ASOT 2026 Ophthalmic Trauma Symposium
The Ophthalmic Trauma Playbook: Best Practices from Initial Response to Long-Term Recovery
Held in conjunction with the American Academy of Ophthalmology Annual Meeting
Friday, October 9, 2026 | 12:30 PM – 6:00 PM |
JW Marriott New Orleans, 614 Canal Street, Vieux Carré Ballroom, New Orleans, LA
OMIC will grant a 5% discount for members.
| Start Time | End Time | Lecture | Speaker(s) |
| 12:30 PM | 12:40 PM | AAO Presidential Address Trauma Readiness: Education and Systems | Christopher Rapuano, M.D.
Chief, Cornea Service Peter and Ruth Laibson Cornea Service Chief Chair Wills Eye Hospital President, American Academy of Ophthalmology |
12:42 PM | 12:52 PM | Ophthalmic trauma road map
| Stuart R. Seiff, M.D.
| The Pacific Center for Oculofacial and Aesthetic Plastic Surgery Executive Vice President, American Society of Ophthalmic Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery 12:54 PM |
2:05 PM |
RESPONSE: Minutes
Moderator - Kristen Hawthorne, M.D., Cornea, Cataract, Refractive and External Disease, Private Practice - Howerton Eye Center - Austin, TX; Affiliate Clinical Assistant Professor, Texas A&M University, Naresh K. Vashisht College of Medicine
|
12:56 PM |
1:06 PM |
Anesthesia/Analgesia in eye emergencies for exam and procedures |
Katherine S. Cox, M.D., FASA
|
Professor of Anesthesiology Director for Anesthesiology Residency Program Tulane University School of Medicine 1:08 PM |
1:38 PM |
Risk, liability and responsibility: Improved outcomes through a
team approach |
Michelle Pineda, M.B.A.
|
Ophthalmic Mutual Insurance Company Aaron H. Steele, Jr., M.D. Emergency Medicine Ochsner Medical Center - West Bank Campus Charleston West, D.O. Internal Medicine, San Antonio, TX 1:40 PM |
1:50 PM |
Orbital compartment syndrome, canthotomy, cantholysis, full-thickness lid splitting |
Adam de la Garza, M.D.
|
Alabama Ophthalmology Associates Associate Professor of Ophthalmology University of Alabama at Birmingham American Society of Ophthalmic Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery 1:52 PM |
2:02 PM |
Chemical burn and irrigation |
Mohammed Solemani, M.D., F.I.C.O.
|
Professor of Ophthalmology Chief of Cornea, External Disease, and Refractive surgery University of Southern California 2:05 PM |
2:25 PM |
Break |
| 2:30 PM |
3:52 PM |
RESPONSE: Hours (Damage control and interventions)
Moderators - Hossein K. Nazari, M.D., Ph.D., Associate Professor, Vitreoretinal Service, University of Minnesota Medical School; Gangadhara Sundar, M.B.B.S., D.O., FRCS.Ed., Senior Consultant, Department of Ophthalmology, National University Hospital, Adjunct Associate Professor, Department of Ophthalmology, Yong Loo Lin School of
Medicine, National University of Singapore |
2:30 PM |
2:40 PM |
Orbital trauma |
Richard C. Allen, M.D., Ph.D., F.A.C.S.
|
Professor, Dept. of Ophthalmology Chief of Ophthalmology, Ben Taub Hospital Baylor College of Medicine Houston, TX 2:42 PM |
2:52 PM |
Anterior segment trauma |
Jennifer Yeong-Hua Li, M.D.
|
Clinical Instructor University of Michigan Health | Michigan Medicine Secretary Cornea Society 2:54 PM |
3:04 PM |
Posterior segment trauma |
Royce W. S. Chen, M.D.
|
Jean Sheng Associate Professor of Ophthalmology at CUMC Vice Chair of Education Residency Program Director Vitreoretinal Surgery and Uveitis Edward S. Harkness Eye Institute Columbia University Irving Medical Center President-Elect Vit-Buckle Society 3:06 PM |
3:16 PM |
Neuro-ophthalmic trauma |
Valerie I. Elmalem, M.D.
