On a recent, beautiful autumn weekend, Dr. Luminais traveled to Bar Harbor, Maine for The 13th Annual Downeast Ophthalmology Symposium. Outstanding speakers in a beautiful setting make this a nice meeting to attend in the fall.

Glaucoma was a hot topic. Visual field testing and optic nerve imaging occupied a significant amount of time as well. These are big factors in the care of glaucoma patients, so different points of view expanded horizons.

Cataract surgery in particularly difficult or unusual situations was another large area of interest. There are many circumstances that might make cataract surgery more risky than “typical”, and strategies and techniques to create the best possible outcome were discussed.

Laser-assisted cataract surgery is being actively investigated by Dr. Luminais. One section of this symposium featured a pioneer in laser-assisted cataract surgery, who taught some of the nuances of the introduction and use of the femto-second lasers. These are extremely expensive devices, but they will be an increasingly useful tool in the near future.

Interestingly, dry eye syndrome, such a large issue here, especially as the weather gets colder and drier, was not on the agenda. Could that be because the meeting was on the coast, a more humid environment? Dry eyes get too little attention, and there is a national consensus that more attention to dry eyes and more aggressive treatment is important.

The symposium was informative and productive. Dr. Luminais also met a colleague from Wills Eye Hospital. Along the way, hiking in the gorgeous Acadia National Park and kayaking in Frenchman Bay made for a nice way to attend a meeting.