AUSCRS on Hamilton Island is the place to be in July 2024 if you’re an Australian ophthalmologist.
Co-presidents PROF GERARD SUTTON and DR JACQUELINE BELTZ discuss becoming custodians
of the conference and offer a glimpse into the 2024 agenda.
For Professor Gerard Sutton, one of the most telling signs about the health and popularity of the annual Australian Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgeons (AUSCRS) Conference is the willingness of international speakers to fly down under for the event.
These are some of global ophthalmology’s biggest names with major demands on their time, yet they can always find time for Australia’s biggest ophthalmology event, next to RANZCO. Among those returning this year include one of the US’s leading anterior segment surgeons Dr Audrey Rostov, India’s Dr Sheetal Brar and Germany’s Dr Florian Kretz who is flying his whole family into the event on Hamilton Island (24-27 July 2024) and will deliver the prestigious Barrett/Wolfe Gold Medal Lecture.
“Professor Graham Barrett and Dr Rick Wolfe – with the support of AUSCRS executive officer Jenny Boden – have created a very unique meeting which has developed such a strong reputation over the years that the international speakers, without exception, always want to come back to AUSCRS,” says Prof Sutton, adding this is the first year they’ve had to knock back abstracts.
“Jacqui and I are at conferences around the world, and ophthalmologists are always pleading with us to invite them along to AUSCRS, which I don’t think is the case for many other conferences. We are very ecumenical; we want to have best informed surgeons distilled down for our participants to come and savor.”
Prof Sutton – co-president of AUSCRS alongside Dr Jacqueline Beltz – says the speaker lineup is only one reason why AUSCRS is a highlight on the Australian ophthalmology calendar. For the general ophthalmologist performing cataract surgery, it provides a genuine update and review in the fields of cataract and refractive surgery, but in a special way.
Keen to avoid the stuffiness of some conference formats, he describes the atmosphere as relaxed, but honest. The challenge is maintaining an environment everyone enjoys, while maintaining complete scientific rigour.
“We have the best of the best international speakers who are right on the cutting edge. They come and present their work, but the Australian cataract and refractive surgeons who turn up each year to AUSCRS do so because they get a chance to ask the hard questions of these leaders in the field,” Prof Sutton says.
“Australia does bat above its weight when it comes to being early adopters in this field. The introduction of the EDOF IOLs is one example. The big companies, like Alcon with Vivity and now Johnson & Johnson with PureSee, come to Australia first so surgeons can test them and be part of the first few studies. Those Australian and New Zealand ophthalmologists using these lenses will stand up and present their data and they can expect to get a grilling, albeit a polite grilling, about what they’re presenting.”
Dr Beltz credits the AUSCRS conference as a foundational part of her career. It’s been an honour taking the reins from Prof Barrett and Dr Wolfe who have grown it into the event it is today.
“They developed AUSCRS over 25 years into a treasured and valuable meeting for many. Gerard and I are just in our second year as co-presidents, and our primary goal at this stage is to maintain the high standards they’ve set,” she says.
“This conference is where I learned to be a cataract surgeon, and I hope future generations can share that same privilege. I believe I can speak for Gerard when I say that our focus is on preserving the essence of AUSCRS – keeping people coming, giving everyone a voice, and fostering a collaborative environment where we can enjoy learning and innovating together.”
Prof Sutton and Dr Beltz agree that inclusivity is central to AUSCRS. Whether someone’s a registrar, in their first year of practice, or an experienced ophthalmologist with some burning questions, everybody is treated equally when they ask questions.
“This focus on dialogue has been carefully cultivated over many years by Prof Graham Barrett and Dr Rick Wolfe, who have worked tirelessly to create an environment that encourages open exchange of ideas,” Dr Beltz says.
By having presenters, including prominent professors, don playful and often humorous costumes – such as a fairy godmother or a T-Rex – AUSCRS aims to break down traditional barriers and hierarchies.
“This light-hearted approach helps to equalise the playing field, making attendees feel more comfortable to ask questions and challenge ideas, fostering a dynamic and engaging learning experience,” she says.
