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6 | EYEWORLD DAILY NEWS | APRIL 7, 2024 ASCRS ANNUAL MEETING DAILY NEWS " X -Rounds: Refractive Surgery to the Max" is an annual exciting symposium moderated by Eric Donnenfeld, MD, that has a panel of surgeons giving 2.5-minute, quick-hit presentations on various topics with an audience-selected win- ner chosen within each category. Here's how the session shook out this year. What am I doing differently this year? John Hovanesian, MD, won the audience's vote for stocking fortified antibiotics in his office. "Ninety-eight percent of severe or central corneal ulcers present on a Friday after- noon," Dr. Hovanesian joked, adding that the antibiotics physicians really want for their patient—fortified antibiotics—are not easily available after hours. He said his practice now keeps two bottles of Fortisite (Harrow). "Having it immediately available to the patient is a huge thing," he said. "It makes sense for our patients that we offer immediate treatment for a condition that is otherwise poten- tially blinding. I think every office and probably every emergency room should have this in stock." New technology on the horizon The audience also voted for Elizabeth Yeu, MD, in this category for her presentation of low-energy cata- ract surgery with MICOR (MICOR Industries). The technology uses mechanical agitation to dissolve the lens. There is minimal fluid through the eye, but it maintains incredible chamber stability, firing 1,000 times less frequently than phaco at the same amplitude. Dr. Yeu said the technology is easy to use, finger-con- trolled (no foot pedal), has a small footprint, and features cataract removal, capsular polish, and vitrec- tomy, all in one handpiece. My best pearl for astigmatism management Kerry Solomon, MD, won this catego- ry for talking about the benefit of the Barrett Integrated K. All the measure- ments automatically come in, there is no manual entry, no calculations, it just does it for you, he said. Dr. Solomon was not the only panelist to speak about the benefits of Barrett Integrated K; Dr. Yeu and Nicole Fram, MD, also spoke on this topic. Best tip for improving the ocular surface Dr. Yeu took this category for her pre- sentation on the benefits of treating Demodex blepharitis with lotilaner (XDEMVY, Tarsus Pharmaceuticals). Sixty percent of patients coming into the office have Demodex blepharitis, Dr. Yeu said. It is easily diagnosed with patients looking down, but it can also be misdiagnosed and is asso- ciated with many sequalae, including that which can lead to scarring, con- junctival issues, and more. Treatment with lotilaner, Dr. Yeu said can not only resolve the blepharitis, but it can do things like improve meibum quality and increase meibomian gland secretion scores. "There is a huge improvement in treating Demodex and lid margin health," Dr. Yeu said. What I'm excited about in presbyopic IOLs Dr. Hovanesian was voted the winner for his talk on the LAL+ (RxSight). The original lens platform, he said, provided unprecedented accuracy in both sphere and cylinder. "Those of us who have used it are very commit- ted to this platform," he said, noting that almost 100,000 implants have been used so far. The LAL+ has an extended depth of focus built in, giving pa- tients an increased range of vision, Dr. Hovanesian said. This is achieved through a small continuous increase in central lens power. Dr. Hovanesian said he targets his patients just a little bit hyperopic and brings them to emmetropia. "This is the closest thing we have now to a 'perfect' lens for patients," he said. Editors' note: The physicians have fi- nancial interests with various ophthal- mic companies. X-Rounds: roundup of perspectives in refractive cataract surgery Left to right: Dr. Fram, Dr. Gupta, Dr. Hovanesian, Dr. Solomon, and Dr. Yeu, as panelists of X-Rounds, share quick hits on various topics. Source: ASCRS

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