American Uveitis Society News

AUS Micromedex Task Force Updates

Edmund Tsui — Tue, 21 Jan 2025 20:20:18 GMT

In 2023, the AUS Executive Committee approved a task force to undertake the effort of adding medications to the Micromedex database for off-label use in ocular inflammatory diseases. This task force was led by Drs. Robert Swan and Bob Moorthy and we'd like to announce some important updates from their work:

Micromedex recently approved the following medications and off-label uses:

Tocilizumab for adult uveitis
Adalimumab for adult PUK
Rituximab for adult scleritis

Data has also been submitted and is being considered by Micromedex for the following:

Tocilizumab for pediatric uveitis
Rituximab for OCP
Infliximab for PUK

Many insurances use the Micromedex compendium to decide whether or not they will approve a medication for use in patients. This task force has been instrumental in expanding access to medications for our patients, as it also is a resource for finding primary literature supporting the drug's off-label use in certain conditions. We want to recognize the leaders and members of this task force for their important work in lowering barriers to help obtain effective treatment for our patients!

AUS Micromedex Task Force Members

Robert Swan, MD (co-chair)

Bob Moorthy, MD (co-chair)

Laura Kopplin, MD, PhD

Christopher Conrady, MD, PhD

Joan Lee, DO

Jennifer Cao, MD

Caroline Minkus, MD

Retinal Physician Article on Young Uveitis Specialists (YUS)

Edmund Tsui — Wed, 08 May 2024 03:45:13 GMT

Retinal Physician recently interviewed several co-founders of the Young Uveitis Specialists (YUS) to discuss the objectives of this recently established subgroup within AUS , focusing on their mission to support early career uveitis specialists. Read the full article here.

AUS Issues Recommendation that Uveitis Fellowship Interviews be In-Person

Russell Read — Sat, 20 Apr 2024 12:21:13 GMT

The American Uveitis Society today issued an official policy statement that uveitis fellowship interviews should be conducted in-person. The position statement can be found here.

AUS MicroMedex Task Force Reports First Update on Uveitis Treatments

Russell Read — Mon, 28 Aug 2023 22:23:17 GMT

We are excited to inform you that the AUS Micromedex Task Force headed by Drs. Robert Swan and Bob Moorthy, along with Drs. Jenn Cao, Joan Lee, Christopher Conrady, Caroline Minkus, and Laura Kopplin has successfully approached MicroMedex and provided peer-reviewed evidence strongly supporting the use of traditional immunomodulatory therapy and biologics in the treatment of non-infectious uveitis. MicroMedex is an evidence-based, multi-database drug search engine that provides summary and in-depth information for drugs, diseases, toxicology and alternative medicine and is heavily utilized by insurance carriers to construct their tiered formularies and prior authorization policies. The AUS Micromedex Task Force asked for a desperately needed update and review of the existing database on steroid sparing IMT and biologics in uveitis management. After their independent review of submitted supporting documents and research, MicroMedex has updated their adalimumab recommendations to include a new indication for Anterior Uveitis (adult and pediatric) and have also added once-weekly off-label dosing to both the adalimumab FDA indication along with the new Anterior Uveitis indication. This should make adalimumab prior authorizations easier for anterior uveitis and also for escalation to weekly dosing. Further reviews and database updates will likely follow in the next few months.

AUS Symposium at upcoming IOIS Congress

Edmund Tsui — Thu, 02 Mar 2023 01:20:05 GMT

The 17th International Ocular Inflammation Society (IOIS) Congress will be held in Berlin, Germany from September 7-9, 2023.

There will be an AUS-sponsored symposium during the IOIS meeting on Friday morning, September 8 at 9am Berlin time. Chaired by Nisha Acharya, MD, MS and Russell Read, MD, PhD the session titled "What NEI-Funded Studies Have Taught Us About the Clinical Care of Uveitis" will feature the following speakers:

Title	Speaker
Welcome and Introduction	Drs Acharya and Read
MUST	Dr Douglas Jabs
FAST	Dr John Gonzales
SITE	Dr John Kempen
MERIT	Dr Nisha Acharya
Summary	Dr Douglas Jabs

There will be a Q&A session at the end of the talks.

More information can be found on the IOIS website here.

