Let’s face it: some of the meetings we as ophthalmologists have attended have been less than exhilarating. Some time may pass before advances in technology, practice patterns or surgical techniques occur, and in between, the meetings we attend may seem somewhat mundane.

Fortunately, the past ASCRS meeting in Washington, D.C., was not one of those events. Certainly the World Cornea Congress added to the meeting, with papers on cutting-edge developments in lamellar surgical techniques, restoration of the ocular surface stem cells and the like. On the floor, many colleagues quizzed each other about Femtosecond flap results vs. microkeratome results and differences among various aspheric intraocular lenses. If one takes a step back to analyze the entire picture, it becomes evident that we are becoming quite a technologically sophisticated group, as we enter what I predict will be an exciting decade of advances in ocular care.

However, let’s be sure to apply what we’ve already learned in the past decade about new technologies, and incorporate them into our practices for an ultimately successful outcome. Let’s not forget, for example, where discounting our procedures took us, or what overselling surgery cost us. We have a lot of clubs in our golf bags now. Take the time to think over the shot, select the correct club and make the shot successful.

Stephen E. Pascucci, MD Medical Editor [email protected]