Images Magazine Spring 2013 - Bascom Palmer Eye Institute

global meetingBascom Palmer Eye Institute’s 50th Anniversary Scientific MeetingYields Announcements of Research Breakthroughs and Goals fornew clinical trialsBascom Palmer Eye Institute began its golden anniversary year by hostinga global scientific meeting February 2–4, 2012 in Miami. Nearly 650ophthalmologists from around the world, including 300 Bascom Palmeralumni, attended. With 180 distinguished presenters, topics discussed rangedfrom research breakthroughs in cataract surgery and gene therapy, to targetedgoals of new clinical trials regarding the treatment of glaucoma and opticnerve diseases.“The tremendous volume of information presented atthe Scientific Meeting created a unique collaborativeplatform, which many of the world’s ophthalmologistscan now use to explore new ways of approachingpatient care and vision research,” said Eduardo C.Alfonso, M.D., chairman of Bascom Palmer EyeInstitute. “From advanced medical and surgicaltreatment options to new trends in refractive surgeryand oculoplastics, didactical presentations andinteractive panel discussions covered the gamut ofboth remarkable achievements and exciting possibilitieswithin the ever-changing field of ophthalmology.”A highlight of the meeting’s research presentationsfocused on ophthalmology now entering the eraof treating hereditary retinal degeneration — agoal believed impossible only a few years ago. Thefirst human trial of gene replacement therapy for amolecular subtype of Leber congenital amaurosis (aform of hereditary blindness) is now underway via ateam of leading academic institutions across the nation.The trial is being led by Bascom Palmer former facultymember, Samuel G. Jacobson M.D., Ph.D., who iscurrently a professor of ophthalmology at the ScheieEye Institute. It is hoped that gene therapy will restorevision in children with congenital blindness, and improvevision of adults with advanced stages of the disease.The oculoplastics session covered a broad rangeof topics from cosmetics to orbital malignancy. Threelectures highlighted significant advances in the fieldof oculoplastics from work that originated at Bascom22