Eyeworld

Celebrating trailblazers, innovators, and educators in ophthalmology For 50 years, ASCRS has supported surgeons through some trying times and has championed their triumphs. The next 50 years will not be without challenges, but with the backing of its members and by never losing its innovative spirit, ASCRS will continue to advance the education, advocacy, and philanthropy of anterior segment surgery. See more details on the ASCRS timeline on ASCRS.org proudly supports ASCRS and the 50th Anniversary Building upon a strong foundation In the 1990s and 2000s, ASCRS added resources for education in more clinical areas, formally developed its advocacy efforts, and created a philanthropic arm. The Annual Meeting continued to be one of the most valuable aspects of the Society. Innovation met with repudiation: se‚ing the scene Fifty years ago, patients waited until cataracts were debilitating before committing to surgery. The options for visual rehabilitation postop were also subpar. Then came intraocular lenses. Discussion about IOLs among ophthalmologists was incredibly tense, and adoption by many was frowned upon. Creating AIOIS: a welcome space for IOLs Kenneth J. Hoffer, MD, started the American Intra-Ocular Implant Society (AIOIS) to be a welcome space for the discussion, education, and advancement of IOLs. Establishing the Annual Meeting AIOIS first held a scientific program in 1975. Within a few years, the meeting became independent and had grown significantly. Growing the Society Under David Karcher, who became executive director of the Society in 1981, membership increased and involvement opportunities expanded. Mr. Karcher with Lucy Santiago also helped found the American Society of Ophthalmic Administrators (ASOA) in 1986. ASCRS leads defense of IOLs In 1975, the California FDA sought to classify IOLs as a drug, attempting to stop the development and use of these implants. Later the U.S. FDA also sought to further regulate IOLs. AIOIS led the charge to protect the rights of surgeons and patients to access these implants. The Journal of Cataract & Refractive Surgery This publication began as a newsletter in 1975. It quickly evolved into the AIOIS Journal and was later renamed the Journal of Cataract & Refractive Surgery (1986). 1974 What's in a name? In 1985, the name of the Society changed from the American Intra-Ocular Implant Society to the American Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgery.

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