Eyeworld

FEB 2012

EyeWorld is the official news magazine of the American Society of Cataract & Refractive Surgery.

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February 2011 Ophthalmology continued from page 3 possible, as defined by current Medicare regulations, to our mem- bers who either use or are consider- ing using the FS laser when operating on Medicare beneficiaries. To begin the process, we drafted hypothetical clinical scenarios in which the FS laser might be used on Medicare patients undergoing cataract or refractive lens surgery. Regulatory experts from AAO and ASCRS, and outside legal counsel specializing in Medicare regulatory compliance, provided the opinions on reimbursement for each of these situations. The guidance document was generated from these opinions, and the boards of both organiza- tions approved the final draft. As the document was being developed, we also met with the American Refrac- tive Surgery Council, a cooperative working group made up of industry executives and ASCRS representa- tives that supports the global inter- ests of the refractive surgery industry. This group has recently been engaged with the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) in discussing potential reim- bursement pathways for the FS laser with Medicare beneficiaries. In light of these discussions and because data from larger clinical studies will eventually emerge, we recognize that how this new tech- nology is applied is a dynamic situa- tion and subject to change. ASCRS and AAO will update the guidance document if additional information from CMS or other sources becomes available. ASCRS continues to sup- port innovation and patient access to elective refractive services through shared payment. We will continue to support the efforts of the American Refractive Surgery Council and the FS laser industry to allow patients who so elect to have access to this promising technology. David F. Chang, M.D. ASCRS president-elect February 2012 EW REFRACTIVE SURGERY 83 The Ophthalmology Innovation Summit comes to ASCRS—April 19, 2012 T his April, the Ophthalmol- ogy Innovation Summit (OIS) is coming to the ASCRS•ASOA Symposium & Congress for the first time. As has been typical of OIS in the past, the summit in Chicago, which will be held on April 19, just prior to the 2012 ASCRS•ASOA Symposium & Congress, will bring together individuals and companies in ophthalmology with a focus on facilitating ophthalmic surgical in- novation. The summit will be led by OIS chairmen Emmett T. Cunning- ham Jr., M.D. Ph.D., M.P.H., San Francisco, Gilbert Kliman, M.D., Menlo Park, Calif., and William J. Link, Ph.D., Newport Beach, Calif. Richard L. Lindstrom, M.D., who is serving on the OIS advisory committee, said, "The meeting is tar- geted to the innovator/inventor, entrepreneur, and early adopter sur- geon in ophthalmology; the venture capitalists and angel investors who fund them; and the strategic compa- nies who commercialize the innova- tions as they come to market." This summit will be different from the OIS held before the Ameri- can Academy of Ophthalmology an- nual meeting in October. The meeting will convene for a half-day only and will feature anterior seg- ment topics. When asked about the format, Dr. Kliman said, "The nar- rowed focus will allow us to tailor the summit to the needs of the ASCRS meeting attendees and will give participants in the summit the opportunity to have a more in-depth discussion." As the agenda stands currently, this year's meeting will kick off with a networking lunch, followed by a discussion of the innovation cycle, including its challenges and rewards. After that, a 2-hour symposium on minimally invasive glaucoma sur- gery (MIGS) will define the unmet need and opportunity size and in- clude presentations from the major funded start-ups operating in the field. A panel discussion will then re- view the perspective of funders and the eventual potential buyers in the MIGS field. Other major innovations in anterior segment surgery will also be touched on, including femtosec- ond laser refractive cataract surgery, new presbyopia-correcting IOLs, and intraoperative aberrometry. The pro- gram will close with a high-profile keynote lecture by a Washington, D.C. insider that will update atten- dees on key happenings in legisla- tion and on Capitol Hill. "This program is, for me, a highlight of the ASCRS meeting," Dr. Lindstrom said. Reay Brown, M.D., shared Dr. Lindstrom's enthusiasm for the sum- mit. "This Innovation Summit brings together all the contributors to new products for the anterior segment in a forum that allows for critical ex- change. It is this exchange that is Every new device that we use in sur- gery—and every new drug—began with an idea. The person or persons with the idea had to develop it, perhaps patent it, connect with—or start—a company to further develop it, and then navigate the FDA and other regulatory hurdles before the device or drug could be available for our patients. The process takes many years and tens of millions of dollars. There is no way to know how many times inventors start down this road, but it is safe to say that most give up. Reay Brown, M.D., "Innovation: The stories of discovery," p.10, EyeWorld, November 2011 the engine of innovation. The in- ventor can't be successful without the investor and the businessman. This type of interaction can set up a chain reaction of new ideas and more innovation." In his World view column (EyeWorld, November 2011), Dr. Brown said, "Innovation begins with hopes and dreams." The OIS gives ophthalmologists, innovators, and entrepreneurs an opportunity to come together and turn their hopes and dreams into a reality of cutting- edge devices and pharmaceuticals that can be used to establish the highest quality of ophthalmic care and restore functional vision to those in need. This program and the original full-day OIS are produced by IBF Conferences Inc. (Massapequa, N.Y.). For more information and to SAVE THE DATE: IF YOU ARE A DRIVER OR AN EARLY ADOPTER OF NEW OPHTHALMIC SURGICAL TECHNOLOGIES/TREATMENTS. "13*- t $)*$"(0 *- register for this spring's OIS, go to the OIS website: www.ophthalmologysummit.com. EW

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