What: The 2018 American Academy of Ophthalmology Conference Annual Meeting

When: October 26–30, 2018

Where: McCormick Place, 2301 S. Martin Luther King Drive, Chicago, Illinois 60616

Technology for low vision: Room for improvement

When: Saturday, October 27, 2018, 1 p.m.–2 p.m., CT
Where: Room S501ABC
Session: Computer and Social Networking Accessibility for the Visually Impaired

Technology and social media, staples of the connectivity of society, are not always accessible for people with low vision. The majority of individuals with visual impairment are 65 years and older. Although technology use has been increasing among older adults, those with vision impairment are less likely to use technology than older adults with hearing, balance or memory difficulties. Bonnielin Swenor, M.P.H., Ph.D., an assistant professor of ophthalmology and epidemiology at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine and faculty at the Wilmer Eye Institute has several suggestions on how technology and social media can be improved and made more accessible to people with low vision. This includes designing technology with customizable features, utilizing accessibility design standards, and considering users across the spectrum of visual abilities.

Eye Surgery for Ebola Survivors

When: Monday, October 29, 12:45 p.m.–1:45 p.m., CT
Where: Hall A
Session: PO556  

A large portion of Ebola survivors have eye complications, and many of them require surgery. However, surgical safety and outcomes are unknown due to lack of controlled studies. Allen Omid Eghrari, M.D., assistant professor of ophthalmology at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine and member of the Wilmer Eye Institute, conducted a clinical trial with colleagues looking at the safety and effectiveness of cataract surgery in Ebola survivors. To our knowledge, this is the first prospective study of its kind to assess surgical outcomes of any kind in Ebola survivors and was formed at the request of the community to address long-term effects of the illness. Multiple governments, nonprofits and survivors worked together to ensure the trial’s launch.

Common Cancer Drug May Improve Safety and Efficacy of Eye Surgeries

When: Monday, October 29, 3:27 p.m.–3:34 p.m., CT
Where: Room S405
Session: OP08 Retina, Vitreous Original Paper Session

Proliferative diabetic retinopathy affects 1.5 percent of adults with diabetes. It can lead to retinal detachment and cause vision loss. Small-gauge pars plana vitrectomy is a surgery performed to treat several eye conditions, including retinal detachment, but people are concerned about related complications including low eye pressure. J. Fernando Arevalo, M.D., director of ophthalmology at Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center and the Edmund F. and Virginia Ball Professor of Ophthalmology at the Wilmer Eye Institute, along with his team looked at using bevacizumab, a drug that is widely used to treat cancer and a specific eye disease, to improve the safety and efficacy of the surgery. They found  that injecting the drug bevacizumab before surgically removing vitreous gel from the eye could minimize bleeding during and after surgery, decrease surgical time, reduce complications and provide a better view of the surgical area.