Greetings!

September is fast approaching and the organizing committee is now making final adjustments to the great program for our 33rd Annual Scientific Meeting. We look forward to seeing as many of you as possible in Chicago, and earnestly urge you to encourage non-member colleagues and associates to join us! 

We have assembled a prestigious, diverse group of speakers, many of whom have already confirmed their participation. So, I am excited to introduce some faculty who are traveling from abroad: 

• Chandra M Kumar, MBBS, senior consultant in anesthesia for Khoo Teck Puat Hospital (Singapore) and a Professor of Practice/Visiting Professor for Newcastle University & Newcastle University Medical School (UK). Chandra is a widely-respected author of many ophthalmic anesthesia papers.
• Tom Eke, MA, MD, FRCOphth, consultant ophthalmologist for Norfolk and Norwich University Hospitals (UK). Tom’s main research interests include the safety and effectiveness of local anesthesia, and patient-centered outcomes in glaucoma surgery.
• Sujatha Ravichandran, DA, DNB, who practices at the not-for-profit charitable eye hospital, Sankara Nethralaya, in India. 

I would be remiss not to remind you that registration is now open and we are also currently accepting abstract submissions. This is a unique opportunity for members from all disciplines to present case studies, research data or technique modifications to an audience of your peers – so, please get to it and submit your abstracts ahead of the August deadline.

I am also extending an open invitation to your local network members to join our society. As an incentive, new members will receive a 15% discount on registration. When you enroll online at the OAS website (eyeanethesia.org), the new member activation email will include a code that automatically applies the reduced registration fee. 

I am always available via email (hpalte@miami.edu) to accept ideas or address inquiries, so don’t remain a stranger!

Howard Palte, MBchB
OAS President