EyeWorld India June 2017 Issue

June 2017 8 EWAP NEWS & OPINION continued on page 8 a scrub nurse; the surgery is performed by an ophthalmologist; end of surgery activities performed by a scrub or running nurse; and surgical record writing are performed by a running nurse. Dr. Tabin went on to present an actual series of cases as performed using this work flow, which has one surgeon performing cataract surgery at two operating tables. Beginning about 1:15 minutes into cataract surgery on one patient, a second patient is brought in and prepped for surgery on the second operating table. Around 1:20 minutes, the surgeon has begun extracting the cataract; the cataract is out at 1:50. The IOL is inserted by 3:00 minutes, the next patient is prepped, and first surgery is completed by around 3:30 minutes. Less than 10 seconds later, the surgeon has begun surgery on the next patient; the first patient is led off the table 40 seconds into the second patient’s surgery. By around 1:15 minutes into the second cataract surgery, the third patient is on the table. “It’s really a matter of efficiency of manpower,” Dr. Tabin said. However, as with all things, quality is still paramount. “You don’t want to start out trying to do 12 cases per hour,” he said. “You want to do every case absolutely perfectly.” APACRS opening ceremony celebrates 30 years The 30 th APACRS Annual Meeting officially kicked off on Friday morning with its opening ceremony. Yao Ke, MD , Hangzhou, China, the organizing chairman of the meeting, first gave a welcome address. Dr. Yao welcomed attendees to the APACRS meeting. In 2012, he said, we met in Shanghai, and 5 years later, APACRS is back in China for its prestigious 30th annual meeting in Dr. Yao’s hometown of Hangzhou, which he said is an ancient and attractive city. The theme of the meeting, “Crossroads…Finding the Right Path,” will focus on challenges and new techniques in cataract and refractive surgery. The top ophthalmologists will be here talking about improving clinical practice and getting better diagnostic results for patients, Dr. Yao said. Dr. Yao thanked the organizing committee, staff, and sponsors, and encouraged attendees to enjoy the scientific program. Everyone can bring home an abundance of academic information and memories of the charming city of Hangzhou, he said. Rao Keqin, MD , the Vice President and Secretary General of the Chinese Medical Association, Beijing, China, also gave a welcome address in Chinese. His address touched on medical and ophthalmology societies in China and the contributions they make to the country as a whole, as well as collaboration with other organizations, including the APACRS. Ronald Yeoh, MD , Singapore, APACRS President, also addressed attendees. There are so many meetings all over the world today, he said. So what is the relevance of the APACRS meeting in 2017? The Asia-Pacific region represents about a quarter of the world, he said, but Asia has half of the world’s population, from some of the smallest countries, like Singapore, to some of the largest countries, like China and India. This means there is a serious amount of cataract and refractive surgery our doctors need to do, Dr. Yeoh said. The challenge, he added, is that Asia is a diverse continent. APACRS has a carefully curated scientific program, Dr. Yeoh added, that is tailored to and relevant to all doctors in the Asia-Pacific. It includes important practice information, top-rated faculty from around the world, a small number of high quality MasterClasses, and a compact program over 3 full days. Dr. Yeoh then discussed what the APACRS has done in the past year, beginning with a successful meeting in 2016 in Bali. He also highlighted APACRS’s participation as a co-sponsor at the 2017 ASCRS annual meeting in Los Angeles and the specific APACRS symposia and instruction courses at that meeting. Dr. Yeoh also mentioned participation in the Young Physician Exchange Program, as well as the importance of the Barrett IOL Calculator. The mission of APACRS is to provide a forum for education, research, and skills transfer in anterior segment surgery, Dr. Yeoh said, also stressing the importance of teaching. “In teaching, we learn,” he said. “I wish all of you a wonderful meeting in the great city of Hangzhou.” During the opening ceremony, the affiliated societies were also recognized. Awards were also presented during this session, including the APACRS Certified Educator (A.C.E.) awards to Suhas Haldipurkar, MD , Pune, India, and Zhang Jin Song, MD , Shenyang, China. Liu Yi-zhi, MD, PhD, Guangzhou, China, received the APACRS Gold Medal. APACRS – from page 7 ‘Phaco vs. Femto: Friend vs. Foe?’ This year’s APACRS LIM Lecture was given by Chee Soon Phaik, MD , Singapore, on the topic of “Phaco vs. Femto: Friend vs. Foe?” The femtosecond laser generates plasma formation, Dr. Chee said. It results in a shock wave and bubble formation, and the bubble expands and collapses, separating tissues. Use of the femtosecond laser, she said, is hotly debated in relation to its cost effectivity, significant learning curve, and what is perceived to be industry-driven technology. Worldwide, Dr. Chee said, there have been more than 1 million laser procedures performed, over 1,000 laser platforms installed, and thousands of surgeons trained on the technology. Dr. Chee then described different metaanalyses and studies, looking at such factors as efficacy of the capsulotomy, strength of the capsulotomy, refractive outcomes, visual acuity, toric and multifocal IOLs, safety with corneal incisions, laser arcuate incisions, endothelial cell count and ultrasound exposure, intraoperative complications, prostaglandin release, inflammation anterior chamber and retina, posterior capsule opacification, posterior capsule rupture, and the learning curve. Dr. Chee went on to discuss using the femtosecond laser in challenging cases. “The true value of femto may be more evident in the management of complex cataracts,” she said. For example, brunescent cataracts require increased phaco time, Dr. Chee said, and patients are at a higher risk for thermal and mechanical injury to the cornea