Eyeworld Daily News

EW SHOW DAILY 54 Monday, May 9, 2016 Meeting Reporter by Liz Hillman EyeWorld Staff Writer Integral organizer announces last year on Film Festival committee Spencer Thornton, MD, remembers the creation of the Film Festival and shares his hopes for its future S pencer Thornton, MD, Memphis, Tennessee, and his bowtie tuxedo have been a fixture of the ASCRS Film Festival since its inception. This 34th annual Film Festival will be his last as the former ASCRS president has decided to step down as the director of the program. "The significance of this change rests with the fact that Dr. Thornton was the 1 individual instrumental in making the ASCRS Film Festi- val what it is today," said Edward Holland, MD, Cleveland, during the ASCRS Opening General Session on Saturday morning, honoring Dr. Thornton's involvement with the event. After viewing some of Dr. Thornton's teaching videos in his office in 1981, ASCRS Executive Director David Karcher suggested that he start a contest for ophthal- mic films, Dr. Thornton recalled. The idea was soon approved by the program chair and in 1982, the ASCRS annual meeting presented its first video submissions—5 that year—and held a contest. The next year drew a dozen submissions, and every year following has grown, with this year receiving 170 submis- sions. Over time, the Film Festival grew to have 1 chief judge and 9 judges, including international representation. "Every year I've learned some- thing new," Dr. Thornton said. "The Film Festival is an educational opportunity." In addition to his continuous involvement with the Film Festival, Dr. Thornton served as its chairman for several years. "Spence was addicted to the Film Festival, to which he has been the soul for so many years," said Daniele Aron-Rosa, MD, Paris. Dr. Aron-Rosa is a long-time friend of Dr. Thornton, former Film Festival chairwoman, and current panelist. She described him as a "superb re- fractive surgeon" and credited him with designing many of the surgical instruments surgeons have come to enjoy. In addition to the Film Festival, Dr. Thornton has held numerous leadership positions within the ophthalmic community over the years as ASCRS president 1997–99, ASCRS Executive Committee mem- ber, ASCRS Hall of Fame Committee member, Journal of Cataract & Refrac- tive Surgery editorial board member, and more. Going forward, Dr. Thornton said he thinks films will be created with even greater technical finesse and will include newer procedures like crosslinking, which he said has not gotten much attention in years past but was recently approved by the FDA for keratoconus treatment in the United States. As for the leadership he is leav- ing behind, "I think they will build on what we built the first 30 years or so, they will add to it, give more variety, we'll see more international films. We're extremely proud of the growth of ASCRS and the growth of the Film Festival because of the interest in cataract and refractive surgery," Dr. Thornton said. The Film Festival will take place today from 4:45–6:45 p.m. in Great Hall A and D, hosted by chair Richard Hoffman, MD, who said attendees should expect a bit of New Orleans flair. To see all of the films, visit the Film Festival Theatre in room 224. EW Dr. Thornton was honored for his work with the ASCRS Film Festival over the last 34 years at the Opening General Session on Saturday.

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