Eyeworld

WINTER 2026 | EYEWORLD | 3 by Mitchell Weikert, MD Chief Medical Editor W hat hap- pened to 2026? It seems like it just started a few weeks ago! As we venture into the new year and look toward the horizon, the theme of this EyeWorld issue—"To the Moon and Back: New Tools, Techniques, and Challenges in Anterior Segment Surgery"— seems quite appropriate, even more so as we reflect on the 2026 AAO Annual Meeting in New Orleans. As always, I very much enjoyed catching up with friends and colleagues (at least those willing to overlook the meteorological uncer- tainties leading up to the meeting) and was excited to explore the many clinical, surgical, and technological advances in our field. For me, the highlights of the meeting were learning about the simultaneous vision IOLs that recently reached the U.S. market, new developments in surface-sparing sustained drug delivery for glaucoma management (Durysta [bimatoprost intracameral implant, AbbVie] and iDose TR [travoprost intracameral implant, Glaukos], as well as several in the pipeline), the 60 pearls presented at the 25th Spotlight on Cataract Symposium, and advancements in endothelial keratoplasty, including an artificial posterior lamellar keratoplasty technique that recently received Breakthrough Device designation from the FDA (EndoArt, EyeYon Medical). This issue of EyeWorld covers a lot of ground as it travels "To the Moon and Back." New tools often require new techniques for their use and always present new challenges. Clinical and surgical challenges frequently necessitate the development of new tools and techniques to overcome the obstacles they place in our path. Suffice it to say, we see a lot of overlap in our three subtopics. Check out the article on the classification of simultaneous vision IOLs pro- duced by the global Functional Vision Working Group. The goal of this new tool is to provide clinicians with improved, evidence-based insight into real-world depth of field IOL performance (page 53). The growing use of therapeutic con- tact lenses to manage corneal and ocular sur- face disease and avoid surgical intervention is also addressed in this issue (page 63), as is the increased role of simulation in surgical training and preparation (page 44). I think you'll find that our article on the constellation of management options for neuro- trophic keratitis will enhance your understand- ing of new treatment algorithms and provide you with an organized framework for managing this always challenging and often frustrating condition (page 67). While no one would call a penetrating keratoplasty a new technique, figur- ing out where it fits among other newer surgical options is certainly important and frequently not clear-cut. Luckily, we've got that covered for you, too (page 72). I don't know about you, but to me it seems like we continually face a never-ending list of challenges—medical, surgical, and professional. We tackle a few of these in the Winter issue's remaining articles. I encourage you to read our article about the recent reimbursement battle faced by glaucoma surgeons employing cyclodi- alysis with scleral reinforcement and the ASCRS Glaucoma Clinical Committee's role in champi- oning fair compensation strategies. The discus- sion, though very interesting in its own right, also illustrates the larger challenge we face when coding updates can't keep pace with ther- apeutic advancements, resulting in detrimental effects on patient care (page 80). The unhappy postoperative cataract patient is a challenge faced not only surgeons but by all of our staff, from the front desk to the back hall technicians to those in the billing office. Read on to learn about strategies for approaching, preventing, and satisfying these patients (page 58). We hope this issue of EyeWorld will help you travel "To the Moon and Back" as you navigate the new tools, techniques, and chal- lenges you face now and will encounter in the new year! Navigating new tools, techniques, and challenges

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