October 24, 2018 - Alcon the global leader in eye care and a division of Novartis, will showcase its commitment to innovation and advancements in ophthalmology through a robust booth presence, a series of live demonstrations and interactive symposia during the American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO) 2018 annual meeting, taking place October 27-30 in Chicago, IL. 

“We are very excited to exhibit our leading-edge technologies at AAO by offering surgeons live, hands-on demonstrations and informative events,” said Jim Di Filippo, Vice President and General Manager, US Surgical, Alcon. “Through our commitment to ongoing innovation, we continue to streamline the surgical experience for every operating room, arming surgeons with a complete line of interactive and compatible tools and resources to support them in delivering the best possible outcomes for their patients.”

The company will have live demonstrations featuring recent technological advancements to create an immersive experience at the Alcon booth (#2708). Surgeons can learn about and interact with the latest innovations in vitreoretinal, cataract and refractive surgery, including the ORA System® with VerifEye®+ Technology, the ORA System® with VerifEye® Lynk Technology, the NGENUITY® 3D Visualization System with DATAFUSION™ and the UltraSert® Pre-loaded IOL Delivery System. Booth activities will include a preview demonstration of the future of IOL inventory management, “Wanda,” a radio-frequency identification (RFID) technology that allows for the digital tracking of IOL inventory. Information regarding products recently available from Alcon will also be available at the booth.

Alcon will host an extensive schedule of interactive training and educational events designed to enhance surgical outcomes, including leading-edge virtual reality trainings; one-on-one discussions with industry-leading experts through Surgeon to Surgeon; the Intraoperative Aberrometry (IOA) Summit for current and future ORA System® users, featuring ORA System® with VerifEye®+ Technology and ORA System® with VerifEye® Lynk Technology; and the Fourth Annual Retina Film Festival. 

Alcon Booth Activities

ORA System® Technologies
The ORA System® with VerifEye®+ Technology intraoperative aberrometer features enhancements to provide real-time guidance and verification for cataract refractive surgery and continuous assessment of the patient's eye throughout the procedure, helping to make cataract surgery even more precise. Surgeons at AAO will have the opportunity to interact with ORA System® with VerifEye®+ Technology, which connects to AnalyzOR™ for continuous surgeon optimization and analysis with outcome reports for sphere and astigmatism correction. 

The ORA System® with VerifEye® Lynk Technology is the latest image-guided intraoperative aberrometer offering from Alcon and is designed to enhance and streamline cataract surgical planning, guidance, verification and optimization. A video demonstration of the leading-edge technology will be available at the Alcon booth. 

NGENUITY® 3D Visualization System with DATAFUSION™ 
Surgeons who visit the Alcon booth will have the opportunity to experience the NGENUITY® 3D Visualization System, which provides retinal surgeons unprecedented 3D visualization of the back of the eye with greater depth and detail during surgery than traditional microscopes.¹ With the addition of the DATAFUSION™ software, the system now offers integration with the CONSTELLATION® Vision System, the leading technology platform for vitreoretinal surgery.

UltraSert® Pre-loaded IOL Delivery System
Through hands-on dry labs offered onsite, surgeons can interact with the advanced design features of the UltraSert® Pre-loaded IOL Delivery System. Surgeons who visit the Alcon booth can also experience the reliable, user-friendly delivery of a pristine, untouched IOL, with less device preparation time than manually loaded IOLs.^2,3,4

The Future of IOL Inventory Management 
Demonstrations at the Alcon booth will give cataract surgeons the opportunity to preview the future of IOL inventory management, featuring Alcon’s exclusive device, “Wanda,” an RFID wand. The breakthrough technology will streamline IOL inventory management, as “Wanda” quickly reads radio signals emitted by RFID tags in IOL packaging to inventory a practice’s supply in seconds. The system is designed to ensure surgeons are equipped with the products they need for each individual patient undergoing cataract surgery. “Wanda” will only be available to surgeons who register for or currently use MyAlconStore.com.

