NEW YORK--International Vision Expo's EyeMax Theatre makes its East Coast debut, providing a valuable educational resource for eyecare professionals. As part of the International Vision Expo's General Sessions, the EyeMax Theatre will have more visual and interactive learning tools for the audience.

This new environment, with high-resolution video and audio streams, creates a more collective learning experience among colleagues and enhances the educational experience between educators and eyecare professionals.

"The enhanced visual and interactive learning environment at the EyeMax Theatre will support a collegial educational process among peers," said Eileen Baird, International Vision Expo vice president and show manager.

"Taught by the best visioncare educators in the field of eye health, every EyeMax Theatre session will provide the most innovative practice insights for each category of visioncare professionals."

All EyeMax Theatre continuing education presentations will feature teams of educators who are experts in their particular field of eye health. Sessions will address wide-ranging vision care issues from cataracts and co-management to optical practice management methods and techniques.

Highlights of the EyeMax Theatre schedule include:

Thursday, March 10
1 p.m.--4 p.m.
The Science of Perfecting Vision and Enhancing Life Through Primary Eyecare
Led by a panel of thought leaders who are experts in these areas (COPE Pending)

The science of perfecting vision continues to change with a host of innovations and new technologies occurring across the entire eye health industry. There are new contact lens materials and designs allowing healthier wear and enhanced visual acuity. These contacts can reshape patient's vision with overnight wear or provide better vision to presbyopic and astigmatic patients. Beyond contact lenses, there are breakthroughs in lens care solutions that reduce lens deposits while preventing end-of-day dryness and comfort-related dropouts. Advances in pharmaceuticals are producing modern anti-inflammatory and anti-bacterial combination drugs and oral supplements that combat AMD and promote general eye health. This lecture series will address the science behind these developments and their impact on patients, doctors' practices and the industry as a whole.

Friday, March 11
9 a.m.--12 p.m.
Managing Patient's Needs Throughout Their Life Cycles
Glen Steele, OD; Gary Gerber, OD; Christian Guier, OD (COPE Pending)

Patients have different needs throughout their lives. This course begins with the infant and follows the patients through to their adult and senior life cycles. Various ophthalmic needs are discussed and managing patient's concerns are presented.

Saturday, March 12
8:30 a.m.--11:30 a.m.
Clinical Grand Rounds
Randall Thomas, OD, MPH, FAAO; Ron Melton, OD, FAAO (COPE Pending)

This course presents exciting and clinically enlightening cases involving the anterior and posterior segment, as well as contact lens-related complications. Emphasis is given to sharpening the clinician's skills in diagnosing and medically managing common and uncommon ocular disease entities.

12:45 p.m.--3:45 p.m.
Cataract Surgery Update And Comanagement Perspectives
Aron Rose, MD; Kirk Smick, OD; Jack Schaeffer, OD; J. James Thimons, OD, FAAO; John Lahr, OD; Katherine Mastrota, OD; Charles Ficco, OD; (COPE Pending)

An all-star panel consisting of MDs and ODs will address today's hot topics in cataract surgery and IOL selection. The session will teach how to "prescribe" IOL's and become familiar with all the new models available to help correct patient's vision.

Sunday, March 13
8:30 a.m.--11:30 a.m. 
Building A World Class Practice
Ian Gaddie, OD; John Rumpakis, OD (COPE Pending)

This course will utilize an innovative approach to help recognize the clinical features and techniques that allow proper coding and billing for some of the top clinical medical presentations most OD's encounter on a daily basis. The course will show how to utilize a medical model approach to coding and billing, as well as how to better position your practice to incorporate optometric "primary disease care" as a significant revenue base.

All EyeMax Theatre presentations will be held in Room 14 in the E Hall of the Javits Center. Advance registration is required.