Eyeworld

FALL 2026 | EYEWORLD | 3 by Mitchell Weikert, MD Chief Medical Editor • Blepharitis caused by staph, MGD, and Demodex: Learn the best strategies for man- aging these all-too-common conditions that affect a significant portion (dare I say majori- ty?) of our patients. • Epithelium-on crosslinking: Read about early experience with newly approved epi-on crosslinking, including the clinical results, practical reimbursement challenges, and sig- nificant questions that remain. • Combining medications and procedures for glaucoma management: Explore up- dated paradigms for combining procedural interventions (laser, MIGS, etc.) with topical or intraocular sustained-delivery medications to optimize glaucoma management while minimizing detrimental effects to the ocular surface and other eye structures. In addition to these topics, we also cover new combined phacovitrectomy platforms, un- common complications in cataract surgery, the state of the union of dropless cataract surgery, and a review of the popular "Glaucoma Sur- vivor: Temporal Island" symposium from the 2026 Annual Meeting. I'll close with a quick emphasis on the importance of government relations as we face another proposed cut to cataract surgery reim- bursement. In this very column in last year's Fall issue, Sumit "Sam" Garg, MD, discussed the 11% decrease in reimbursement for CPT code 66984 proposed for 2026. Unfortunately, we're seeing a similar track for 2027 with a proposed 4% cut, which would reduce reimbursement to $444.34. The steady decline highlights our need to increase efficiency, optimize workflow, and explore other means to offset our overhead, such as incorporation of premium IOLs and other surgical enhancements. As we continue to fight this uphill battle, the importance of our ac- tive support of and participation in government relations only increases. We encourage you to support ASCRS eyePAC, communicate with your local government representatives, participate in advocacy efforts, and consider attending the annual Legislative Fly-In in Washington, D.C. I hope you enjoy this issue of EyeWorld. If you have any topic suggestions or concerns, reach out to me at mweikert@bcm.edu. A s we head into the fall, hope- fully everyone is getting some welcome relief as the weather cools down and the kids head back to school. This annual transi- tion seems like the perfect time for this issue's theme: Rewind. Refresh. Refine. The other "3 Rs" form a treatment philosophy that we probably employ more that we realize. Looking back at how we've managed ocular problems in the past and what components we continue to use today establishes our framework. When we fold in newer treatments to refresh our protocols, we can offer our patients options that hopefully im- prove outcomes and/or decrease risk. Refining how we integrate the new with the old will then lead to optimization of our management proto- cols. As you read through this issue, I encourage you to think about this framework and reflect on how you might incorporate these therapeutic innovations into your own practice flow. Before I delve into the contents of this issue, I want to remind everyone of the ASCRS Live! events that are happening all over the country. ASCRS Live! offers the opportunity to discuss the latest innovations, pearls, and challenges facing the practice of refractive cataract surgery. These intimate dinners provide the perfect envi- ronment for meaningful, freewheeling conversa- tions, peer-to-peer learning, and the opportunity to network with ASCRS experts, as well as your local colleagues—all while earning CME credits. The current tour still has New Orleans, Tucson, New York, and Birmingham on the schedule to finish out the year. We encourage you to seek one out if it's within your reach. Back to our current issue—the editorial team has assembled another great collection of informative articles in the spirit of Rewind. Refresh. Refine. • IOLs to extend range of vision: Several articles cover the use of these IOL classes, such as the evolving roles for light adjustable and extended depth of field IOLs, new IOLs available in these categories, and the impact of refractive error on their performance and patient satisfaction. Rewind. Refresh. Refine.: A framework for the evolution of treatment in ophthalmology Dr. Weikert as a resident in 2002 Source: Mitchell Weikert, MD

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