41 Things On Tap at OIS@ASCRS

41 Things On Tap at OIS@ASCRS

There are 41 different sessions, panels, and presentations happening at OIS@ASCRS 2018 – including five different breakout sessions on everything from dry eye to emerging glaucoma therapies, the signature sessions on public market activity and “Masters of the Industry,” and a new panel on frontiers in femtosecond lasers. It’s all set for next Thursday, April 12, at the Renaissance Washington, DC Downtown Hotel. Here’s a deeper dive into some of those 41 pieces – and that doesn’t include the breaks.

Breakout Sessions Galore

Early risers have already called dibs on the breakout sessions that pre-empt the general session. They include a panel on recent dry eye approvals and how they’ll be integrated into optometry and ophthalmology practices, an update on emerging glaucoma therapies, a look at emerging nonsurgical options for presbyopia, a session on ocular gene therapy beyond the retina, and a five-year outlook for cataract surgery.

Company Presentations

Thirteen companies will present in the morning Ophthalmology Innovation Showcase. Four more companies will do so during the Spotlight on Dry Eye Session. This session will also feature a market overview from Edward Holland, MD, director of corneal services at Cincinnati Eye Institute, along with a panel discussion that Dr. Holland will moderate with three other ophthalmologists.

Spotlight on MIGS

Micro-invasive glaucoma surgery takes center stage as Kuldev Singh, MD, MPH, of Stanford University presents a market overview, then co-moderates with Thomas W. Samuelson, MD, of Minnesota Eye Consultants a panel of leading players in the MIGS space.

Special Recognition and a Chat

OIS will present a special recognition award to David Karcher, executive director, ophthalmology medical affairs of ASCRS (it stands for American Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgery) for 31 years. OIS@ASCRS co-chair William J. Link, PhD, managing director at Versant Ventures, will hold an “FDA Fireside Chat” with Malvina Eydelman, MD, director, Division of Ophthalmic and Ear, Nose, and Throat Devices at the Food and Drug Administration. Look for pearls for navigating the FDA approvals process to flow from this session.

Optimizing Reimbursement

Monetization is what drives innovation, and this panel will explore opportunities and challenges for providers and companies in delivering their technology to patients. John Berdahl, MD, of Vance Thompson Vision will moderate.

The Femto Frontier: Exploring New Applications

OIS@ASCRS co-chair Gilbert H. Kliman, MD, managing director of InterWest Partners, will provide a market overview of the femtosecond sector, and Tibor Juhasz, PhD, of the Gavin Herbert Eye Institute at University of California Irvine, will follow that up with perspectives on the history and possible next directions for the technology. Then Dr. Kliman will moderate a panel of leaders from a number of innovative next-generation femto companies to explore the opportunities and challenges ahead.

Public Market Update

Always an informative session at any OIS, the Public Spotlight will provide an update on activity in the public market and company developments. Andrew Gitkin, head of West Coast biotech investment banking and managing director at Piper Jaffray, will present a financial overview. Michael Lachman, president of EyeQ Research, will follow that up with a quarterly update on the OIS Index. Four more company presentations will close out this session.

Masters of the Industry

Jim Mazzo, global president ophthalmic devices at Carl Zeiss Meditec, moderates this signature OIS panel where executives of the heavy hitters in ophthalmology share how they’re managing innovation, integration, and other challenges. Here’s the lineup:

  • Robert Dempsey, group vice president and head of the global ophthalmics franchise, Shire.
  • David Endicott, Chief Operating Officer – Alcon
  • Tom Frinzi, worldwide president, surgical, Johnson & Johnson Vision.
  • Dr. Link of Versant Ventures.
  • William Meury, chief commercial officer, Allergan.
  • Ludwin Monz, PhD, president and CEO, Carl Zeiss Meditec AG.
  • Tracy Valorie, senior vice president and general manager US pharmaceuticals and surgical business, Bausch + Lomb.
  • Dr. Kliman with his closing remarks will put it all in perspective, providing something to chew on, besides the hors d’oeuvres, at the networking reception that follows it all.


For questions about this article, please contact Richard Mark Kirkner at rich@healthegy.com.