Phoebe Lin, MD, PhD selected for the American Academy of Ophthalmology’s Leadership Development Program (LDP) XXIV, Class of 2023

Edmund Tsui — Wed, 09 Nov 2022 22:31:47 GMT

Dr. Phoebe Lin was recognized at AAO 2022 in Chicago for her selection to the Academy’s 24th Leadership Development Program (LDP) class. Dr. Lin, nominated by the AUS, joins 19 other ophthalmologists in the LDP XXIV, class of 2023 chosen via a competitive selection process. In addition to US participants nominated by state, subspecialty and specialized interest societies, the LDP XXIV class also includes one international participant from the Ukraine who is jointly representing the Ukranian Ophthalmological Society and the European Society of Ophthalmology. This LDP class came together for an Orientation Session in Chicago led by Academy LDP Director Chris Albanis, MD. They were joined by participants in the Pan-American Association’s complementary program – PAAO’s Curso de Liderazgo – which is led by co-directors Zelia Correa, MD, PhD and Peter Quiros, MD.

In January 2023, Dr. Lin will take part in a 2 ½ day interactive session in San Francisco where she will hear from AAO physician leadership, including 2023 Academy President Daniel Briceland, MD, on a wide variety of leadership topics. During this session she will also visit the AAO headquarters and participate in skills training exercises. Next Dr. Lin will attend the Academy’s Mid-Year Forum 2023 in April in Washington D.C. where she will have scheduled meetings on Capitol Hill with Senators, Representatives and healthcare staff to discuss issues important to the medical profession. During an advocacy session dedicated to LDP XXIV participants, Dr. Lin will also hear from a member of the US Congress about building effective relationships with legislators and how best to advocate on behalf of patients. The final LDP session for the class of 2023 will take place in conjunction with AAO 2023 in San Francisco.

More information about the Academy's LDP can be found here.

Highlights from AAO 2022 Uveitis Subspecialty Day

Edmund Tsui — Mon, 17 Oct 2022 05:27:20 GMT

Lucia Sobrin, MD, MPH (Co-Chair of the AAO 2022 Uveitis Subspecialty Day) provides highlights and a review of late breaking news from the meeting. Watch the video interview here.

AUS co-sponsors session at the AAO Global Ophthalmology Summit in Park City, Utah.

Edmund Tsui — Fri, 14 Oct 2022 04:15:28 GMT

The American Uveitis Society was represented by Steven Yeh, MD, Jessica Shantha, MD, MS, Thuy Doan MD, PhD, and Nisha Acharya, MD, MS at the first ever Global Ophthalmology Summit (GOS) in Park City, UT, held from August 12-13, 2022.

More details can be found here and recordings of the GOS are available here. The second GOS will be held in Atlanta, GA in September 2023.

American Academy of Ophthalmology honors Gary N. Holland, MD and Steven Yeh, MD with the 2022 Distinguished Service Award.

Edmund Tsui — Mon, 10 Oct 2022 06:37:14 GMT

Gary N. Holland, MD and Steven Yeh, MD were awarded the 2022 Distinguished Service Award at AAO 2022 in Chicago, Illinois as part of their contributions to the team that developed the Academy’s clinical recommendations during the COVID-19 pandemic. Read the full details on the AAO website here.

American Academy of Ophthalmology Appoints American Uveitis Society Former President and Board of Directors member Russell N. Van Gelder, MD, PhD, as Editor-in-Chief for the Journal, Ophthalmology

Russell Read — Wed, 09 Feb 2022 23:50:42 GMT

Russell N Van Gelder MD PhD has been appointed the new editor-in-chief of Ophthalmology, the flagship scientific journal from the American Academy of Ophthalmology. Read the full details on the AAO website here.

AUS Announces Creation of Task Force on Membership Value Enhancement

Russell Read — Wed, 18 Aug 2021 16:07:59 GMT

Today the American Uveitis Society announced the creation of a Task Force charged with reviewing the Society's activities to ensure they are aligned with member needs and expectations. Chaired by Steve Yeh MD, the Task Force will be composed of current members of the AUS who represent the broad membership and are able to provide useful insight and guidance to the Board of Directors. Further details can be found here.

National Eye Institute's Online Symposium "Investigating the Ocular Surface Microbiome: Best Practices for Low-Biomass Microbial Research," August 2, 2021

Russell Read — Wed, 23 Jun 2021 11:30:50 GMT

The National Eye Institute invites you to participate in an online symposium, titled “Investigating the Ocular Surface Microbiome: Best Practices for Low-Biomass Microbial Research,” Monday, August 2, 2021, 3-8 p.m. EDT.

The symposium’s goal is to facilitate discussion of technical issues associated with studying the microbiome in a low biomass niche, specifically the ocular surface.

The symposium will comprise 4 sessions with 3-4 presentations per session. Sessions will address specimen collection and processing, methods for characterizing the ocular surface microbiome, and best practices for generating reproducible data. Discussions to follow each session.

Registration is free and we welcome your participation in the panel discussions. For more information and to register visit https://event.capconcorp.com/wp/iosm/.

