AAO report: Advances across the pond

As always, the multi-strand nature of the education programme along with the wide range of specialities under discussion makes it impossible for any single attendee to cover all adequately. For this reason, here are some of the highlights that appealed to me.

Holistic approaches

The US has always been known for having a significant rivalry between optometry and ophthalmology. This can never help the advancement of eye care. I was pleased, therefore, to see a symposium on comprehensive eye care which looked at a more holistic approach to disease management. What first attracted me to the session, I have to admit as an old hippy, was the title of one presentation from Dr Leonard Messner (Illinois). His talk entitled ‘Zen and the art of neuro-ophthalmic disorders’ was an imaginative reworking of the seminal seventies book ‘Zen and the art of motorcycle maintenance,’ a paperback as familiar to 1970s student accommodation as a poster of Che Guevara.