|
Associate Professor of Ophthalmology Interim Chief of Neuro-ophthalmology, Mount Sinai Health System Director of Neuro-Ophthalmology, NYEE Associate Medical Director, NYEE Carle Place Neuro-ophthalmology, Ophthalmic Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery New York Eye and Ear Infirmary of Mount Sinai North American Neuro-Ophthalmology Society 3:18 PM |
3:28 PM |
Pediatric ophthalmic trauma
|
Phoebe Lenhart, M.D.
|
Associate Professor of Ophthalmology Section of Pediatric Ophthalmology Emory University School of Medicine American Association of Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus 3:30 PM |
3:40 PM |
Nasolacrimal system trauma |
H. Joon Kim, M.D.
|
Associate Professor of Ophthalmology Division of Oculoplastics and Orbital Surgery John A. Moran Eye Center University of Utah School of Medicine American Society of Ophthalmic Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery 3:42 PM |
3:52 PM |
Skin substitute |
Zhenyang James Zhao, M.D.
|
Assistant Professor Emory University School of Medicine American Society of Ophthalmic Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery 3:55 PM |
4:15 PM |
Break |
| 4:20 PM |
4:55 PM |
RESPONSE: Days
Moderators - Grayson W. Armstrong, M.D., M.P.H., Director, Ophthalmology Emergency Service, Massachusetts Eye & Ear, Instructor in Ophthalmology, Harvard Medical School;
Fasika A. Woreta, M.D., M.P.H., Associate Professor of Ophthalmology, Wilmer Eye Institute, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine
|
4:20 PM |
4:30 PM |
Traumatic cataract management |
James Auran, M.D.
|
Professor of Ophthalmology Columbia University Irving Medical Center Attending physician Department of Ophthalmology, NYC Health + Hospitals/Harlem Assistant Program Director Columbia University Irving Medical Center/New York-Presbyterian Ophthalmology Residency Executive Vice President American Society of Ophthalmic Trauma 4:32 PM |
4:42 PM |
Traumatic glaucoma management |
Jonathan S. Myers, M.D.
|
Chief, Glaucoma Service Wills Eye Hospital Professor, Ophthalmology Sidney Kimmel Medical College at Thomas Jefferson University Ze Zhang, M.D. Associate Professor, Glaucoma Service Tulane University GME Residency Program Director 4:44 PM |
4:54 PM |
Early vitrectomy and pole-to-pole surgery |
José Dalma-Weiszhausz, M.D.
|
Professor National Autonomous University of Mexico International Ocular Trauma Society American Society of Retina Specialists 4:55 PM |
5:10 PM |
Break |
| 5:15 PM |
5:49 PM |
RESPONSE: Weeks
Moderator - Grant A. Justin, M.D., Assistant Professor, Uniformed Services University, Bethesda, Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, Bethesda, MD, Immediate Past President, American Society of Ophthalmic Trauma |
5:15 PM |
5:25 PM |
Proliferative vitreoretinopathy prevention & management |
Dean Eliott, M.D.
|
Director, Emeritus, Retina Service Fellowship Director, Vitreoretinal Surgery Fellowship Massachusetts Eye & Ear Stelios Evangelos Gragoudas Professor of Ophthalmology Harvard Medical School 5:27 PM |
5:37 PM |
Delayed vitrectomy |
Geoffrey G. Emerson, M.D., Ph.D.
|
Retina Consultants of Minnesota President of the American Society of Retina Specialists 5:39 PM |
5:49 PM |
Secondary intraocular lenses
|
Roberto Pineda II, M.D.
|
Thomas Y. and Clara W. Butler Chair in Ophthalmology Massachusetts Eye & Ear Associate Professor of Ophthalmology Harvard Medical School American Society of Cataract and Reefractive Surgery Subspecialty sponsors
| American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO) American Association of Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus (AAPOS) American Glaucoma Society (AGS) American Society of Cornea and Refractive Surgery (ASCRS) American Society of Oculoplastic and Reconstructive Surgery (ASOPRS) Asia Pacific Ophthalmic Trauma Society (APOTS) Cornea Society International Society of Ocular Trauma (ISOT) North American Neuro-Ophthalmology Society (NANOS) Ophthalmic Mutual Insurance Company (OMIC) Pan-American Ocular Trauma Society (APTO) Society of Military Ophthalmologists (SMO) |