Editorial from Dr Emanuel Rosen- 20/20 vision

Many glaucoma patients can now achieve 20/20 vision thanks to emerging glaucoma control, ocular surface and refractive treatments

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I am delighted to be invited to write the editorial for the June edition of EuroTimes. The special focus in this issue is on glaucoma and includes an excellent article that discusses how new technology offers better vision and quality of life for glaucoma patients. Steven Vold MD told the American Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgery 2018 Glaucoma Day in Washington DC, USA that many glaucoma patients now can achieve 20/20 vision. As Dr Vold points out, historically, a glaucoma diagnosis meant years of declining vision treated with lots of eye drops and then filtration surgery, producing uncomfortable blebs and complications. Saving functional vision was the goal – and patient comfort, refractive quality and quality of life took a back seat. Today, many glaucoma patients can now achieve 20/20 vision thanks to emerging glaucoma control, ocular surface and refractive treatments and as Dr Vold also remarks, the “vision for today’s glaucoma specialists is to offer sustainable, compliance-free solutions that improve vision, safety, efficacy and ultimately quality of life for glaucoma patients”. This issue also includes the first two of five essays shortlisted for the 2018 John Henahan Writing Prize for young ophthalmologists. The prize, now in its 11th year, is named in honour of John Henahan, who edited EuroTimes, the official news magazine of the ESCRS, from 1996 to 2001. The topic for this year’s prize was ‘Do We Need A Randomised Controlled Clinical Trial in Cataract Surgery?’ As chairman of the judging panel I was very impressed by the high standard of entries and look forward to the presentation of the prize to the overall winner during the Video Awards Ceremony at the 36th Congress of the ESCRS in Vienna, Austria. It is always good to see friends and colleagues rewarded for their achievements and I am also very pleased to see the report in this issue of the honouring of Richard Packard and Oliver Findl at the recent ASCRS Congress in Washington, DC, USA. Richard B Packard MD, DO, FRCS, FRCOphth, of London, UK, was one of the two Honoured Guests and received his commendation at the ASCRS opening session. A long-serving member of the ESCRS, Dr Packard has lectured in 60 countries, was a pioneer of phacoemulsification and a leader in the move to microincision cataract surgery. He continues to design and refine innovative surgical instruments, phaco tools and other devices. Also honoured was ESCRS Secretary Oliver Findl MD, who delivered the prestigious Binkhorst Lecture. In a wide-ranging address on the challenge of choosing the right IOL power, Dr Findl noted that optical biometry, modern formulae and optimised IOL constants, and precise measurements of anterior and posterior corneal curvature by two or more devices have greatly improved IOL selection accuracy. As a founding editor of EuroTimes, now in its 22nd year, I am delighted to see how the magazine is continuing to evolve and maintain excellent standards of reporting on the latest news in ophthalmology. Happy reading!
  • Emanuel Rosen  is Chief Medical Editor EuroTimes and a former president of ESCRS