Keratoconus Symposium
Saturday-Sunday, August 6 - 7, 2022
8 hours of COPE approved CE
Location: Online via Zoom
Time: 8:00 am PST - 1:00 pm PST
EVENT SURVEYS - Please complete one for each day that you attend
PRE and POST Tests
*Most states do NOT require a pre and post test, but please check with your individual state board
Agenda
*All times are in PST
Saturday, August 6, 2022
8:00 AM - 1:00 PM Pacific Time
8:00 AM - Welcome message from Dr. Stephanie Woo from Woo University, Dr. Barry Eiden from IKA and Mary Prudden from NKCF
8:10 AM -8:30 AM: Diamond and Platinum Sponsor presentations
8:30 AM – 9:30 AM: “The Missing Link: Earlier Keratoconus Diagnosis to Save Vision”
Speaker: Mitch Ibach, OD
Keratoconus is a corneal ectasia that can lead to irreversible vision loss and blindness. Early diagnosis and treatment can dramatically improve patient outcomes. This lecture will help optometrists identify keratoconic patients and provide insight into treatment options for this demographic. COPE approved for 1 hour of CE credit.
9:30 AM – 10:30 AM: “Co-Management Update 2022: How to Make Sure All our Keratoconus Patients Preserve Their Useful Vision Through Early Diagnosis and Early Treatment”
Speaker: Kent Wellish, MD
Learn about tips and tricks on diagnosing dry eye in keratoconus patients and effective treatment options. We will be discussing pharmaceutical options, nutraceuticals, punctal plugs, amniotic membranes, and much more. COPE approved for 1 hour of CE credit.
10:30 AM – 11:00 AM: "Pitfalls and Perils in OD Eyecare Referrals"
Speaker: Eric J. Conley, OD on behalf of Glaukos
(This is a promotional presentation not for COPE credit)
11:00 AM - 12:00 PM: “Updates in Corneal Collagen Crosslinking”
Speaker: John Gelles, OD
In this course, we will cover the development of the procedure, mechanism of action, the approved procedure, results of the US FDA pivotal trial, the postoperative clinical time course, results of the ten years of follow-up data from the FDA pivotal trial, and current and future areas of research and innovations. COPE approved for 1 hour of CE credit.
12:00 PM - 1:00 PM: “Resources for Your Keratoconus Patient”
Speaker: Elise Kramer, OD
You’ve just diagnosed your patient with keratoconus, now what? Many patients have questions and it is our duty as eye care professionals to guide them to the right resources. During this 1-hour lecture, we will discuss different resources that practitioners can keep in office to distribute to patients, as well as electronic resources. COPE approved for 1 hour of CE credit.
Sunday, August 7, 2022
8:00 AM - 1:00 PM Pacific Time
8:00 AM – 9:00 AM: “Keratoconus Surgical Options - Where Do They Fit In?“
Speaker: Steven Greenstein, MD
There are many different surgical options for keratoconus patients. In this course, we discuss when and where each surgical option is appropriate. We will discuss corneal inlays, topography guided PRK, penetrating keratoplasties, and more. COPE approved for 1 hour of CE credit.
9:00 AM - 10:00 AM: “Incorporating Technology into Today’s Keratoconus Practice“
Speakers: Melissa Barnett, OD and Barry Eiden, OD
Contact lens options and the technology used to fit them have dramatically improved over the years. Advances in technology allow for improved fitting processes and patient outcomes. This lecture will help optometrists identify ways to incorporate anterior segment technology into their contact lens practice to optimize results. COPE approved for 1 hour of CE credit.
10:00 AM - 10:30 AM: “Zero In on the New Zenlens® Fit Set”
Speaker: Brooke Messer, OD on behalf of Bausch + Lomb
(This is a promotional presentation not for COPE credit)
10:30 AM - 11:00 AM: Diamond and Platinum Sponsor Presentations
11:00 AM - 12:00 PM: “The Most Updated Keratoconus Management Guide”
Speakers: Clark Chang, OD and William Tullo, OD
This course will discuss the newly evolved KCN management paradigm including most current detection technologies and a diverse range of adjunctive treatment innovations. COPE approved for 1 hour of CE credit.
12:00 PM - 1:00 PM: “What would you do? How to select an appropriate contact lens option for your keratoconus patient.”
Speakers: Christine Sindt, OD and Clark Chang, OD
After diagnosing your patient with keratoconus, it is often challenging to know what contact lens modality to select. Where do custom soft lenses, corneal gas permeable lenses, hybrid lenses, and scleral lenses all fit in? A series of case reports with different contact lens options are presented and explained. COPE approved for 1 hour of CE credit.