Recent Product Updates
Eye care professionals at AAO will have a chance to learn more about products now available from Alcon, including a group of mydriatic, cycloplegic, diagnostic and anesthetic products fundamental to many ophthalmic procedures done in the clinic and operating room. These products were transferred from Alcon’s parent company, Novartis. Surgeons can also learn more about the new ultraviolet(UV)-filtering options in the AcrySof® IQ family of IOLs. Details on the available products will be provided at the Alcon booth.

Virtual Reality Training 
Professionals visiting the Alcon booth can engage with leading-edge virtual reality training modules through technology offered by the Alcon Experience Academy. Surgeons will engage with the eye like never before through the Virtual Eye Experience, an immersive virtual reality tour through the inner workings of the eye. Alcon Experience Academy will also showcase a new Virtual 3D Theater, where professionals can experience a three-dimensional view into actual cases lead by industry-leading experts. Those who visit the booth will also have the opportunity to register for a new online portal featuring a growing library of training videos to support surgeons in providing the best-possible patient outcomes. To learn more about the Alcon Experience Academy, which also offers face-to-face trainings by leading specialists from around the world, go to AlconExperienceAcademy.com or visit the Alcon booth. 

Surgeon to Surgeon 
Throughout the meeting, Alcon is facilitating Surgeon to Surgeon interactions, offering eye care professionals the chance to talk one-on-one with surgeons about some of the most innovative eye care technologies in the industry. Discussion topics include astigmatism management, surgical glaucoma, surgical retina, and cataract refractive surgery. Visit the Alcon booth for the full Surgeon to Surgeon schedule. Conversations begin at 10:00 AM and end at 4:00 PM on both Saturday, October 27 and Sunday, October 28.

Alcon Events 

Intraoperative Aberrometry (IOA) Summit
The IOA Summit is an educational and interactive event designed for current and future ORA System® users. The program will feature ORA System® with VerifEye®+ Technology and ORA System® with VerifEye® Lynk Technology. 

The summit, moderated by Drs. Michael Jones of Quantum Vision Centers and Robin Vann of Duke University School of Medicine, will take place on Friday, October 26 from 5:00 – 7:00 p.m. at the Palmer House Hilton in Chicago. 

Fourth Annual Retina Film Festival  
Alcon is hosting the Fourth Annual Retina Film Festival, an interactive event driven by surgical case videos that feature the latest technologies designed to help surgeons deliver a higher level of precision and efficiency during vitreoretinal surgery. The videos, to be presented by esteemed Alcon faculty and guest presenters, will feature the NGENUITY® 3D Visualization System and other advanced technologies by Alcon. 

The program, moderated by Dr. Donald J. D’Amico of Weill Cornell Medical College, will be held on Saturday, October 27 at 5:45 p.m. at Venue SIX10 in Chicago. 

Important Information about the Alcon Products Featured in this Alert

ORA System® 
The ORA System® uses wavefront aberrometry data to measure and analyze the refractive power of the eye to support cataract surgical procedures. Preexisting retinal or corneal conditions may affect the accuracy of the measurements. Please refer to the ORA System® Operator’s Manual for a complete list of contraindications, warnings and precautions.

NGENUITY® 3D Visualization System 
The NGENUITY® 3D Visualization System consists of a 3D stereoscopic, high-definition digital video camera and workstation to provide magnified stereoscopic images of objects during micro-surgery. When operating in 3D, to ensure optimal image quality, only approved passive-polarized glasses should be used. Use of polarized prescription glasses will cause the 3D effect to be distorted. In case of emergency, keep the microscope oculars and mounting accessories in the cart top drawer. Please refer to the User Manual for a complete list of appropriate uses, warnings and precautions.

UltraSert® Pre-loaded IOL Delivery System
As with any surgical procedure, there are risks involved. Potential complications accompanying cataract surgery may include corneal endothelial damage, endophthalmitis, retinal detachment, vitritis, cystoid macular edema, corneal edema, pupillary block, cyclitic membrane, iris prolapse, hypopyon, and transient or persistent glaucoma. Only Alcon qualified viscoelastic(s) should be used with the UltraSert® Pre-loaded Delivery System. The use of an unqualified viscoelastic may cause damage to the lens and potential complications during the implantation process. Please refer to the directions for use for a complete list of appropriate uses, warnings and precautions.

Additional important information about these products will be available at the Alcon booth (#2708).