Eyeworld

EW NEWS & OPINION 3 April 2011 Passing the torch How lucky I am to have something that makes saying goodbye so hard Carol Sobieski and Thomas Meehan, Annie S even years ago I was hon- ored with the privilege of writing my first editorial as medical co-editor of EyeWorld. It is now time for me to write my last. Term limits and tenure must be respected to assure the healthy perpetuation of ASCRS and its various committees. Under- standing the importance of this makes leaving less difficult. How- ever, leaving my many colleagues and friends on the staff of EyeWorld will not be easy. The writers and staff of EyeWorld are terrific, and I will miss our interactions greatly. A special thanks to Don Long, EyeWorld publisher, Stephanie Graham, EyeWorld editor, and Stacy Majewicz, EyeWorld assistant editor, for all their hard work and devotion to the magazine. They will continue to be a stabilizing influence as EyeWorld moves forward. While I will not miss our 6:30 am Friday morning editorial conference calls, I will miss tremendously the regular collaboration with my other medical co-editors, Stephen Obstbaum, M.D., and Edward Holland, M.D. They are truly first-rate individuals, and together we unselfishly worked in the spirit of camaraderie and teamwork. They are great people and GLAUCOMA Thomas W. Samuelson, MD (Chair) Reay H. Brown, MD Garry P. Condon, MD Herbert P. Fechter, MD Paul Harasymowycz, MD Douglas J. Rhee, MD Steven Sarkisian, MD Barb Smit, MD GLAUCOMA PROGRAMMING SUBCOMMITTEE Thomas W. Samuelson, MD (Chair) Garry P. Condon, MD Douglas J. Rhee, MD Barb Smit, MD PRACTICE MANAGEMENT James A. Davison, MD (Chair) Bradley D. Britton, MD Philip C. Borker, MPA Robert Cherewich, MPS, CMPE, COE John L. Swan, MD Robert F. Melendez, MD, MBA Larry E. Patterson, MD Candace S. Simerson, CMPE, COE CATARACT Mark Packer, MD (Chair) David F. Chang, MD Steven H. Dewey, MD Brian C. Little, MD Nick Mamalis, MD (Advisory) Thomas A. Oetting, MD Audrey Talley-Rostov, MD Sonia H. Yoo, MD REFRACTIVE Elizabeth A. Davis, MD (Chair) Joseph Colin, MD John F. Doane, MD Richard L. Lindstrom, MD (Advisory) Parag A. Majmudar, MD Karl Stonecipher, MD R. Doyle Stulting, MD, PhD William Trattler, MD John A. Vukich, MD Helen K. Wu, MD PEDIATRIC M. Edward Wilson Jr, MD (Chair) Erick D. Bothun, MD Edward G. Buckley, MD Scott R. Lambert, MD Michael O'Keeffe, MD David A. Plager, MD Rupal H. Trivedi, MD Abhay R. Vasavada, MD YOUNG PHYSICIANS AND RESIDENTS Sherman W. Reeves, MD, MPH (Chair) Thomas M. Harvey, MD Paul C. Kang, MD J. Bradley Randleman, MD Leejee Suh, MD Elizabeth Yeu, MD CORNEA Terry Kim, MD (Chair) Eric D. Donnenfeld, MD (Advisory) José L. Güell, MD A. John Kanellopoulos, MD Francis S. Mah, MD J. Bradley Randleman, MD Stephen V. Scoper, MD RETINA Julia A. Haller, MD (Chair) David S. Boyer, MD Tarek S. Hassan, MD Jeffrey S. Heier, MD Allen C. Ho, MD William F. Mieler, MD Timothy W. Olsen, MD Keith A. Warren, MD COMPREHENSIVE OPHTHALMOLOGY Bernard A. Milstein, MD (Chair) Arthur Benjamin, MD Emmett F. Carpel, MD Alan S. Crandall, MD (EC Liaison) Uday Devgan, MD Gary Foster, MD Bonnie An Henderson, MD Michael F. Oats, MD John D. Polansky, MD Bhavna Sheth, MD A S C R S C L I N I C A L C O M M I T T E E S E Y E W O R L D E D I T O R I A L   B O A R D Chief medical editor: David F. Chang, M.D. Cataract editor: Bonnie An Henderson, M.D. Cornea editor: Edward J. Holland, M.D. Refractive editor: Kerry D. Solomon, M.D. Glaucoma editor: Reay H. Brown, M.D. International editor: John A. Vukich, M.D. Online: www.EyeWorld.org Mobile: EyeWorld.mobi Tweeter: EWnews continued on page 10 F or the past 9 years I have had the pleasure of serving as a chief medical editor of EyeWorld and the opportu- nity to play a role in devel- oping a first-rate ophthalmic news magazine. The decision to publish a periodical in an environment where other ophthalmic news publications were already established was a cal- culated risk and one that had a shaky financial start. Under the leadership of David Karcher, Don Long, and Marguerite McDonald, M.D., the first chief medical editor, EyeWorld made its way into the market and over time established it- self as a worthy addition to other publications in the field. I joined the editorial staff as chief medical editor concentrating on cataract and glaucoma to com- plement Dr. McDonald's expertise in cornea and refractive surgery. As a publication of the American Soci- ety of Cataract and Refractive Sur- gery, we developed an editorial philosophy that reflected the vision of ASCRS and adopted a style that featured multiple points of view on the articles we presented. We sought to distinguish EyeWorld from other publications by encouraging a broad and diverse educational and informational milieu. This style pro- moted the input of many of the opinion leaders in contemporary ophthalmology including members of the ASCRS clinical committees. Our readership was able to view all sides of an issue rather than simply accept a singular presentation of clinical information. At the conclusion of Dr. McDonald's tenure, Steve Lane, M.D., succeeded her as chief med- ical editor for refractive surgery and cornea. His immediate contributions provided a new vibrancy and vital- ity to the publication. Several years later, as ASCRS assumed a more im- portant role in corneal education, we decided to create a third chief medical editorship. Ed Holland, M.D., has skillfully filled this posi- tion for the past 2 years by lending his exceptional skills to the develop- ment of this area of interest. The next chapter of EyeWorld is now here. David Chang, M.D., has assumed the position of chief med- ical editor of EyeWorld and has as- sembled a talented, enthusiastic group of associate editors: Bonnie Henderson, M.D., Reay Brown, M.D., Kerry Solomon, M.D., and Ed Holland, M.D. There is little doubt that this new editorial leader- ship will perpetuate the excellence of EyeWorld. Through the years I have had the pleasure of working with a dedi- cated editorial staff of talented edi- tors, reporters, and writers. They have diligently worked to make EyeWorld the quality publication it has become. I have probably neg- lected to thank someone whose contribution I should have acknowl- edged. Please forgive my omission, but know that I am indebted to everyone who has contributed to the success of EyeWorld. I would especially like to thank Don Long for his support. Steve Lane and Ed Holland are outstand- ing leaders and represent the best of our profession. It has been an honor to work with them. Lastly, the suc- cess of any venture associated with ASCRS bears David Karcher's impri- matur. He has guided EyeWorld from its early, uncertain days to a more secure present, and I'm confident his firm leadership of EyeWorld will continue in the future. Stephen A. Obstbaum, M.D. Professor of ophthalmology, New York University School of Medicine Stephen S. Lane, M.D. Clinical professor of ophthalmology, University of Minnesota

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