Thank you to Alcon for providing an unrestricted educational grant for this event.
This event is COPE approved for 8 hours of continuing education credit.
Patient Resources
Host
Dr. Stephanie Woo
Dr. Stephanie Woo is a graduate of the Southern California College of Optometry. She completed a cornea and contact lens residency at the University of Missouri, St. Louis. Dr. Woo is the owner of the Contact Lens Institute of Nevada, a clinic dedicated entirely to specialty contact lenses. Dr. Woo is a Fellow of the American Academy of Optometry and a Fellow of the Scleral Lens Education Society. Recently, she founded Woo University, an optometric education company. Dr. Woo enjoys lecturing on the topics of scleral contact lenses and anterior segment eye disease. Dr. Woo is the founder of Woo University.
Dr. Ariel Cerenzie
Dr. Ariel Cerenzie was born and raised in a small town in West Texas. She graduated with Magna Cum Laude honors from Texas A&M University where she received a Bachelor of Science in Nutritional Sciences. Dr. Cerenzie has earned a fellowship in both the American Academy of Optometry and the Scleral Lens Education Society. She is also a member of the National Keratoconus Foundation.
Speakers
Dr. Mitch Ibach
Dr. Mitch Ibach is a residency trained optometrist at Vance Thompson Vision in Sioux Falls, SD. Dr. Ibach attended the Pacific University College of Optometry where he graduated summa cum laude. Mitch completed his residency training at Minnesota Eye Consultants with a concentration on cornea, refractive surgery, external disease and glaucoma. In September of 2014, he joined Vance Thompson Vision to focus on advanced anterior segment surgery care and pathology. Mitch is a fellow of the American Academy of Optometry, an Intrepid Eye Society member, a member with the American Optometric Association, Optometric Glaucoma Society (OGS), and the South Dakota Optometric Society. Mitch serves as the associate residency director at Vance Thompson Vision and is also an adjunct clinical faculty for the Illinois College of Optometry and the Pikesville College of Optometry.
Dr. Kent Wellish
Dr. Wellish is the one of most experienced Keratoconus surgeons in southern Nevada. He completed a 2 year Cornea, External Ocular Disease and Refractive Surgery Fellowship at Stein Eye - UCLA (1992 - 1994). He became Nevada's first Laser Vision Surgeon in 1994 and has been performing corrective surgery on keratinous patients for over 29 years. A pioneer in emerging treatments for Keratoconus, Dr. Wellish has trained surgeons from around the country in the use of Intacs. He served as an FDA Primary Investigator for the Avedro KXL (Collagen Cross Linking) and has treated hundreds of worsening eyes, with zero eyes progressing on to needing a cornea transplant. As an FDA Primary Investigator for many other technologies, Dr. Wellish is able to apply his insights from a variety of studies, as well as his clinical experience, to develop cutting edge protocols years before they make their way into standard teachings.
As much as he takes great pride in providing best in class treatments for patients, Dr. Wellish particularly enjoys training Optometric interns from a variety of Optometry Schools. He also enjoys hosting and participating in ongoing continuing education events for more experienced optometrists, where he and his colleagues can share their clinical pearls with Optometrists in the Las Vegas area in person and around the country through Zoom and similar technologies.
Dr. John Gelles
Dr. Gelles is the director of the specialty contact lens division of the Cornea and Laser Eye Institute and the CLEI Center for Keratoconus in Teaneck, NJ. He is an assistant clinical professor at Rutgers New Jersey Medical School in the Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Science, and an adjunct clinical professor at State University of New York College of Optometry, Illinois College of Optometry, and New England College of Optometry.
He is a fellow of the American Academy of Optometry, Scleral Lens Society, Contact Lens Society of America, British Contact Lens Association, the International Academy of Orthokeratology and Myopia Control, and a PROSE clinical fellow. In addition, he is a board member of the Contact Lens Society of America, an executive board member and education chair of the International Keratoconus Academy, an advisory board member for the Gas Permeable Lens Institute, the education chair of the Intrepid Eye Society, the chair of Refractive Surgery Aliences’s collaborative care section and serves on the American Academy of Optometry’s Innovations Council.
His clinical work is dedicated exclusively to specialty contact lenses and the management of keratoconus, corneal disease, ocular surface disease, and post-surgical corneal conditions. Additionally, he is a clinical investigator for multiple keratoconus and specialty contact lens-related clinical trials at CLEI.
