Eyeworld

EW NEWS & OPINION 12 July 2016 the treatment. This is very power- ful and cannot be reproduced at a didactic-type conference. I think eyeCONNECTIONS is a resource that all ASCRS members should take advantage of." Current ASCRS members just need to log on to ascrs.org to read eyeCONNECTIONS conversations and get a better idea of the value. To become a user, simply join a com- munity to participate in an existing discussion or create your own post. eyeCONNECTIONS users may cus- tomize their experience by building a profile, adding contacts, and even blogging. There is also a searchable directory of eyeCONNECTIONS members. "I not only learn from the ex- perts in the field, but many times I can contribute with my own person- al experience," Dr. Corral said. "It has given me reassurance that what I am doing in my practice is right, and it has motivated me to be like the eyeCONNECTIONS members who are not satisfied with just doing their job well but who want to be the best they can be." On an average day, conversa- tions may cover IOL calculation questions, cataract surgery compli- cations, help with adapting to new technologies, or experience with the latest glaucoma surgery tech- niques. Whatever the topic, the eyeCONNECTIONS community of users is ready to help. According to Dr. Safran, "We learn so much from [using eyeCONNECTIONS] on a daily basis that it's easy to take for granted what we've learned. When I talk to doctors who are not involved with the list, I am often amazed at the things they haven't yet heard about that we on the list have already dis- cussed at length for months." "ASCRS eyeCONNECTIONS allows ophthalmologists from all over the world to share opinions and experiences from every aspect of ophthalmology imaginable," Dr. Kim said. "I am grateful for this resource." EW Contact information Corral: oftalmo_2000@yahoo.com Kim: kim@professionaleye.com Safran: safran12@comcast.net Schulze: richardschulze@comcast.net conversations within existing com- munities, users may also create new communities if needed. Currently, there are more than 1,400 ASCRS members who are also eyeCONNECTIONS users and belong to 1 or more discussion group. The largest and most active group is the cataract/refractive community. "Community" is the key word when it comes to eyeCONNECTIONS. "I have not seen this type of unselfishness and willingness to help very often in my life," said Enrique Corral, MD, San Ysidro, California, another active mem- ber. "My fellow members, many of whom I don't know personally, go out of their way despite busy sched- ules to help me when I am dealing with a complication or difficult case. I have sent a post in the morning seeking advice on how to deal with a certain medico-surgical situation and in less than 10 minutes have gotten up to 10 responses that have helped me resolve some tough situ- ations. I can honestly say that since joining the eyeCONNECTIONS list, I am a much better ophthalmologist," Dr. Corral said. According to D. Brian Kim, MD, Dalton, Georgia, when it comes to eyeCONNECTIONS, "Everyone brings something to the table. From a clinical standpoint, we can discuss cases and even post photos. This allows us to have a virtual grand rounds by discussing and debating challenging cases and helping to find solutions," Dr. Kim said. "The beauty is that the ophthalmolo- gists who post these cases can send follow-up on what they chose to do and how the patient responded to Valuable continued from page 11

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