“The blend of serious academic discussion with a fun, relaxed environment is what makes AUSCRS a standout event on the Australian ophthalmology calendar. It’s a conference where not only cutting-edge scientific knowledge is shared, but also where the professional community can bond, leading to deeper collaboration and innovation in the field.”
EDOFs, SMILE and more
Prof Sutton expects the rise of EDOF IOLs to be one of the hot topics of AUSCRS 2024. The Alcon Vivity caused a splash in this space when it launched locally in 2020/21, followed by Bausch + Lomb’s LuxSmart IOL and Rayner’s RayOne EMV developed with Prof Barrett. J&J Vision’s PureSee is coming to Australian shores, if not already.
“We intend to have an opportunity for the champions of those lenses to stand up and defend or to make a case for why it’s the best,” Prof Sutton says. “It then allows the ophthalmologist sitting in the audience to make a genuine assessment of whether they think that these lenses are right for them and their patients.”
He’s also excited to hear updates on small incision lenticule extraction (SMILE) refractive surgery, a category with plenty of activity in recent times.
“A number of new industry players have come up with different ways of doing SMILE on different platforms. And again, AUSCRS will be the place where refractive surgeons can compare them side-by-side in one session,” he says.
Dr Beltz adds: “I’m also excited about this session. This is the first time we’ve had a whole session focused on this technique, and I believe there will be a lot to learn from the presentations and discussions.
“AUSCRS is unique compared to other conferences in that almost everyone attends every session, so I anticipate that all sessions will be well attended.”
Personally, she has found the abstracts for the cornea session interesting and expects them to draw significant attention. The session on presbyopia correction at the time of cataract surgery is another drawcard, in addition to the complex cases and complications session.
Prof Sutton agrees the complications/complex case series is often a talking point.
“It’s always important to discuss how to deal with problems and in an honest way. I won’t spoil the surprise, but there will be a situation where ophthalmologists will be challenged by a complicated case in the video and there’ll be discussion and probably differences of opinions about how to handle it,” he says.
“These are valuable from an educational point of view, because there’s only one thing worse than being confronted by a complication in the operating theatre that you’ve never seen before – and that’s if you’ve never even thought about how to deal with it.”
Also at AUSCRS
Something different at AUSCRS 2024 will be a wellbeing session led by a high-performance psychologist, alongside a panel of ophthalmologists and trainees from various career stages.
The session aims to explore the different strategies ophthalmologists use to thrive in their work lives. It’s hoped hearing from colleagues at different stages in their careers will provide diverse perspectives and insights and spark discussion.
“It’s an important topic, as maintaining wellbeing is crucial for sustained success and satisfaction in our demanding field,” Dr Beltz adds.
“This session reflects our commitment to supporting the holistic development of our attendees, ensuring they leave not only with enhanced clinical knowledge but also with practical tools to enhance their overall quality-of-life.”
Although the organisers want to keep some surprises for the opening ceremony and Gala Dinner on the final night, they can reveal the Advanced Trainee Program is the biggest yet with 26 sponsored to attend.
It will be the second year Dr Ben LaHood will lead the program after Dr Beltz stepped down from the role.
“This program is particularly meaningful to me because it’s how I got my start at AUSCRS – I’ve attended nearly every year since, and now I’m co-president, which shows how important I think it is,” Dr Beltz says.
“The Advanced Trainee Program covers topics that are not generally included in traditional training. This year, they’ll be focusing on the business side of ophthalmology – an area that isn’t often discussed during training but is crucial for a sustainable and successful career.
“The support staff program is also very well subscribed so far. We have Darren Percival from The Voice and Shih Shih Ta from Vision Eye Institute as keynote speakers. I’m sure their sessions will be a highlight, along with many other engaging and informative presentations tailored for support staff.”
While Hamilton Island provides an ideal backdrop for the conference, Dr Beltz says what she’s looking forward to the most is reconnecting with everyone.
“Whether it’s trainees, seasoned ophthalmologists, support staff, or industry partners, I’m eager to hear about what people are doing differently this year compared to last year,” she says.