Dr. Elise Kramer
Dr. Elise Kramer is a residency trained optometrist in Miami, Florida who specializes in ocular surface disease and regular and specialty contact lens fitting. Her Doctorate degree was awarded in Optometry from the Université de Montréal in 2012 where she received a grant from the Scholarship Program of the Québec Ministry of Education for short-term university studies outside of Québec. During her fourth year, she completed her internship in ocular disease at the Eye Centers of South Florida and went on to complete her residency at the Miami VA Medical Center. Her time there included training at the Bascom Palmer Eye Institute, the nation’s top eye hospital. After her residency, Dr. Kramer became a fellow of the Scleral Lens Education Society (SLS) and now serves as the Public Education Chair Elect for the SLS.
Dr. Steven Greenstein
Dr. Greenstein graduated from New York University and received his medical degree from the Albert Einstein College of Medicine. After completing a one-year pre-residency research fellowship, he graduated with a unique distinction in clinical research concentrating on keratoconus and corneal cross-linking with Dr. Peter Hersh at the Cornea and Laser Eye Institute. In addition, he completed an ophthalmology residency at Rutgers New Jersey Medical School and a cornea, refractive and external disease fellowship at Harvard Medical School. He is an assistant clinical professor at Rutgers New Jersey Medical School and an associate team ophthalmologist for the NY Jets.
He specializes in keratoconus, corneal, and refractive surgery. His research interests include surgical treatment for keratoconus and novel techniques for corneal surgery. Dr. Greenstein is also involved in several clinical research studies designed to evaluate the safety and efficacy of new therapies and methods for keratoconus and refractive procedures.
He has published multiple articles in prestigious medical journals; many of these papers are considered landmark papers out of the US on crosslinking. In addition to publications, he has presented at numerous scientific meetings on research related to keratoconus. He has co-authored several book chapters on corneal collagen crosslinking for keratoconus and corneal ectasia.
Dr. Melissa Barnett
Dr. Melissa Barnett is a principal optometrist at the University of California, Davis Eye Center in Sacramento and Davis, California. She is an internationally recognized key opinion leader, specializing in dry eye disease, specialty contact lenses and presbyopia. Dr. Barnett lectures globally and publishes extensively on topics including dry eye, anterior segment disease, contact lenses, presbyopia and creating a healthy balance between work and home life for women in optometry. She is Chair of the American Optometric Association Contact Lens and Cornea Section, a Fellow of the American Academy of Optometry, a Diplomate of the American Board of Certification in Medical Optometry, a Fellow and Global Ambassador of the British Contact Lens Association, serves on the Board of the Gas Permeable Lens Institute, International Society of Contact Lens Specialists and is Past President of The Scleral Lens Education Society. Drs. Melissa Barnett and Lynette Johns authored and edited the book Contemporary Scleral Lenses: Theory and Application with the unique perspectives and contributions of international experts. Dr. Barnett most recently chaired the BCLA CLEAR report on scleral lenses. She is currently serving on the Tear Film & Ocular Surface Society (TFOS): A Lifestyle Epidemic Ocular Surface Disease Workshop. Dr. Barnett was awarded the inaugural Theia Award for Excellence for Mentoring by Women in Optometry. She was granted the Most Influential Women in Optical from Vision Monday in 2019. Dr. Barnett and Dr. Tom Arnold are co-hosts of the popular podcast GlobalEyes. In her spare time, she enjoys cooking, yoga, hiking and spending time with her family.
Dr. Barry Eiden
Dr. Eiden is president and medical director of North Suburban Vision Consultants, Ltd., a multi-specialty group practice in the Chicago area. He is president and co-founder of the International Keratoconus Academy of Eye Care Professionals, an organization providing education and research to the eye care professions. Dr. Eiden is also co-founder and president of EyeVis Eye and Vision Research Institute, which is dedicated to clinical research and development of technologies in the eye care field. Dr. Eiden is an assistant clinical professor at the University of Illinois at Chicago Medical Center in the Department of Ophthalmology, Cornea and Contact Lens Service and an adjunct faculty member of the Indiana, Illinois, Midwestern, Salus, SUNY and UMSL Colleges of Optometry. He is on the editorial board of numerous professional journals and frequently publishes in the professional literature. Dr.Eiden is Past Chair of the American Optometric Association’s Contact Lens and Cornea Section. He is a Fellow of the American Academy of Optometry and a Fellow of the Scleral Lens Education Society. Dr. Eiden is a research consultant for numerous contact lens, technology and pharmaceutical companies and lectures extensively both nationally and internationally.
Dr. Clark Chang
Dr. Chang is Director of Specialty Lenses in Cornea Department at Wills Eye Hospital (Philadelphia, USA). He is the host of the popular podcast show “Chang Reaction” and he has recently been nominated as the ”Top Doctor of 2020” by National Keratoconus Foundation.
