American Academy Of Ophthalmology To Hold News Conferences At 2004 Joint Meeting

NEW ORLEANS, Oct. 24 /PRNewswire/ -- The American Academy of Ophthalmology and the European Ophthalmological Society will present two news conferences on Monday, October 25, during their Joint Meeting. Both will occur in room 282, Level 2, at the Morial Convention Center.

AGE-RELATED MACULAR DEGENERATION PRESS BRIEFING 10:00-11:00 a.m.

Opening remarks: Entering a New Era in the Management and Treatment of Wet Age-related Macular Degeneration-Paul Sternberg Jr., M.D.

* George W. Hale Professor and Chairman, Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences Vanderbilt Eye Institute, Vanderbilt University Medical Center

Saving Eyes, Saving Lives: The Physical and Emotional Consequences of Vision Loss-Lylas G. Mogk, M.D.

* Author and Founding Director, Visual Rehabilitation and Research Center, Henry Ford Health System Eye Care Services

Hope on the Horizon: New Therapeutic Applications for Anti-VEGF, Anti-Angiogenic and Angiostatic Treatments-Carmen Puliafito, M.D.

   * Professor and Chairman of Ophthalmology and Director, Bascom Palmer Eye
     Institute, University of Miami School of Medicine

  A Bright Future for Wet AMD Treatment-Donald D'Amico, M.D.
   * Professor of Ophthalmology, Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary

   Question and Answer Session-Moderated by Paul Sternberg Jr., M.D.


   CHANGING THE SHAPE OF REFRACTIVE SURGERY: THE NEW LENSES
   11 a.m. to noon

  Introduction-James J. Salz, MD
   * Chairman of the International Society for Cataract and Refractive
     Surgery/AAO
   * Clinical Professor of Ophthalmology, University of Southern
     California-Los Angeles County Medical Center
   * Attending staff physical, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center

A comparison of corneal refractive surgery, intraocular refractive surgery and phakic lenses-Stephen G. Slade, MD

   * 2004 Recipient of the Academy's Casebeer Award for outstanding
     contributions to the research and development of refractive surgery
   * Consultant for Staar Surgical
   * Director, Laser Center of Houston

  The Staar Surgical Collamer ICL(TM)-John A. Vukich, MD
   * Program Director for 2004 Subspecialty Day Refractive Surgery Program
   * FDA Medical Monitor for the Staar Surgical Collamer ICL(TM)
   * Assistant Clinical Professor at Madison School of Medicine, University
     of Wisconsin
   * Surgical Director of the Davis Duehr Dean Center for Refractive Surgery

  The Verisyse phakic implantable lens-R. Doyle Stulting, MD
   * FDA Monitor of the Verisyse phakic implantable lens
   * Professor of ophthalmology at Emory University
   * Medical Director of Emory Laser Vision

Anterior Chamber Phakic Implants: A European Perspective-Jorge L. Alio, MD, Ph.D.

   * Program Director for 2004 Subspecialty Day Refractive Surgery Program
   * Professor of Ophthalmology at Miguel Hernandez University, Alicante,
     Spain
   * Medical Director of Vissum-Instituto Oftalmologico de Alicante

  Accommodative Intraoclular Lenses-Mike Colvard, MD
   * Member of clinical staff at the Doheney Eye Institute
   * Medical monitor for several FDA clinical studies on new intraocular
     lens technology

   Question and Answer Session-Moderated by James J. Salz, MD

The Academy is the world's largest association of eye physicians and surgeons -- Eye M.D.s -- with more than 27,000 members. For more information about the Academy or the Joint Meeting, visit http://www.aao.org/

The American Academy of Ophthalmology

CONTACT: Media Relations - The American Academy of Ophthalmology,+1-504-670-5309, media@aao.org

Web site: http://www.aao.org/