Every year the American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO) meeting takes place in the fall with over ten thousand ophthalmologists and health professionals in attendance. There are all fields within ophthalmology, including subspecialty days, as well as courses and sessions to take.
For the last 8 years, Dr. Kokame has participated in the AAO course on Polypoidal Choroidal Vasculopathy (PCV)—one of the longest running courses for retina at AAO. This course was led by Dr. Timothy Lai of Hong Kong and other instructors Drs. Won Ki Lee of South Korea and Fumi Gomi of Japan. Over the years, the course has evolved as more recognition has been given to this under-diagnosed disease. Research has led to new findings that improve the current standard of care for PCV.
PCV course instructors: Drs. Won Ki Lee, Fumi Gomi, Timothy Lai, and Gregg Kokame
This year, the course provided updates on PCV as well as real world application of such information. Based on the recent results of the EVEREST II study and his personal experience, Dr. Kokame suggested that visual and anatomic results for actively leaking and bleeding PCV eyes is better with combination photodynamic therapy with anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) injection than with anti-VEGF monotherapy. These important results are not widely understood or utilized in the United States, so the information learned from these meetings and courses are aimed to help improve and enhance daily practice routines and disease management.
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