With over a decade of research experiences in corneal cross-linking and other advanced corneal treatments, Dr. Chang publishes and lectures extensively in keratoconus management, modern contact lens technologies, and innovative refractive and corneal surgeries.
Dr. Christine Sindt
Dr. Christine W. Sindt is a 1994 graduate of The Ohio State University College of Optometry. She completed a disease-based residency at the Cleveland Veterans Administration Medical Center. Dr. Sindt joined the faculty of the University of Iowa Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences in 1995, where she is currently the director of the contact lens service and professor of clinical ophthalmology. She also serves as a consultant optometrist for the Iowa City Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center. Dr. Sindt holds 7 US patents and has over 150 publications. She regularly travels to conferences, both nationally and internationally.
Dr. William Tullo
William “Bill” Tullo, OD, FAAO is Medical Director of OCULUS Inc. Previously, Bill was VP of Clinical Services for TLC Laser Eye Centers for more than 20 years. Bill has maintained a private practice in his hometown of Princeton New Jersey since 1988.. Bill has Doctor of Optometry degree from the State University of New York College of Optometry. Bill was Assistant Clinical Professor at SUNY College of Optometry from 1988-1997. Bill is a Fellow of the American Academy of Optometry since 1990 and a member of the American Optometric Association since 1984. In 2011, he was recognized by the American Academy of Optometry as a Diplomate’s in Cornea, Contact lenses & Refractive Technologies, the academies highest honor.
Sponsors for
Keratoconus Symposium
DIAMOND
Glaukos Corporation is an ophthalmic medical technology and pharmaceutical company focused on novel therapies for the treatment of glaucoma, corneal disorders and retinal diseases. Glaukos is leveraging its platform technology to build a comprehensive and proprietary portfolio of micro-scale surgical and pharmaceutical therapies in glaucoma, corneal health and retinal disease.
Bausch + Lomb is dedicated to delivering products, education and training for eye care professionals in the custom contact lens space. Through our Zenlens® scleral lenses, Revive™ custom soft lens family, NovaKone® custom soft lens for keratoconus, Boston® materials, and many other custom lens products, eye care professionals will have the support they need to meet the needs of their patients with challenging vision problems.
PLATINUM
CooperVision Specialty EyeCare develops, manufactures and improves worldwide access to industry-leading RGP lens designs, including scleral and ortho-k lenses. Its Advanced Contact Lens Management portfolio includes scleral and corneal GP lenses, arming vision care professionals with lenses to suit virtually any eye shape, size, or indication, and are especially useful for patients with Keratoconus. These innovative lens designs are backed by an unrivaled selection of parameters, online fitting tools, an abundance of design options, and expert consultative support. Globally, CooperVision Specialty EyeCare’s brands include Blanchard, GP Specialists, No. 7 Contacts, Paragon, Procornea and Soflex.
Tangible Science strives to dramatically improve the contact lens experience for patients, and eye care professionals.
Contact lens wearers often complain of discomfort and inconvenience, while eye care practitioners are often frustrated by their inability to provide a comfortable solution for their contact lens patients that lasts all day. We have created an innovative family of products specifically for contact lens patients to add greater comfort, deposit resistance, and convenience.
Avellino is a global leader in molecular diagnostics at the forefront of precision medicine for eye care. With a long-term mission to develop personalized approaches to improve health and disease management through genomics, the company is developing a transformative genetic diagnostics product pipeline, as well as genetic therapeutics leveraging CRISPR gene editing, to better manage, and potentially cure, inherited diseases. The company also developed the Avellino SARS-CoV-2 RT-PCR diagnostic test (AvellinoCoV2) to aid in COVID-19 pandemic testing efforts in the US and was the first private, independent company in the US to receive an EUA for its COVID-19 test.
SynergEyes offers a broad portfolio of contact lenses for both Normal and Irregular Corneal Conditions, including Hybrid, Scleral and GP Lenses. With technologically advanced products across a continuum of disease states, including the Continuum of Care for Keratoconus, SynergEyes transforms vision for patients with astigmatism, presbyopia, and irregular cornea conditions. Committed to setting practitioners and patients up for success, SynergEyes provides quality products and services, and 360° support for its customers, as well as extensive practice resources. SynergEyes products are offered exclusively for Independent Eye Care Professionals, providing practice differentiation, and retained revenue.