“The sense of community and shared learning at AUSCRS is truly unparalleled.”
For more information, visit the AUSCRS 2024 website.
Invited speakers
Dr Audrey Rostov, United States
Dr Rostov is a cornea, cataract and refractive surgeon based in Seattle, Washington, and global health partner at HCP/Cureblindness, an organisation eliminating blindness worldwide. She participated in the VISX clinical trials that granted US approval for PRK and LASIK and is the first surgeon in the Pacific Northwest to perform SMILE. Dr Rostov was also the first surgeon to perform and teach femtosecond laser keratoplasty in New Delhi, India. Among a host of awards and accolades – she is involved on the editorial board for several journals. Her current research includes clinical trials for IOLs and crosslinking for keratoconus, ZEDS study, SMILE, new technology IOLs and femtosecond laser keratoplasty techniques.
Dr Elizabeth Yeu, United States
Dr Yeu is the immediate past president of the American Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgeons (ASCRS) and is based in Virginia. She provides guidance and governance across several national medical boards and committees, including as an examiner for the American Board of Ophthalmology, current advisor of the ASCRS Young Eye Surgeons Clinical Committee, and as the chair of the Cataract Section of Ophthalmic News & Education Network for the American Academy of Ophthalmology. She is also editor-in-chief of U.S. Ophthalmic Review and previously served as the medical editor of Millennial Eye. She has been recognised with awards and featured on power lists.
Dr Florian Kretz, Germany
Dr Kretz MD is an internationally renowned ophthalmologist, surgeon, speaker and researcher. As founder and CEO of PVK Precise Vision, and the Precise Vision Ophthalmologists Group, he practises across multiple locations, and as a traveling surgeon around the globe. He has established new treatment methods for cataract surgery and published more than 100 journal articles. He also runs the not-for-profit Augenärzte für die Welt gGmbh supporting the Khmer Sight Foundation in Cambodia.
Dr Francesco Carones, Italy
Dr Carones is chairman and founder of Advalia Vision in Milan. He has been involved in refractive surgery since 1989 when he started pioneering the use of excimer laser and participated in several clinical trials, including the first human study on hyperopia correction using erodible masks. He explored mitomycin C after laser surgery and was among the first to have access to the tracker-assisted flying-spot ablation technology and to propose LASEK. He was also the first to implant a toric multifocal IOL, as well as a low power add multifocal IOL. Among his many roles, he is associate editor of the Journal of Refractive Surgery and member of several editorial boards, involved with World College of Refractive Surgery and Visual Sciences, Refractive Surgery Alliance and American-European Congress of Ophthalmic Surgery. He has published 161 peer-reviewed papers, books and book chapters on refractive and cataract surgery and corneal topography.
Prof Jod Mehta Singapore
Prof Mehta is executive director of the Singapore Eye Research Institute, a Distinguished Professor in Corneal & External Eye Disease and Refractive Department at Singapore National Eye Centre and vice-president of international relations for the American Corneal Society. He has won 70 awards for his clinical and research work, featured in several power lists and is regarded as one of the top corneal and refractive surgeons globally. His research work has generated 18 patents, five of which have been commercialised. He has pioneered Refractive Lenticule Extraction (ReLEx) and has patents on technique of lenticule cryopreservation, performing the first studies on animals. This has been licensed and he established the first approved lenticule bank in the world. He described the novel use of the femtosecond laser in ocular surface surgery (e.g. pterygium), which has the CE mark. Prof Mehta has published more than 520 peer-reviewed publications and 24 book chapters.
Dr John Kanellopoulos, Greece
Keratoconus, refractive surgery with customisation and the microsurgery of complicated cataract, as well as cornea transplantation in complicated glaucoma procedures, are the areas of interest for Dr Kanellopoulos. His affiliation with the State University of New York dates back to 1996, and since 2010 he has been a Clinical Professor of Ophthalmology there. He has presented more than 1,000 original paper presentations and published over 130 peer-reviewed papers and dozens of book chapters. Since 2019, he has been the first surgeon to complete laser cataract procedure and IOL implantation through an incision under 1.6 mm. And he has trained dozens of international surgeons in the Athens Protocol CXL for keratoconus.
