ASCRS 2024 Boston: Eclipse Edition Preview

by Matt Herman

Snowstorms? A solar eclipse? It seems all the stars are aligned for another rousing American Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgery (ASCRS) Annual Meeting—and Media MICE will be there to cover it all!

Though host city Boston will likely see only passing snow showers and a partial solar eclipse (around 15:28 local time on Sunday, April 8 for those curious), the portents are in place for a weekend of epic ophthalmology and excellence in cataract and refractive science and technology. 

We’ll be on hand for all the latest developments at ASCRS 2024, from symposium hall to show floor—with reporting on the most important Highlight Sessions and a Daily Wrap Up coming to you each morning. We’ll also have regular updates on social media with photos from all the action, so stay tuned to ALL of our channels for the latest. 

Here’s a little teaser of what’s to come!

Academic program highlights and coverage

On Day One (April 5), the program kicks off with Subspecialty Day, where some of the year’s most sought-after ophthalmic educational programs in glaucoma, cornea and refractive surgery come to life. 

At 12:15 in the ASCRS Tap Room (Exhibit Hall B), join President-Elect Dr. Vance Thompson for the ASCRS 2024 50th Anniversary Celebration, where lunch and cake will accompany a chance to network with the conference’s industry partners and exhibitors.

Our Day One Highlight Session features the Opening Session & Reception: 50th Anniversary and more...  (Main Stage, 15:45-17:30) where many of the year’s top awards, including the ASCRS Hall of Fame, will be presented alongside an interview with President Dr. Elizabeth Yeu, MD and President-Elect Dr. Vance Thompson.  

Day Two (April 6) sees the first full day of start-to-finish action, and there’s plenty to look forward to. Start the day off right if you’re a young eye surgeon just starting out with the YES Breakfast Kick-Off Session. YES (Young Eye Surgeons) has a variety of sessions throughout the conference tailored to mentoring and meeting the needs of the newest minds in ophthalmology.

The Day Two Highlight Session will be on Corneal Surgery- Latest Innovations and Updates in Surgical Approach (Ballroom Level 3, Ballroom West, 15:30-17:00). This session will showcase the latest in keratoconus, DALK, endothelial keratoplasty—with moderator Dr. Marjan Farid giving a rundown of the future pipeline in keratoprosthesis tech.

On Day Three (April 7) we get our taste of the ASCRS Oscars—The ASCRS 42nd Annual Film Festival Ceremony and Reception (Main Stage, 17:15). This ever-popular event celebrates the latest in ophthalmology filmmaking and culminates with the crowning of this year’s winners.

And in a twist on this year’s Olympic Games in Paris, the Cataract Olympics (Exhibit Hall C, 13:30-15:00) will also be a Day Three must-see. This friendly cataract competition between four teams representing Asia Pacific Asia-Pacific Association of Cataract & Refractive Surgeons (APACRS) , the US (ASCRS), Europe The European Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgeons (ESCRS) and Latin America (LASCRS), will feature some serious star power from across the globe, like Prof. Burkhard Dick , Dr. Ike Ahmed , Dr. Soosan Jacob , Dr. Roger Zaldivar and Dr. Ronald Yeoh .  

Modern digital workflows are here to stay, and this is the topic of our Day Three Highlight Session, Navigating Real-World Obstacles to Digital Transformation in Your Practice. Moderator Dr. John Hovanesian headlines a talented cast of presenters in navigating the sea of digital tools in modern ophthalmology, including integration, staff training, and data security.

It all ends, fittingly, on the day of the 2024 solar eclipse, Day Four (April 8). One session to keep your eye on here is the star-studded IOL Calculations: What's New? A lot! Pioneers Dr. Douglas Koch and Warren Hill are joined by ESCRS Executive Board Members Profs. Filomena Ribeiro MD,PhD,FEBO , Oliver Findl , and more to give you the latest on evolving global standards in IOL calculation. 

Our Day Four Highlight Session is the perfect capstone to the ASCRS 2024 experience as we run down the Best of ASCRS session (Main Stage, 15:30-17:00). This section will feature names like Dr. Karolinne Maia Rocha M.D, Ph.D and Dr. Mitchell Weikert breaking down the best of the best from the conference in cornea, refractive, cataract and glaucoma.

Industry updates galore

It wouldn’t be a major ophthalmic conference without a handful of momentous announcements from industry, and ASCRS 2024 is no different. 

Aurion Biotech is showcasing data from their ongoing Escalón and IOTA studies at both ASCRS 2024 and Eyecelerator . The studies feature Aurion’s breakthrough combination corneal endothelial cell / ROCK therapy for corneal disease. Notably, ASCRS President Dr. Elizabeth Yeu will be among the presenters. 

Johnson & Johnson | Vision is on deck to debut the latest addition to its TECNIS IOL portfolio, the multifocal TECNIS Odyssey. The launch will be accompanied by a host of key opinion leader-led discussions and presentations.

ZEISS Vision is bringing a suite of innovations, including the ARTEVO 850 3D heads-up ophthalmic microscope, an unnamed application for the new Apple Vision Pro , and workflow enhancements for their latest VISUMAX 800 with SMILE Pro software.

STAAR Surgical will be celebrating its 3 million lens milestone in style, with Tennessee Titans quarterback Will Levis in attendance for the ICL manufacturer to discuss his experience with the lens. 

These companies are joined by dozens more showcasing the innovations shaping ophthalmology’s future, and it’s all going down in Beantown. 

We’ll be on the scene gathering as much news from ASCRS as you can handle—so subscribe to all of our social media channels to stay on top of things. And if you’re in attendance in Boston—see you soon!