GOLD
For over 30 years, Contamac has manufactured contact and intraocular lens materials, and has
been a leading innovator of specialist polymers and biocompatible materials for medical
applications. Our flagship line of Optimum® GP materials feature a wide range of oxygen
permeabilities and excellent wettability to suit a variety of indications and contact lens
modalities. Additionally, we offer products that are complimentary to contact lens wear and
eyecare, including HyClear™, a .01% hypochlorous acid solution for daily eyelid hygiene, and
Nutrifill®, a saline solution for rinsing and filling scleral and other specialty contact lenses. Visit
contamac.com/products for more information.
Art Optical brings 64 years of precision lens design, expert consultation and production experience to every specialty lens fit. We offer extensive options for the Keratoconic patient including Ampleye, our fully vaulting scleral lens featuring an intuitive fitting system and full customization capabilities; AKS, KeraSoftThin SiHy, and the ROSE K Family of lenses. Additional category leading designs include Renovation multifocal and the IntelliWave series of lathe-cut lenses in virtually unlimited parameters. Specialty fitters have immediate access to our experienced team of certified consultants as well as extensive in-person & online training tools & resources. Serving ECP’s nationwide with 24-48 service.
For more than 120 years, OCULUS has been a partner for eye care professionals around the world. OCULUS, Inc. (USA) was founded in 1999. Combining the finest German engineering with exceptional customer support, we understand the importance of continuous operation of your devices. With service centers located in Washington and Florida, OCULUS provides reliable, fast and customer-friendly service from 8 am to 8 pm EST. We provide ongoing training and educational resources, which are accessible 24/7 in our online library or offline during many in house training sessions throughout the year. Our customers and their satisfaction are our responsibility.
"Our primary focus is outcomes-guided development of clinical tools that work for doctors to improve clinical results, enhance patient satisfaction, and increase practice success. Our “boots on the ground” approach help us identify both underutilized and new technology for further development. Innovation is among our core values.
Medirix precision Epstein hand instruments, ocular hygiene foam, and EyeCam imaging systems will maximize your efficiency, patient comfort, and bottom line."
Menicon Co., Ltd. is Japan's first and largest contact lens manufacturer founded by Mr Kyoichi Tanaka in 1951, and is now represented in over 80 countries. Menicon's goal is to deliver safe contact lenses worldwide, placing the highest priority on the eye health of our customers. Menicon is the only manufacturer in the world that is dedicated to all areas of contact lenses-related business including material development, lens designing and manufacturing of contact lenses and care solutions.
SILVER
CorneaGen is a mission-driven company committed to transforming how corneal surgeons treat and care for the cornea. Based in Seattle, the company is innovating the next generation of cornea care, from new medical devices and biologics to therapeutics and interventions. CorneaGen supports corneal surgeons and their patients with a spectrum of services, including the latest products, delivery of the highest-quality tissue, surgeon education, and advocacy for patient access and reimbursement policies.
BostonSight is a nonprofit healthcare organization that advances the treatment of diseased or damaged corneas and dry eye. We work toward optimal patient outcomes through compassionate care, innovative scleral lens design, education, and technology. PROSE® is our medical treatment for the most severe or challenging ocular surface disease cases, delivered via specially trained eye care professionals at top tertiary eye centers. BostonSight SCLERAL® is our commercially available scleral lens used by optometrists worldwide. BostonSight SCLERAL provides diagnostic lens and free form fitting options with a range of diameters and features to help you find the right fit for each patient.
The GP Lens Institute (GPLI) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit dedicated to providing eye care practitioners with educational and practice-building resources to enable them to fully benefit from the many advantages of GP (oxygen permeable) and custom specialty soft contact lenses.
The International Keratoconus Academy of Eye Care Professionals
The International Keratoconus Academy of Eye Care Professionals is an organization that was established to promote ongoing professional education and scientific development in the area of keratoconus and other forms of corneal ectasia. The founding executive board of the International Keratoconus Academy of Eye Care Professionals is comprised of a group of highly regarded experts in the field including: President and co-founder -S. Barry Eiden, OD, FAAO, and board members Andrew Morgenstern, OD, FAAO, Timothy McMahon, OD, FAAO, Joseph Barr, OD, FAAO, William Tullo, OD, FAAO, Clark Chang, OD, FAAO, Eric Donnenfeld, MD, Yaron Rabinowitz, MD and Vance Thompson, MD.
Visionary Optics is a leader in the design and manufacturing of scleral lenses. Its portfolio includes Latitude, a freeform scleral lens offering complete contouring to the eye and Europa, a 2nd generation scleral lens design offering the most advanced customization available. Visionary Optics also offers VibrantVue® specialty lens products, such a Scleral Saline Solution, VibrantVue® Hand Prep Spray and VibrantVue® Lid & Lash Care.