Fairfax, VA – With the opening of the 2004 Symposium, the following individuals assumed duties as 2004 – 2005 American Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgery officers:

ASCRS Officers
Priscilla P. Arnold, MD, President, Chair, Government Relations Committee
Springfield, MO

Roger F. Steinert, MD, Vice President, President-Elect, Co-Chair Symposium Program Committee
Boston, MA

Stephen S. Lane, MD, Immediate Past President, EyeWorld Magazine Refractive Surgery Medical Editor
Stillwater, MN

Marguerite B. McDonald, MD, Past President
New Orleans, LA

Samuel Masket, MD, Chief Financial Officer
Los Angeles, CA 90067

Richard L. Lindstrom, MD, Secretary
Minneapolis, MN

I. Howard Fine, MD, Chair, ASCRS Foundation
Eugene, OR

Alan Crandall, MD, Chair, International Relations
Salt Lake City, UT

Manus C. Kraff, MD, Co-Chair, Symposium Program Committee
Chicago, IL

Douglas D. Koch, MD, Journal of Cataract and Refractive Surgery Editor
Houston, TX

Stephen A. Obstbaum, MD, EyeWorld Magazine Cataract Medical Editor,
New York, NY

Meeting Highlights:
The ASCRS ASOA Welcome Reception on board the USS John C. Stennis had the largest attendance of any ASCRS reception. The Navy estimate of the total was 3,200 physicians, guests, and Navy personnel. Following the meeting, ASCRS made a $5,000 donation to the ship’s Morale, Welfare, and Recreation Fund, which benefits the ship’s crew members and their families.

The ASCRS Film Festival, chaired by Paul Arnold, MD of Springfield, MO, had its largest number of entries from overseas in 2004. There were 132 international entries and 40 domestic entries. India had the largest number from any single country, 26, followed by Germany with 18.

Exhibitor Advisory Board Formed
ASCRS Executive Director, David Karcher, announced on May 17, the formation of an ASCRS Symposium Exhibitor Advisory Board. The board will be made up of large and small exhibitors representing the gamut of products and services exhibited at the Symposium. Major exhibitors will chair it on a rotating basis.

Symposium and Congress Statistics
The final attendance figures and statistics for the ASCRS Symposium and the ASOA Congress
2004, San Diego: 6156
2003, San Francisco: 6149
2002, Philadelphia: 5826

The ASCRS Program
ASCRS papers: 911 presented. Submissions, 476 domestic, 500 international.
Physician courses:135 presented. Submissions, 77 domestic, 61 International.
Symposia: 77 speakers in 11 sessions
Posters: 230 presented, 292 submitted.
Films: 172 films judged.

ASOA Program
Courses: 95 presented, 101 submitted
Optional courses: 4 presented
Roundtables: 44
Ophthalmic Photographers Society: 195 submissions, 45 winners
Clinical and Surgical program: 58 presented