Public release date: 12-Aug-1997
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Contact: Michelle Stephens
mstephens@aao.org
415-447-0221
American Academy of Ophthalmology

World's Largest Organization Of Eye Physicians And Surgeons To Meet In San Francisco

(San Francisco) -- Members of the media are invited to attend the 1997 Annual Meeting of the American Academy of Ophthalmology, October 26-29, at the Moscone Convention Center in San Francisco. The AAO Annual Meeting, the largest gathering of eye physicians and surgeons in the world, is also the second largest medical meeting in the United States, with more than 22,000 people expected to attend. In addition, more than 300 technical exhibitors will display the latest in vision and eycare technology.

This year's meeting promises to bring the most up-to-date news in medical eye health care:

With the aging of the country's "baby boomer" population, the leading causes of blindness in the elderly are in the spotlight now more than ever. What is the latest in the treatment of eye diseases such as diabetic retinopathy, glaucoma, cataract and macular degeneration?

Nearly 70,000 photorefractive keratectomy (PRK) procedures were performed with the excimer laser in the United States last year on patients with myopia. Those with astigmatism can now be treated as well, and new laser surgery procedures promise to help improve vision in even more people.

With the millennium rapidly approaching, can techniques such as whole eye transplantation be far away? Find out what advances we can expect in eye health care in the next century.

With new treatments, those infected with HIV are living longer. New advances related to ocular immunology have led to novel ways to treat disease. Come find out how ophthalmologists are helping those infected with HIV and other immune diseases to save their eyesight and preserve the quality of their lives.

Currently 50 million Americans suffer from high blood pressure, which can cause serious health problems, including strokes and heart attacks. Did you know, however, that high blood pressure can also affect your eyes? Find out the ophthalmologists' role in the detection and treatment of high blood pressure.

This will be your opportunity to hear the world's leading experts discuss the latest studies, new treatments, and what to expect in the future.

You are also invited to attend the Subspecialty Day 1997 program, October 24-25, 1997. This year's program includes:

Vitreoretinal Update 1997;

Reshaping the Future; Refractive Surgery 1997;

Under Pressure: Glaucoma 1997; and

Mastering Business Administration 1997: PPMCs--A History, Examination, and Diagnosis.

We are also very excited about a program being offered for the first time--Infoaccess '97: Merging Technology and Health Care, a meeting co-sponsored by the Academy's New Education Technology Committee and Sun Microsystems. Topics covered will range from the Internet to the latest in telemedicine.

For more information, to receive an Advance Program, or to preregister for media credentials, contact Michelle Stephens at 415-447-0221 or by e-mail at mstephens@aao.org.

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