Eyeworld

73 December 2015 EW MEETING REPORTER associated with Acanthamoeba keratitis because it can look like just about anything else," Dr. Tu said. Subacute or chronic parasitic infection primarily affecting the cornea masquerades as a non-in- fectious process. It can appear as other types of subacute infections, including fungi, microsporidia, or herpes. Acanthamoeba keratitis is most likely to occur among contact lens wearers and orthokeratology patients, according to the literature. Recognition of the disease is critical because the level of disease was the main prognostic factor to determine patient outcomes, according to a study Dr. Tu co-authored in 2007. "You had a 10 times greater risk of not seeing well if you did not recog- nize the disease in its early stages," which makes it very important to understand the risk factors and what the disease looks like in its early stages, Dr. Tu said. Editors' note: Dr. Tu has financial interests with Seattle Genetics (Bothell, Wash.). Get to know patients to prevent KPro infections Preventing infections following Boston Keratoprosthesis (KPro) implantation is closely linked to With current data, he said that it seems as though DMEK and DSAEK are neck and neck, while EK seems to dominate PK, with one pos- sible reason being that it's environ- mentally friendly. From 2005–2014 about 171,988 EK procedures were performed in the U.S., he said. So what's new in transplanta- tion? "For the future, you have to think outside the box," Dr. Rosenwasser said. Possible options being studied include using half grafts, ex-vivo expansion, using no graft at all, tissue engineering, a cell- based approach for the treatment of corneal endothelial dysfunction, and a number of other possible approaches. Editors' note: Dr. Rosenwasser has no related financial interests. Serious consequences of delayed diagnosis of Acanthamoeba keratitis Despite delayed treatment pro- ducing a 10 times greater risk of not seeing well, the vast majority of Acanthamoeba keratitis patients are treated "for weeks and often months" for other diagnoses, said Elmer Y. Tu, MD, Glenview, Ill. "It is absolutely critical that the cli- nician understand the risk factors The past, present, and future of eye banking During the meeting, George O.D. Rosenwasser, MD, CEBT, Hershey, Pa., gave the R. Townley Paton Award Lecture on the topic of "Eye Banking 2015: Where We Came From and Where We're Going." The lecture focused on the early history of eye banking, the development of endothelial keratoplasty through the eye of the innovators, and a summa- ry of novel techniques in develop- ment. Dr. Rosenwasser covered the history of the Eye Bank Association of America (EBAA). It was in 1961 that the organization was actually formed. Then came the medical standards in the 1980s and the first medical advisory board in the 1990s. He spoke about a number of pioneers in the field over the years, including Charles Tillett, MD, Jose Ignacio Barraquer, MD, Gerrit Melles, MD, PhD, Mark Terry, MD, Francis Price, MD, and Mark Gorovoy, MD, among others, who contributed to advancements in endothelial grafts and many of the current approaches to corneal trans- plantation. Dr. Rosenwasser said that some of his life altering events involved his time with Dr. Terry and Michael Straiko, MD, working on DLEK, DSEK, and DSAEK procedures. to determine the significance of the data. The 100 healthcare applica- tions approved by the Food and Drug Administration, so far, indicate the size and speed of the movement toward mobile digital health. "Dig- ital health provides a compelling value proposition for all stakehold- ers," Dr. Blumenkranz said. Editors' note: Dr. Blumenkranz has financial interests with Avalanche Biotechnologies (Menlo Park, Calif.), DigiSight, Oculeve—acquired by Allergan, Oculogics (Seattle), Abbott Medical Optics, Presby Corp. (Dallas), and Vantage Surgical (Irvine, Calif.). Cornea Society and EBAA Fall Educational Symposium The full day of programming fea- tured presentations on a number of topics within the cornea subspecial- ty and included the presentation of the Claes H. Dohlman, MD, PhD, Award to Roger F. Steinert, MD, Irvine, Calif. Also during the symposium was the Richard C. Troutman, MD, DSc, Prize Lecture given by Mark A. Greiner, MD, Iowa City, Iowa, on "Diabetes Mel- litus Increases Risk of Unsuccessful Graft Preparation in Descemet Mem- brane Endothelial Keratoplasty: A Multicenter Study," and the presen- tation of the corresponding award. View videos from AAO 2015: EWrePlay.org David Chang, MD, discusses results of studies on a novel technology to create an automated capsulorhexis. continued on page 74

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