmological Society for interchange of experiences and learning different approaches from our colleagues in New Mexico.”
