This is a supplement to EyeWorld Magazine.
Issue link: https://supplements.eyeworld.org/i/1516004
1990s–2000s SUPPLEMENT TO EYEWORLD | 45 Being proactive on important issues ASCRS members making an impact When Dr. Masket began his presidency in 2006, he quickly had to deal with a very se- rious issue. At the President's Reception, he was immediately alerted to a large outbreak of toxic anterior segment syndrome (TASS). ASCRS quickly formed a Task Force, which also included Nick Mamalis, MD, 2019–2020 ASCRS President. is outbreak necessitated development of a registry to analyze potential sources of this sterile, acute postoperative inflammation. e TASS Task Force developed the necessary question- naires and provided assistance to surgeons and staff to analyze these cases and make recommendations for the prevention and treatment of the cases. is also led to formation of the Ophthalmic Instrument Cleaning & Sterilization Task Force, whose members, with collab- oration from AAO and the Outpatient Ophthalmic Surgery Society, updated the Guidelines for Cleaning and Sterilization of Intraocular Surgical Instruments in 2018. In addition to the TASS Task Force, and the Ophthal- mic Instrument Cleaning & Sterilization Task Force, ASCRS has been ahead of the curve in other areas to make sure surgeons are informed and their patients kept safe. In 2016, ASCRS formed a joint task force with the American Society of Retina Specialists to monitor and provide guidance on a series of hemorrhagic occlusive retinal vasculitis (HORV) associated with use of intra- ocular vancomycin. ASCRS clinical committees and members have con- tinued to come together to make an impact on the issues involving anterior segment surgery and patient safety, putting together white papers, clinical alerts, and prac- tice tools. For example, in 2019, the ASCRS Corneal Clinical Committee published the algorithm it devel- oped for the Preoperative Diagnosis and Treatment of Ocular Surface Disorders. In October 2022 the Cat- aract Clinical Committee issued a clinical advisory on intracameral moxifloxacin injection for infection pro- phylaxis, providing important guidance regarding the two different concentrations commonly available in the U.S. In November 2022, an ASCRS task force provided a consensus statement on the use of pilocarpine hydro- chloride ophthalmic solution, 1.25%, for temporary treatment of presbyopia. Members of the ASCRS Cornea Clinical Committee who developed the ASCRS Preoperative OSD Algorithm. Terry Kim, MD, John Berdahl, MD, Elizabeth Yeu, MD, Clara Chan, MD, Marjan Farid, MD, Christopher Starr, MD, Preeya Gupta, MD, Ken Beckman, MD, Francis Mah, MD, Jose Gomes, MD, and Brandon Ayres, MD. Edward Holland, MD (not pictured) was also part of this team. Source: Marjan Farid, MD ASCRS leadership participated in a panel discussion following updates to prescribing information on pilocarpine, 1.25%, and release of the ASCRS Consensus Statement on the topic in 2022. Sumit "Sam" Garg, MD, Elizabeth Yeu, MD, Cathleen McCabe, MD, and Douglas R hee, MD, addressed some of the reported adverse events, how to examine and speak to patients about the product, uses of pilocarpine in the glaucoma field, and more in a recorded roundtable discussion. Source: ASCRS