Dr Josefina Botta, Argentina
Based in Buenos Aires, Dr Botta is a subspecialist in cornea, ocular surface and external eye through a Fellowship at the Hospital de Clínicas José de San Martín. She was secretary of the Argentine Council of Ophthalmology (CAO) during 2022-2023 and Vice President II of the Argentine Society of Cornea, Refractive and Cataract (SACRyC) between 2021-2022. She was also head of cornea, sclera and amniotic membrane transplantation at the Specialized Surgery Clinic of the City of Buenos Aires from 2014 to 2017.
Dr Lena Beckers, Denmark
Dr Beckers practises at Precise Vision, Rheine, Germany, alongside Dr Florian Kretz in Rheine, and specialises in cataract, refractive surgery and lid surgery. She has previously worked as a young researcher at Breyer Kaymak Klabe research institute for international innovative Ophthalmic Surgery (I.I.O.), linked to the University of Heidelberg. She has published multiple papers and book chapters, presented at national and international congresses, is a reviewer for multiple peer reviewed journals, and a committee member of GERSO YO.
Dr Luke Anderson, United Kingdom
Dr Anderson was the glaucoma lead for the Cwm Taf University Trust before leaving in 2018 to work in Swansea Bay University Healthcare Trust. He has held several training positions within the Royal College of Ophthalmologists and is currently a founding member on the steering group for implementation of surgical simulation training into the curriculum. His research includes the digital assessment of vision, the use of data and neural networks in the diagnosis and prognosis of eye disease and glaucoma care pathways.
Dr Paul Ursell, United Kingdom
Dr Ursell has been a consultant at Epsom & St Helier University NHS Trust since 2001 and was recently appointed honorary senior lecturer at the Institute of Biomedical Education, St Georges Hospital Medical School. He combines NHS clinical commitments with undergraduate and postgraduate training, ongoing research projects and running a private practice in Wimbledon. He is the president of UKISCRS, ophthalmic advisor to the Royal Marsden Hospital Drug Development Unit, the Royal College of Ophthalmologists’ (RCOphth) dementia lead, UK representative to the EU (UEMS) and the European Board of Ophthalmology. He also sits on the International Committee of RCOphth and the Education Committee of ESCRS, and has over 30 publications on cataract and education in peer-reviewed literature.
Dr Pooja Khamar, India
Dr Khamar currently serves as a consultant in cataract, dry eye, and refractive services at Nethralaya Eye Institute. Beyond her clinical responsibilities, she is involved in translational research at her institute and affiliated organisations, including GROW and IBMS Lab. As one of the few surgeons globally with expertise in all refractive laser platforms, particularly lenticular extraction techniques, she as one of the first Indians to receive the Troutmann Award, the highest honour in refractive surgery.
Dr Ron Yeoh, Singapore
Dr Yeoh is an Associate Professor at Duke-NUS Graduate Medical School and Singapore National Eye Centre and is a founding partner of Eye & Retina Surgeons Singapore. For many years he has taught the finer points of phacoemulsification, FLACS, the use of intraoperative OCT and advanced technology lens implantation. He is a past-president of the Asia-Pacific Association of Cataract & Refractive Surgeons (APACRS) and is scientific committee chairman for APACRS annual meetings. Plus, he is president-elect of the International Intraocular Implant Club (IIIC) and will assume the presidency in 2024.
Dr Sheetal Brar, India
Dr Brar is a senior consultant in the phacoemulsification and refractive surgery department and a research coordinator at Nethradhama Eye Hospital, Bangalore. She completed a fellowship in cornea at Aravind Eye Hospital, Madurai, and in phacoemulsification and refractive surgery at Nethradhama Eye Hospital. She has received awards at ophthalmology conferences globally, has 14 publications in peer-reviewed journals and is a reviewer for Cornea and BMC Ophthalmology.
