Next Frontier in Surgical Education for Cataract Surgical Training"

The course is full as of June 5th. If you would like to attend the lecture-only section, please email the ACVO office. you may also email to be placed on a waiting list for cancellations. Cost would be $200 and would include notes, breakfast, breaks and lunch (when appropriate).

The course will admit ACVO/ECVO Diplomates, board eligible, or veterinarians currently routinely performing cataract surgery with a referral letter from a boarded Dimplomate of either college. This course would be beneficial not only for private practice physicians but also for institutional veterinary ophthalmologists who are responsible for training residents. The EYESi simulation unit is used extensively in human medicine to help polish surgeons and train residents.

Residents, interns and general practitioners will be offered a shortened version of this lecture as the "Residents’ Workshop" this year (please see details on page four). Anyone can attend the lecture, the lab will admit residents only.

In a market place which is competitive and case volumes limited, many veterinary ophthalmologists could benefit from the opportunity to complete as many capsulorhexis and phaco ‘divide and conquers’ in an afternoon as they might do in six months of clinical practice. Plan to take advantage of this year’s Virtual Cataract Surgery Lab to perfect both old and new techniques involving most important surgery that is conducted in veterinary ophthalmology. Practicing dealing with complications is fun, but practicing basics so that there are less complications will improve participants’ overall confidence as cataract surgeons. Imagine what can be accomplished by practicing during a 4 hour dry lab with the EYESi simulator and taking the patient out of the loop.

Some of you may have seen the EYESi simulator machine video presented by Dr. Wolfer at the 2008 SEVOS conference. He presented a video of the machine doing capsulorrhexis, hydrodissection, phaco, and 2 handed nucleus cracking. These are all procedures that can be conducted on the simulator during the lab or the special two hour open practice session on Saturday.

Additionally we are working to secure 8-10 phaco units, both large and small, to experiment with and compare from companies such as: Acrivet. Inc, Alcon, Bausch & Lomb, I-Med Pharma and possibly others. Cadaver eyes will be available so you can ‘test drive’ these units.

EYESi is an excellent method of trying new techniques without risking a patient’s eye or without having to acquire cadaver eyes. We will include additional information on what individuals can do with this unit on the ACVO website in May/June.

Diplomates will receive the following during the EYESi simulation dry lab:

• Dry lab where participants will have an opportunity to use EYESi in a structured course (All participants are guaranteed a minimum of one hour of hands-on time with EYESi simulator.),

• the opportunity to perform capsulorhexis and phaco courses on EYESi under expert instructor guidance,

• access to an extra simulation time during a special two hour open practice session on Saturday,

• and a variety of phaco platforms in a wet lab for participants to experiment with.

The didactic session of the EYESi simulation course will cover an introduction to the role of simulation in surgical training for cataract surgery with EYESi and presentations and discussion on future trends in cataract surgery topics. (Additional information may become available at acvo.org this summer.)

Dr. David Wilkie, DACVO

Dr. Joe Wolfer, DACVO

Dr. Mark Nasisse, DACVO (Moderator)

An MD expert in the newest trends in phacoemulsification will also be presenting "pearls of wisdom." More information on these speakers will be posted on the ACVO website in the near future.

The course will be limited to 60 participants. Up to 30 will attend the didactic section of the course while 30 attend the lab. Then the participants will switch sides. The fee for the lecture and lab is $300 ($200 for lecture only). This fee includes the four hour lecture, four hour lab (when appropriate), proceedings, continental breakfast, plated lunch and breaks.