EWAP SEPTEMBER 2022 3 EDITORIAL EyeWorld Asia-Pacific • September 2022 • Vol. 18 No. 3 Graham Barrett Chief Medical Editor EyeWorld Ƃsia*acific • China • Korea • India T he past few years have been challenging with restricted travel and the inability to hold an in-person APACRS meeting for the past 2 years. Although we have held very successful virtual meetings and have provided comprehensive online seminars, nothing can replace the atmosphere and intense learning experience of getting together as friends and colleagues in the same venue. So it was with some trepidation that we committed to our in-person 34th APACRS meeting held in conjunction with the KSCRS in June this year in Seoul. Despite the inability of some countries to join us, we had over 1,000 attendees in Seoul and a vibrant enjoyable meeting. The standard of presentations was excellent. The MasterClasses were full of enthusiastic attendees who were able to hear the latest from leading eÝperts in their respective fields. The CSCRS symposium on extended depth of focus IOLs was particularly valuable. The term extended depth of focus is applied to many different technologies; different optical technologies are grouped within this family but each lens has its own unique characteristics. There is always a trade-off on the amount of additional reading offered by these lenses, while maintaining quality of vision. Generally, these lenses are enhanced by combining a modest level of myopia if the patient requires additional spectacle independence. Although diffractive trifocals still provide a greater likelihood of total spectacle independence, the reduced unwanted dysphotopsia such as halos and glare offered by all the technologies make this category a welcome addition for ophthalmic surgeons in their endeavor to provide greater spectacle independence while maintaining quality of vision. It appears that extended depth of focus and monofocal plus lenses will become increasingly popular as they provide excellent intermediate vision as well as some functional reading ability compared to monofocal lenses. The recent annual meeting in Korea truly has marked a new dawn for APACRS, its attendees, and the ophthalmologists who attend from all around our region. Hopeful that as the COVID-19 pandemic wanes, our enthusiasm for travel is renewed. We have begun planning for and look forward to your participation in next year’s annual meeting to be held in Singapore from 8 to 10 June 2023. Abhay Vasavada Deputy Regional Editor EyeWorld Ƃsia*acific T his issue highlights excerpts from the annual meeting of the APACRS held in conjunction with the Korean Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgeons. This year’s meeting was the first physical conference since the pandemic. In incoming APACRS President Yao Ke’s APACRS LIM lecture, there was more than one lesson to be learned\ first and foremost, keep changing with times. We need to understand the science behind technologies, and what patientÉeye profile they will work best for. As surgeons, we all need to evaluate any new technology in a clinical setting, as they will fail to have a widespread impact if they do not translate to tangible gains or clear-cut improvement in practice. Therefore, every clinician should incorporate some degree of clinical research to evaluate new technology, to pave the way for future developments. Another important take away from the lecture is that care models need to be customized to the needs of the patient and the demographics. Our primary goal is to help the patient, and this may mean delivering services across the spectrum. As highlighted in one of this year’s MasterClass series, refractive surgery is one area where patients can be at two extremes— eÝtremely satisfied, or terribly dissatisfied in case they encounter an adverse event. When managing these complications, it is a combination of applying the right scientific principles, eÝperience, as well as how the patient is dealt with that will define success. Keeping in line with the philosophy of the APACRS to always be at the helm of advancing techniques and technology, newer IOLs were discussed. It is heartening to know that there are several innovations and advances coming our way that will enhance patient’s visual performance. While we strive toward surgical and technological excellence, it remains of paramount importance that we now direct our efforts more than ever before to minimizing wastage and developing alternative solutions that will be less damaging to the environment, which we and generations to come need in order to thrive.
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