American Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgery

American Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgery
Name	American Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgery
Abbreviation	ASCRS
Formation	1974
Type	Professional association
Headquarters	United States
Region served	International
Membership	Ophthalmologists, surgeons
Leader title	President

American Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgery is a professional medical association focused on surgical treatment of the eye, particularly cataract and refractive procedures. Founded in the 1970s, the society works with academic centers, health institutions, and regulatory agencies to advance clinical practice, research, and education in ophthalmology and visual sciences. It interacts with a wide network of surgeons, universities, journals, and medical device manufacturers across North America, Europe, Asia, and other regions.

History

The society emerged during a period of rapid development in vitreoretinal and anterior segment surgery, intersecting the careers and institutions linked to pioneers such as Charles Kelman, Patricia Bath, Svyatoslav Fyodorov, Jose Ignacio Barraquer, and contemporaneous centers including Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary, Bascom Palmer Eye Institute, Wilmer Eye Institute, Moorfields Eye Hospital, and Wills Eye Hospital. Early interactions involved manufacturers like Alcon, Bausch & Lomb, Johnson & Johnson, and academic journals such as Archives of Ophthalmology, Ophthalmology (journal), and British Journal of Ophthalmology. The society's formative years overlapped with milestones including the introduction of phacoemulsification, intraocular lens implantation, and refractive keratectomy techniques developed at institutions like University of Iowa, Johns Hopkins Hospital, and Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich. Regulatory and policy contexts involved agencies and events such as Food and Drug Administration, European Medicines Agency, and clinical trials anchored by centers like Cleveland Clinic and Mayo Clinic. Over time the society engaged with international meetings such as American Academy of Ophthalmology annual meeting, European Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgeons, World Ophthalmology Congress, and specialty groups including International Council of Ophthalmology.

Mission and Activities

The society's mission encompasses surgeon education, clinical standards, and technology assessment, working alongside organizations such as National Institutes of Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, World Health Organization, American Medical Association, and Association of American Medical Colleges. Activities include guideline development with input from academic departments at Stanford University School of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Yale School of Medicine, and collaborations with professional societies like American Academy of Ophthalmology, European Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgeons, Canadian Ophthalmological Society, Asia-Pacific Academy of Ophthalmology, and Pan American Association of Ophthalmology. The society interfaces with standards bodies and awards overseen by institutions such as American Board of Ophthalmology, Royal College of Ophthalmologists, Medical Research Council (United Kingdom), and philanthropic organizations such as The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and Lions Clubs International.

Membership and Leadership

Membership draws ophthalmic surgeons associated with departments and hospitals including Duke University School of Medicine, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, University of California, San Francisco, New York Eye and Ear Infirmary of Mount Sinai, Keck School of Medicine of USC, and University of Michigan Medical School. Leadership roles have historically involved figures affiliated with centers like Bascom Palmer Eye Institute, Wills Eye Hospital, Wilmer Eye Institute, and leaders who have connections to awards and honors including Lasker Award, Helen Keller Prize for Vision Research, Alcon Research Institute Awards, and membership in academies such as National Academy of Medicine. The society liaises with international academic leaders from University College London, Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Karolinska Institutet, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, and University of Sydney.

Annual Meetings and Education

Annual meetings feature symposia, instruction courses, and panels with participation by key figures from institutions like Johns Hopkins Hospital, Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary, Moorfields Eye Hospital, and corporations such as AbbVie, Glaukos, Zeiss, EssilorLuxottica, and Hoya. The program often overlaps with themes from conferences including American Academy of Ophthalmology annual meeting, European Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgeons Congress, AAO Meeting, ASRS Annual Meeting, and global events such as World Ophthalmology Congress. Educational initiatives include wet labs and simulation training developed with partners like Simulab Corporation, research fellowships at university departments such as University of California, Los Angeles, and certification guidance associated with American Board of Ophthalmology examinations.

Research, Publications, and Guidelines

The society supports clinical research and publishes guidelines and consensus statements informed by randomized controlled trials, meta-analyses, and registries managed in cooperation with journals and institutions such as Ophthalmology (journal), Journal of Cataract & Refractive Surgery, British Journal of Ophthalmology, Investigative Ophthalmology & Visual Science, The Lancet, New England Journal of Medicine, and research networks like ClinicalTrials.gov. Topics addressed include intraocular lens designs investigated at Moorfields Eye Hospital, corneal refractive procedures from University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics, and outcomes research linked to Mayo Clinic registries. The society issues practice guidelines that intersect with regulatory frameworks overseen by Food and Drug Administration and clinical standards referenced by specialty groups such as American Academy of Ophthalmology and European Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgeons.

Public Outreach and Patient Resources

Public outreach and patient education efforts connect to organizations such as National Eye Institute, American Academy of Ophthalmology, Prevent Blindness, Lions Clubs International, and advocacy groups including American Foundation for the Blind, Glaucoma Research Foundation, Foundation Fighting Blindness, and BrightFocus Foundation. Resources include patient guides, safety advisories relating to devices from Alcon and Bausch & Lomb, and informational campaigns linked to World Sight Day organized by International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness and global partners like World Health Organization. The society's materials are used by clinics and health centers from Cleveland Clinic to Singapore National Eye Centre to inform patients about cataract surgery, intraocular lens options, and refractive procedures.

Category:Medical associations based in the United States