Eyeworld

3 EW ASCRS NEWS June 2018 and often they are not. ASCRS has been a leader in the effort to support surgeons on this issue. EyeWorld: What will you focus on during your time as president? Dr. Samuelson: I would like to help change perceptions. Survey results have informed us that some think that ASCRS is an organization primarily for high volume, high profile cataract surgeons. The fact is, ASCRS is the society representing all of anterior segment surgery and all anterior segment surgeons. The boundaries among cataract, cornea, glaucoma, and refractive surgery have melted away in recent years. Successful cataract surgeons simply can't ignore astigmatism, the ocular surface, and glaucoma. Where better to learn how to combine these skills than ASCRS? Likewise, ASCRS is relevant to all levels of expertise of anterior segment surgeons, whether just starting the surgical journey or in the twilight of one's career. That said, it is true that ASCRS is home to some of the most accomplished anterior segment surgeons from across the globe. ASCRS is first and foremost about surgical instruction. But it is so much more, including advocacy, practice management, and collegiality with our industry partners. ASCRS has an unmatched curriculum for anterior segment surgical instruction. Another initiative that I would like to pursue is to follow the lead of my predecessor Bonnie Henderson, MD, to help ensure that the ASCRS leadership and its governing bodies reflect the makeup of its member- ship in terms of gender and racial diversity. Currently, 24% percent of ASCRS members are women, and more broadly, half of those entering medical school are women. Our governing bodies should reflect that trend. Like all ASCRS presidents before me, I want to grow membership. If your goal is to excel in anterior segment surgery at all levels, ASCRS is the convener to accomplish that. Surgical advancement is a team effort. Surgeons can't do it alone, researchers can't do it alone, and industry can't do it alone. ASCRS uniquely provides a synergistic environment bringing all interested parties together to accomplish great T homas Samuelson, MD, a founding partner of Minnesota Eye Consultants, Minneapolis, is the new ASCRS president. Dr. Samu- elson spoke with EyeWorld about his involvement with ASCRS and this year's upcoming plans. EyeWorld: How and when did you first become involved in ASCRS? Dr. Samuelson: In the mid- to late- 1990s, one of my research inter- ests was IOP biocompatibility. We published a study that compared later-generation silicone materials to the emerging acrylic lens materials and found some important, repro- ducible, and enduring findings. I was asked to present our paper at the ASCRS meeting. I attended my first meeting in the late 1990s, discov- ered the wealth of anterior segment surgical riches at the meeting, and I don't think that I have missed a meeting ever since. I quickly became involved in the Glaucoma Clinical Committee, initially chaired by Brad Shingleton, MD, and later Reay Brown, MD. They put me to work, and I have loved every minute of it. EyeWorld: What do you see as some of the biggest challenges facing ophthalmology? What can ophthal- mologists and/or ASCRS do to help better face these challenges? Dr. Samuelson: While this answer may be a bit parochial to my field of glaucoma, I think that the issues we face in glaucoma affect a large share of anterior segment surgeons. It seems that on a daily basis my abili- ty to care for patients is encumbered by device-specific labeling and reim- bursement limitations. While it is naive to underestimate the crisis we face concerning the cost of medical care, physicians are often unable to offer the best procedure for individ- ual patients because of oversimpli- fied and overapplied broad labeling and reimbursement limitations. I think that physicians should be empowered to advocate for patients when consensus opinion reflects a changing treatment paradigm, even if it requires expanding the original indications for surgery beyond the strict labeling. Labeling and reim- bursement should be separate issues, collegial spirit between industry and practitioners fostered by ASCRS. EW Contact information Samuelson: twsamuelson@mneye.com things. The advances in anterior seg- ment surgery in recent decades were unimaginable when I finished my fellowship. These advances would not have been possible without the Interview with the new ASCRS president © 2018 Novartis 1/18 US-RES-17-E-3227 References 1. Alcon Data on File (Jul 2016). 2. AcrySof ® IQ ReSTOR ® +2.5 D Multifocal Toric IOL Di- rections for Use. 3. Vega F, Alba-Bueno F, Millán MS, Varon C, Gil MA, Buil JA. Halo and through-focus performance of four diffractive multifocal intraocular lenses. Invest Ophthal- mol Vis Sci. 2015;56(6):3967-3975 (study conducted with corneal model eye with 0.28µ spherical aberration). 4. Wirtitsch MG, Findl O, Menapace R, et al. Effect of haptic design on change in axial lens position after cataract surgery. J Cataract Refract Surg. 2004;30(1):45- 51 5. Visser N, Bauer NJ, Nuijts RM. Toric intraocular lenses: historical overview, patient selection, IOL calculation, surgical techniques, clinical outcomes, and complications. J Cata- ract Refract Surg. 2013;39(4):624-637. 6. Potvin R, Kramer BA, Hardten DR, Berdahl JP. Toric intraocular lens orientation and residual refractive astigmatism: an analysis. Clin Ophthalmol. 2016;10;1829-1836. AcrySof ® IQ ReSTOR ® Family of Multifocal IOLs Important Product Infor- mation CAUTION: Federal (USA) law restricts this device to the sale by or on the order of a physi- cian. INDICATIONS: The AcrySof ® IQ ReSTOR ® Posterior Chamber Intraocular Multifocal IOLs include AcrySof ® IQ ReSTOR ® and AcrySof ® ReSTOR ® Toric and are intended for pri- mary implantation for the visual correction of aphakia secondary to removal of a catarac- tous lens in adult patients with and without presbyopia, who desire near, intermediate and distance vision with increased spectacle independence. In addition, the AcrySof ® IQ ReSTOR ® Toric IOL is intended to correct pre-existing astigmatism. The lenses are intended to be placed in the capsular bag. WARNINGS/PRECAUTIONS: Careful preoperative evaluation and sound clinical judgment should be used by the surgeon to decide the risk/ benefit ratio before implanting a lens in a patient with any of the conditions described in the Directions for Use labeling for each IOL. Physicians should target emmetropia, and ensure that IOL centration is achieved. Care should be taken to remove viscoelastic from the eye at the close of surgery. The ReSTOR ® Toric IOL should not be implanted if the posterior capsule is ruptured, if the zonules are damaged, or if a primary posterior capsulotomy is planned. Rotation can reduce astigmatic correction; if necessary lens repositioning should occur as early as possible prior to lens encapsulation. Some patients may experience visual disturbances and/or discomfort due to multifocality, especially under dim light conditions. A reduction in contrast sensitivity may occur in low light conditions. Visual symptoms may be significant enough that the patient will request explant of the multifocal IOL. Spectacle independence rates vary; some patients may need glasses when reading small print or looking at small objects. Posterior capsule opacification (PCO), when present, may develop earlier into clinically significant PCO with multifocal IOLs. Prior to surgery, physicians should provide prospective patients with a copy of the Patient Information Brochure available from Alcon informing them of possible risks and benefits associated with the AcrySof ® IQ ReSTOR ® IOLs. Do not resterilize; do not store over 45° C; use only sterile irrigating solu- tions such as BSS ® or BSS PLUS ® Sterile Intraocular Irrigating Solutions. ATTENTION: Reference the Directions for Use labeling for each IOL for a complete listing of indications, warnings and precautions. Thomas Samuelson, MD

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