The University of Tennessee Health Science Center’s Hamilton Eye Institute (HEI) will host a continuing medical education symposium called Vision 2020 at HEI Friday, October 9, and Saturday, October 10. The symposium is the first major event under the leadership of Penny Asbell, MD, FACS, MBA, FARVO, chair of the Department of Ophthalmology and director of HEI.
“This symposium will demonstrate our commitment to education for all eyecare providers, and that HEI will always do the best we can to provide outstanding eyecare for all through our commitment to continuing education and research,” Dr. Asbell said.
Dr. Asbell created the name for the symposium from one of the most important ophthalmic tools used: The eyechart. “20/20 describes the best vision on the eye chart, starting with the big E and then the bottom is the 20/20 line, so this year (2020) is really important to vision providers,” she said.
Participants will include physicians, optometrists, researchers, and other health care providers from all over the United States. On Friday, the program will focus on current visual science research, as well as the trajectory of visual science research, including special presentations from Wiley Chambers, MD, supervisory medical officer in the Office of New Drugs, Center for Drug Evaluation and Research at the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and Malvina Eydelman, MD, PhD, director of the Office of Ophthalmic Anesthesia, Respiratory, ENT and Dental Devices at the FDA. On Saturday, speakers will focus on state-of-the-art clinical care and how clinicians can enhance patient care today.
Dr. Asbell will be chairing the meeting with Nawajes Mandal, PhD, an associate professor in research at HEI and Mary Ellen Hoehn, MD, a professor of pediatrics at HEI. Invited Distinguished Visiting Professors are: Dimitri Azar, MD, MBA, University of Illinois College of Medicine; Steven Fliesler, PhD, FARVO, State University of New York Buffalo, past president of ARVO; Herbert Kaufman, MD, MBA, Professor Emeritus, Louisiana State University College of Medicine; Linda A. Lam, MD, MBA, University of Southern California School of Medicine; Maureen G. Maguire, PhD, University of Pennsylvania; Gerrit R. J. Melles, MD, PhD, Netherlands Institute for Innovative Ocular Surgery; and Steve Thomas, CRA, Heidelberg Engineering, Inc. Faculty from UTHSC include: Roger Beuerman, PhD; Raja Shekhar Gangaraju, PhD; Monica Jablonski, PhD, FARVO; Neeta Roy, PhD; Robert Williams, PhD; and Siamak Yousefi, PhD.
The speakers will address topics, including the role of artificial intelligence in ophthalmology, glaucoma, corneal infections, digital health in the field of ophthalmology, the role of genetics in vision loss, regulatory issues for drug and device development, Descemet Membrane Endothelial Keratoplasty (corneal transplant surgery), macular degeneration, evaluating new ophthalmic innovations, presbyopia, and vision changes during space travel.
“Attendees at this event will have access to cutting-edge information on the forefront of eye research and clinical care,” Dr. Asbell said. “We plan to make this a yearly event that continues to further HEI’s purpose — improving sight, empowering lives.”
To register for Vision 2020 at HEI, please visit https://utconferences.eventsair.com/vision-2020/registration/Site/Register.