ASCRS News: ASCRS Annual Meeting preview
Spring 2025
ASCRS Annual Meeting Program Chair Thomas Samuelson, MD, spoke to EyeWorld about the upcoming Annual Meeting and what he’s looking forward to.
EyeWorld: Last year was your first year as ASCRS Annual Meeting Program Chair. How was the experience?
Dr. Samuelson: It has been a wonderful experience. I knew when I accepted the position that the program directors before me had left enormous shoes to fill. Accordingly, I tapped into the vast talent pool within the ASCRS leadership to help on the Main Stage. Nathan Radcliffe, MD, Sam Garg, MD, and Nicole Fram, MD, were outstanding as daily moderators last year. And of course, the ASCRS staff is extraordinary. I am amazed at how a small group of talented people skillfully pull together the vast, varied, and extensive content inherent to the Annual Meeting.
Source: ASCRS
EyeWorld: What are you looking forward to this year?
Dr. Samuelson: Last year, we celebrated 50 years of ASCRS—a huge milestone. It was tremendously inspiring to review that early history. Likewise, this year will be very special for me because Richard Lindstrom, MD, my senior partner for 34 years and whose practice I joined right out of fellowship, is being inducted into the ASCRS Hall of Fame. An absolute titan in our field, Dr. Lindstrom has done so much for ASCRS and so much for me, both personally and professionally. It will be very special to have a front row seat and see him honored in this way by his ASCRS colleagues.
EyeWorld: Why should people be sure to attend the 2025 ASCRS Annual Meeting?
Dr. Samuelson: I think the ASCRS Annual Meeting provides the most innovative, cutting-edge anterior segment curriculum available anywhere. I want to emphasize the “anterior segment” component of that comment. There are major distinctions among some fields within ophthalmology, like retina, pediatrics, and oculoplastics, for example. While those specialties remain mostly siloed and distinctly different from other areas in ophthalmology, the various anterior segment specialties, such as cornea, glaucoma, refractive, and cataract, have become increasingly interwoven and synergistic. ASCRS is an unparalleled catalyst, bringing these anterior segment specialties together in one meeting.
EyeWorld: How has ASCRS helped you in your career?
Dr. Samuelson: I knew early in my career that mastering phacoemulsification would become increasingly important in the management of glaucoma. Many of the new glaucoma procedures are performed at the time of cataract removal. Many of the glaucoma variants such as exfoliation and angle closure are associated with more challenging cataract removal. ASCRS uniquely unites these specialties. ASCRS has made me a better cataract surgeon and, in turn, a better glaucoma surgeon. The ASCRS Annual Meeting provides a forum to learn the most recent advances in IOL and refractive technology, all in one meeting with experts from around the world.
EyeWorld: The Annual Meeting features many exciting events over several days—what are you excited about and is there anything new this year that you want to mention?
“I think the ASCRS Annual Meeting provides the most innovative, cutting-edge anterior segment curriculum available anywhere.”
Thomas Samuelson, MD
Dr. Samuelson: Over the past several years, I have made a concerted effort to attend as much of the programming on the Main Stage as possible. I have long considered each day on the Main Stage “must-see programming.” On Friday afternoon, the Opening Session celebrates the transition to a new president, honors Hall of Fame inductees, and is a fast-paced and inspiring event. This year, we have incorporated the Cornelius D. Binkhorst, MD, Lecture within the Opening Session, followed by a cocktail reception. Attendees should not miss this. The meeting only gains speed from there with the Charles D. Kelman, MD, Innovator’s Lecture and the Richard L. Lindstrom, MD, Lecture. Of course, interspersed throughout the meeting are paper sessions, poster sessions, and instructional courses. Additionally, the ASCRS Tap Room has become a great place to meet up with friends and enjoy a beer, glass of wine, or other refreshments. As part of the Government Relations programming this year, the keynote speaker will be ophthalmology’s very own “Dr. Glaucomflecken,” William Flanary, MD.
Among the most popular programming each year are the special symposia organized by our Clinical Committees presenting cutting-edge clinical topics. Additionally, with the help of our Clinical Committees, we reviewed nearly 2,000 clinical abstracts, and I can’t wait to see the program unfold this year. Perhaps more than anything else, however, I enjoy the chance to network with friends and catch up on each other’s lives and real-time clinical practice. To quote a phrase, it’s “a tradition unlike any other”!
Contact
Samuelson: twsamuelson@mneye.com
