Glaucoma Innovations to be Presented at 13th Annual New Horizons Forum in San Francisco

Newswise — January 16, 2024, San Francisco, CA — Glaucoma Research Foundation (GRF) will host the 13^th Annual Glaucoma 360 New Horizons Forum on February 9th at San Francisco’s historic Westin St. Francis Hotel.

Attracting nearly 400 participants annually, this unique gathering unites leaders in the field of glaucoma for a full day of informative presentations, stimulating discussions, and valuable networking opportunities. Clinicians, industry leaders, entrepreneurs, venture capital financiers, FDA representatives, key opinion leaders, glaucoma patients — all meet, learn, share ideas, and collaborate at the only event of its kind, aimed at speeding the development of new therapies and diagnostics for glaucoma patients.

Harvard-trained physician-executive, ophthalmic surgeon, inventor and serial entrepreneur, Sean Ianchulev, MD, MPH will deliver the Drs. Henry and Frederick Sutro Memorial Lecture, the Forum’s keynote address. Dr. Ianchulev’s keynote lecture “The Innovation Journey of an iDoctor” will shed light on recent and on-the-horizon advances in glaucoma care.

In addition to Dr. Ianchulev, more than 50 speakers will be participating from companies and institutions across the US and around the world. Among more than a dozen sessions surveying innovations in glaucoma care, Ike K. Ahmed, MD, FRCSC (University of Utah) will present on “The Future of Interventional Glaucoma,” Jeffrey Goldberg, MD, PhD (Byers Eye Institute, Stanford University) will speak during the sessions “Transforming Glaucoma Care: Addressing Unmet Needs” and “Glaucoma Beyond the Office: Maintaining Care Outside the Clinic,” a session that will also feature Lama Al-Aswad, MD, MPH, Barbara Wirostko, MD, FARVO, Jason Bacharach, MD, Savas Komban, and Delan Jinapriya, BSc, MD, FRCSC, and Ruth Williams, MD (Wheaton Eye) and Tracy M. Valorie, BS, MBA (TMV Associates) will moderate a session on “Navigating the Evolving Payer Landscape.”

“We will once again feature early-stage companies and their new technologies and approaches to glaucoma care. The amount of innovation that is flourishing in the glaucoma space right now is phenomenal,” said Adrienne Graves, PhD, a Glaucoma Research Foundation board member, and event co-founder.

Dr. Graves added, “As a result, there are more therapeutic options than ever before to help patients. Glaucoma 360 is an important catalyst to bring all the important elements together that can advance a promising idea into clinical use.”

Andrew Iwach, MD, Glaucoma Research Foundation board chair and co-founder of Glaucoma 360 with Dr. Graves, believes New Horizons Forum offers exclusive rewards for clinicians and others willing to visit San Francisco for some in-person, immersive networking. “One of the most important things we can do for our patients is stay up to date on new and upcoming solutions,” he says. “At New Horizons and other Glaucoma 360 events, you can do that — and help usher in the next generation of care.”

Past participants say the New Horizons Forum is a not-to-be missed meeting of the minds — an outstanding blend of basic science, clinical insight, and industry perspective, all in a congenial atmosphere conducive to collaboration.

New Horizons Forum is the centerpiece of Glaucoma 360, GRF’s signature three-day series of events planned for February 8 to 10, 2024. Glaucoma 360 kicks off with the Annual Gala to benefit GRF’s research and patient education programs and will honor leaders in glaucoma research and the visionaries and catalysts who share Glaucoma Research Foundation’s mission to cure glaucoma and restore vision through innovative research.

Glaucoma 360 concludes with two continuing medical education symposia for ophthalmologists and optometrists. At the 28^th annual Glaucoma Symposium CME on February 10, the Shaffer-Hetherington-Hoskins Keynote Lecture will be presented by nationally renowned ophthalmologist Ronald L. Fellman, MD, founder and President of Glaucoma Associates of Texas, past President of the American Glaucoma Society, and 2022 recipient of the Glaucoma Research Foundation’s Catalyst Award.

About Glaucoma Research Foundation

Founded in San Francisco in 1978, Glaucoma Research Foundation is America’s oldest and most experienced institution dedicated to its mission to cure glaucoma and restore vision through innovative research. The Foundation has a proven track record of pioneering, results-oriented research and produces definitive educational materials used by eye care professionals across the country. The Glaucoma Research Foundation website, www.glaucoma.org, provides valuable information about glaucoma to 3 million visitors annually.