A record-setting AUSCRS 2024 has concluded on Hamilton Island and there were many talking points for Australian cataract and refractive surgeons from this year’s program, but nothing came close to the interest around the rapidly evolving field of extended depth of focus (EDOF) intraocular lenses (IOLs).
This year’s event from 24-27 July 2024 provided an ideal mid-winter getaway for non-Queensland ophthalmologists, and an idyllic holiday spot for the international guests who flew in from nearly every corner of the globe.
Since its inception in the mid-1990s, AUSCRS welcomed its highest ever ophthalmology and advanced trainee attendance (188 and 26 respectively), second highest number of support staff (99), and a record-setting gala dinner (280), at its 2024 meeting.
During the event, it was mentioned multiple times that AUSCRS is the gold standard in cataract and refractive surgery conferences, blending a fun, laid back atmosphere with scientific rigour. A key feature is getting the presenters, often leaders in their field, to dress in themed costumes. But there’s a key reason, helping to break down traditional hierarchical barriers in the industry. Even the most highly respected figures – such as Professor Graham Barrett – aren’t exempt.
One of the most thought-provoking sessions was the EDOF showdown where proponents of the latest EDOF designs stated their case for why their favourite IOL was the best.
Visiting international guest Dr Lena Beckers (Germany) started with a strong argument for the Teleon Acunex Vario and Lentis Comfort IOLs, Dr Luke Anderson (UK) discussed how the Bausch + Lomb LuxSmart helped him as a glaucoma subspecialist compete with refractive surgeons, Dr Josefina Botta (Argentina) backed the RayOne EMV that Rayner has developed with Prof Barrett, and Dr Armand Borovik (Australia) was emphatic about his go-to lens, Alcon Vivity, which is now implanted in more than one million eyes.
But it was Dr Dan Black (Australia) advocating for the new Johnson & Johnson PureSee who came out the winner. Much of the discussion throughout the session, and indeed the whole AUSCRS 2024 conference, focused on what this new IOL offered over other more established EDOFs.
“The EDOF sessions were incredibly popular due to the influx of new and exciting technologies, and the diverse experiences shared by our international speakers,” AUSCRS co-president Dr Jacqueline Beltz said.
“Additionally, the refractive laser session sparked extensive discussions during breaks, as it featured unparalleled insights from experts across all platforms, making it a world-class session that many attendees had never seen before.”
Dr Beltz said the type of ophthalmologist attending AUSCRS has evolved over time. Initially, it was primarily refractive cataract surgeons highly tuned to their outcomes.
“Now, with advanced technologies and techniques being the norm, any ophthalmologist dedicated to improving and providing the best for their patients attends, sharing a common drive to excel and enhance their practice annually,” she said.
“We were so happy to break so many records this year. Especially the advanced trainee numbers as they are really important to us at AUSCRS.”
The future of IOL formulae
The event kicked off with a welcome evening on Wednesday 24 July where Dr Beltz, her AUSCRS co-president Professor Gerard Sutton, and the rest of the AUSCRS board emerged dressed as members of Gilligan’s Island, with a humorous video playing on screen.
But the real program began on Thursday 25 July with Dr Florian Kretz (Germany) delivering the coveted Barrett-Wolfe Gold Medal Lecture where he delivered an insightful presentation on navigating the current presbyopia-correcting landscape. This included an exploration of the pros and cons of using diffractive EDOF IOLs, EDOF’s using spherical aberrations and a case of a 6-year-old boy with unilateral congenital cataract who he implanted with an IC-8 pinhole lens.
Next it was complicated cases co-chaired by Dr Beltz and Prof Sutton who were comically performing incompetent surgery on a dummy, punctuated with the quips like “bugger”, “double bugger”, “is that tool for ophthalmology?”, and squirting of syringes in the hope to make it better. As things would descend into chaos, a guest speaker would come to the rescue in a “Thank God you’re here”-themed session.
It featured Dr Kretz again who played footage of some impressive surgical saves, while India’s Dr Sheetal Brar discussed her experience with the ZEISS Quatera 700 phaco machine for enhanced chamber stability in challenging cases. American ophthalmologist Dr Elizabeth Yeu explored why a dislocated IOL that was visible in the sulcus at pre-op visit with supine exam might have disappeared, and Dr Ron Yeoh delved into the uncomfortable topic of a dropped nucleus in cataract surgery.
Immediately after this, there were presentations on implantable collamer lenses (ICLs) by Dr Beckers and Dr Dean Corbett. While these present a nice option for patients ineligible for refractive laser surgery due to their corneal irregularities, there was much debate over whether they should be marketed to patients as “reversible”, along with discussion over the ideal dioptre threshold to implant them in myopic patients.
The future of IOL formulae was also up for discussion, and no one is better placed to discuss this than Prof Barrett – who developed the Barrett formulae used by many cataract surgeons globally. He discussed whether artificial intelligence could surpass human intelligence when developing next generation formulae, ultimately stating that he didn’t believe it would, and predicting that each manufacturer will soon have its own formulae for their own lenses.
Prof Sutton said while EDOF lenses and the new lenticular laser eye procedures were a focal point throughout, another session stood out.
“I think the session that Jacqui Beltz and Jo Mitchell ran about the ophthalmologist’s journey and dealing with hurdles was exceptional,” he said, with the session focusing on dealing with failure and setbacks, and key tips on how to thrive in one’s career.
Post-event, he said feedback had been “extraordinary”, with attendees enjoying the balance between good clinical information and fun.
Dr Beltz agreed: “The overwhelming feedback was that people learnt a lot, and had a brilliant time.
“I hope attendees leave AUSCRS 2024 with new knowledge, skills, and, most importantly, renewed energy and enthusiasm for our work. Additionally, I hope they have built or refreshed a network of like-minded friends and colleagues to look forward to seeing at the next meeting.”
AUSCRS is returning in 2025 in the Top End 16-19 July 2025.
More reading
Prof Graham Barrett on bringing the RayOne EMV IOL to market
Australian cataract surgery update 2024
How Alcon is refining excellence with its Clareon IOLs
