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EW AAO 2015 44 Dr. Jeng said he is particularly interested to hear the discussion in the sessions where different proce- dures will be compared. There will be a discussion of DMEK vs. ultra thin DSAEK and a comparison of DALK vs. PK. Is there a certain approach to this year's meeting? Dr. Jeng said they are incorporating a lot of elements that have gotten positive feedback in previous years. This includes case presentations and panel discussions, as well as the concept of point/counterpoint. "We have a nice list of outstanding speakers and leaders in the field who will guide us in this," he said. "This year's Cornea Subspecialty Day program is a program with new information, presented by experts, who will express their personal opinions in the framework of the evidence-based medical data," Dr. Kaufman said. "Additionally, case studies will be presented in each session to provide practical exam- ples for cornea specialists, com- prehensive ophthalmologists, and others." The program is designed to highlight new diagnostic techniques and treatments to clarify commonly confusing topics and sort out contra- dictory information by experts in their field, he said. EW Contact information Jeng: BJeng@som.umaryland.edu Kaufman: Stephen.Kaufman@downstate.edu by Ellen Stodola EyeWorld Staff Writer Not to be missed Dr. Kaufman said that he often receives questions about herpes simplex and varicella zoster viruses. "Our first session of the day will cover prevention, diagnosis, and treatments and will discuss and clarify new concepts and treatment techniques for these common viral infections," he said. Case presen- tations on the topic will also show physicians how to implement these concepts into clinical practice, including a discussion of the VZV vaccination. There will be a session on new treatment paradigms for autoim- mune and inflammatory conditions commonly encountered in the office, Dr. Kaufman said, as well as a session to address controversies in the treatment of corneal infections, such as whether steroids should be used in bacterial infections, what is the best antifungal medication, and more. "The last session of the morn- ing will spotlight cornea controver- sies, addressing anterior segment topics that are commonly debated in the literature and at scientific meet- ings," he said. The afternoon programming will begin with a session involving new initial treatments for Stevens- Johnson syndrome that can make a significant difference in the course of the disorder. This will be followed by a discussion of other ocular surface disorders, he said. "The final key sessions of the day will provide a discussion by an expert panel of cornea controversies and what the evidence-based medicine shows." excited about bringing up some of the controversies in ophthalmology. Why should people attend? Cornea Subspecialty Day is usually attended by cornea specialists and comprehensive ophthalmologists, but there are also other subspecial- ists who simply want to update their cornea and anterior segment knowl- edge base, Dr. Kaufman said. "We have assembled an impressive list of experts who will cover a vast array of useful, clinically relevant topics," he said. "Each session will include didactic lectures with case studies to illustrate practical points." There is a lot of information that physicians may not be up to date on just by reading the litera- ture, Dr. Jeng said. "This is an excel- lent cross section of what is hot now in cornea," he said. "If you have missed anything in the last year, it should all be covered here." Major theme There are so many new, revised, and misunderstood topics in cornea and anterior segment that it can be diffi- cult for physicians to obtain current, clear, and accurate information, Dr. Kaufman said. "In this year's Cornea Subspecialty Day, we will look at these topics with an emphasis on evidence-based information," he said. "We will separate the hype and hard-sell from the evidence-based facts." The idea, Dr. Jeng said, is to present the data, not necessarily to say what's right, but at least to get the data straight. This year's subspecialty day to focus on evidence- based practice T his year's Cornea Subspe- cialty Day at the American Academy of Ophthalmol- ogy (AAO) annual meet- ing is titled "Show Me the Evidence! Back to Basics and Beyond." The program directors are Shahzad I. Mian, MD, Ann Arbor, Mich., Stephen C. Kaufman, MD, New York, and Bennie Jeng, MD, Baltimore. Dr. Kaufman and Dr. Jeng shared why it's important to attend this year's Cornea Subspecialty Day at AAO and what sessions they are especially looking forward to. The goal The goal of Cornea Subspecialty Day is to provide attendees with the lat- est information, from experts, about new or commonly misunderstood medical and surgical treatments of cornea and anterior segment disorders, Dr. Kaufman said. "We want everyone who attends Cornea Subspecialty Day to leave the meet- ing with practical information that they can use today in their clinical practice." The idea of what the program directors are trying to put together this year is reflected in the title, Dr. Jeng said. "We're trying to go back to the basics to talk about the evidence that guides us in what we do," he said. "The major overlying theme is evidence-based practice." He added that he's particularly October 2015 AAO Preview • November 14–17, 2015 Cornea Subspecialty Day at AAO will go "back to basics"

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