ASCRS YES Connect Newsletter June 2025

Get to Know Your YES Clinical Committee Member:

Allison Chen, MD, MPH

Assistant Professor in Cataract, Refractive, and Cornea Surgery
Cullen Eye Institute, Baylor College of Medicine
Social Media: @allisonchenmd

Why did you go into ophthalmology? Growing up, I was always drawn to working with my hands, whether I was throwing ceramics on a wheel, casting glass, or crafting intricate, wearable jewelry. I also fancied myself a junior Sherlock Holmes, happily lost for hours in the pages of Where’s Waldo?, honing an eye for visual detail.

In many ways, ophthalmology felt like a natural extension of these childhood passions. It’s a specialty where diagnoses often hinge on subtle, microscopic findings rather than lab values or imaging—and where elegant, precise surgery can directly restore function. The combination of visual diagnostics and the artistry of microsurgery made ophthalmology an irresistibly rewarding path.

If you weren’t an ophthalmologist or even a doctor, what career would you like to try? I’d likely be deep in the Amazon … or at least in a greenhouse. I’ve developed a passion for growing tropical plants, particularly aroids and hoyas. In another life, I could easily see myself as a botanist, studying plant science and conservation biology. It would be a different kind of patient care—quieter, greener, and a bit more photosynthetic.

What do you look forward to most at the ASCRS Annual Meeting? What I look forward to most at the ASCRS Annual Meeting is connecting with like-minded, forward-thinking ophthalmologists who share a passion for innovation and improving patient outcomes. It’s an energizing environment where ideas flow freely.

I particularly enjoy participating in the complex anterior segment surgery sessions. This niche not only challenges us as surgeons but also provides opportunities to help a profoundly underserved patient population, which makes it especially meaningful to me.

What place is on your travel wish list? One of my husband and my most unforgettable journeys took us to Antarctica, South Georgia, and the Falkland Islands. I still remember the moment we stepped onto the windswept shores of South Georgia, only to find ourselves surrounded by more than 500,000 king penguins.

A few days later, we found ourselves silently kayaking through a glassy lagoon framed by icebergs, when a humpback whale surfaced just yards away, exhaling a cloud of mist into the Antarctic sky before vanishing back into the deep. After that, it’s hard to imagine anything more extraordinary, but an African safari is high on our list.

What’s your go-to movie theater snack? Hawaiian Hurricane Popcorn is my go-to indulgence, a savory, rich blend of buttery popcorn, roasted nori flakes, and crunchy mochi rice crackers. It’s not just a snack; it’s a love letter to local island flavors and the kind of bold, salty-sweet combinations Hawai‘i does best. Growing up in Hawai‘i, this was the ultimate movie treat!

Apply for the Legislative Fly-In Scholarship Program

ASCRS YES members in the U.S. are invited to attend the Alliance of Specialty Medicine Fly-In, taking place July 14–16 in Washington, D.C. Residents and fellows are eligible to apply for the program, which will cover travel, registration, and accommodations.

The Alliance of Specialty Medicine Fly-In is an excellent opportunity to learn about policy issues affecting the specialty medicine community and meet directly with representatives and senators to lobby for ASCRS policy initiatives. These in-person meetings show lawmakers the direct impact they have on physicians and patients in their districts and states.

How to Apply

U.S. resident and U.S. fellow YES members are eligible for the 2025 Legislative Fly-In Scholarship. Please submit the following to Mark Cribben, ASCRS Director of Government Affairs, at [email protected], by June 11:

Current CV
Description of your previous advocacy activities, if any (prior advocacy experience is not necessary but this information is valuable for planning purposes)
A statement about your position on the importance of advocacy and why you would like to be involved
Current home and/or voting address (required for Capitol Hill meetings)

If you are a YES member in your first 5 years of practice, you’re still encouraged to attend the Fly-In. ASCRS covers registration and accommodation expenses, as well as up to $1,000 in travel expenses. Register to attend using this Google Form. Registered attendees will receive event materials via the email used for registration. Also, congressional meetings will be scheduled based on the information provided. A hotel stay in the official block can be booked using this reservation link (deadline for hotel reservations is June 16).

ASCRS Live! Continues 2025 City Tour

Next Up: Seattle

ASCRS Live!, an educational dinner and networking program for ophthalmologists, is back on the road, and its next stop is Seattle, Washington, on July 24.

This evening CME program is targeted for a smaller audience, with discussion focusing on refractive cataract surgery. In addition to complimentary dinner and CME education, there will be ample time for open discussion and networking.

According to recent surveys, 100% of attendees who responded said they learned something new in the program and would recommend attending ASCRS Live! to their colleagues.

Don’t Forget About ASCRS On Demand

Stay tuned: The call for submissions for the 2026 ASCRS Annual Meeting opens June 16!

ASCRS On Demand, a post-meeting resources that captured more than 200 sessions, is available for YES members who registered and attended the ASCRS Annual Meeting.

Learn more about ASCRS On Demand and how to access content here. Thank you to all who attended the 2025 ASCRS Annual Meeting. We hope to see you in Washington, D.C., for ASCRS 2026 April 10–13! Sign up for early information about the 2026 meeting here.

Book your hotel for 2026! Hotel reservations are now available through the official housing provider of the ASCRS Annual Meeting, onPeak. Reserve early to ensure you get your preferred hotel.

Take Advantage of These Educational Opportunities with ASCRS

YES Connect Webinars: In “Introduction to Finance: Basic Stock Market & Financial Planning,” Andrew Johnson, MD, MBA, Casey Nickels of Providence Wealth Systems, and Erik Bergvin, Investment Analyst at AIA, begin a dive into the interpretation of financial terms and principles, creating a broad overview of finance.
ASCRS Grand Rounds: There’s a new episode of ASCRS Grand Rounds available now! Click here to see “Shallow Waters and Nailed It,” featuring Kamran Riaz, MD, Aakriti Garg Shukla, MD, Asim Farooq, MD, Samir Jabbour, MD, Ahmed Omar, MD, Daniella Schochet, MD, and Philip Zhou, MD.
ASCRS Cornea Clinical Committee Webinar: In “Antibody Drug Conjugates—An Emerging Class of Cancer Therapeutics Which Pose Risks to Corneal and Anterior Segment Health,” moderators Naveen Rao, MD, and Winston Chamberlain, MD, along with speakers Kamran Riaz, MD, Stella Kim, MD, and Asim Farooq, MD, discuss just what antibody drug conjugates are and what they’re used for. The faculty then reviews the possible complications and adverse reactions within the anterior segment that are associated with these drugs. They also provide a communication algorithm with the oncologist, including considerations for dose or frequency changes.

Helpful Links and Resources