Please address questions to Drs. Lisa Neuhold (lneuhold@nei.nih.gov) or Maryann Redford (maryann.redford@nei.nih.gov).

David Hinkle MD appointed as Chair of Ophthalmology at Tulane

Russell Read — Sun, 10 Jan 2021 18:19:13 GMT

David Hinkle MD named the Oliver and Carroll Dabezies Endowed Chair in Ophthalmology at the Tulane University School of Medicine. Dr Hinkle, a long time member of the American Uveitis Society, is a uveitis and retina specialist. More details can be found here.

Steven Yeh MD Graduates from AAO Leadership Development Program

Russell Read — Thu, 05 Dec 2019 20:24:08 GMT

On Monday, October 14th during the Society Presidents’ Recognition and Awards Session held in conjunction with AAO 2019 in San Francisco, American Uveitis Society Executive Committee member Steven Yeh MD was recognized for completing his participation in the Academy’s Leadership Development Program XXI, Class of 2019. Dr Yeh was part of a select group of nineteen participants chosen for the LDP XXI, Class of 2019 from among a large group of physicians who were nominated by state, subspecialty and specialized interest societies. The class also included the first participant from Africa who was nominated by the African Ophthalmology Council.

Steven Yeh MD being recognized by AAO LDP Director Linda Tsai, MD and Senior Secretary for Advocacy Dan Briceland, MD

In January 2019, Dr Yeh took part in a 2 ½ day interactive session in San Francisco covering a wide variety of leadership and association management topics. The meeting also included a visit to AAO headquarters to hear from the 2019 Academy President George Williams, MD, MD, CEO David Parke II, MD and Academy Vice Presidents on key priorities for the Academy.

During the final LDP XXI session in San Francisco, Dr Yeh heard from leadership of the AAO and the Pan-American Association of Ophthalmology regarding global collaborative efforts and key priority issues for organized ophthalmology and was encouraged to put his leadership skills to good use.

AUS membership approves first revision of bylaws in 10 years

Russell Read — Fri, 28 Jun 2019 00:28:35 GMT

The American Uveitis Society's membership unanimously approved revisions to the society's bylaws today. The revisions focused on alterations to the Board of Director terms to establish staggered times in office, allowing for retention of institutional memory and enhancing governance of the society. The official results can be viewed here.

FOCIS meeting 2017 June 14-18, 2017 Chicago, Illinois

Russell Read — Tue, 02 May 2017 03:23:37 GMT

FOCIS meeting 2017 June 14-18, 2017 Chicago, Illinois; update your knowledge on animal models and pre-clinical targets for immune-mediate uveitis at the AUS member society symposium, June 14, 2017 !

Abstract Submission Open for AUS Spring Meeting

Russell Read — Fri, 17 Mar 2017 21:43:17 GMT

The call for abstracts for the 2017 American Uveitis Society Spring Meeting, which will be held in conjunction with the 2017 ARVO Annual Meeting, is now open. The submission deadline is Friday, April 14, 2017. The meeting will be held on Saturday, May 6, 2017 at the Baltimore Convention Center. Save the date and time for a social hour beginning at 5pm with the scientific meeting to follow at 6pm. Non-speaker guest fee is $50. Guest pre-registration is highly encouraged and may be accomplished at www.UveitisSociety.org. Members whose dues are current are admitted free.

NEW THIS YEAR
The American Uveitis Society announces the inaugural deliveries of the Ronald E Smith MD Memorial Lecture and the Robert B Nussenblatt MD Memorial Lecture in honor of two of our founding Directors. The Ronald E Smith MD Memorial Lecture will be delivered by Narsing A Rao MD of the University of Southern California and the Robert B Nussenblatt MD Memorial Lecture will be delivered by Rubens Belfort Jr MD PhD MBA of the Federal University of Sao Paulo Brazil.

Free papers will follow, abstract submission for which is now open.

Abstract submission is electronic, via this form:

https://goo.gl/forms/WQfgnvPyeF519ylY2

The submission website will close at midnight CDT on April 14, 2017. A review committee will select abstracts for presentation and submission does NOT guarantee acceptance. Please be aware that abstracts describing case reports will receive low priority and may be rejected. Please do not submit abstracts that will be presented at the ARVO Annual Meeting. ARVO strictly forbids duplicate presentation. Clinical trials must be registered on clinicaltrials.gov. Please indicate all relevant financial disclosures.

We look forward to receiving your abstracts!

H Nida Sen MD MHS
Russell W Read MD PhD

AUS Announces Spring Meeting to be held in Baltimore

Russell Read — Fri, 17 Mar 2017 21:42:10 GMT

The American Uveitis Society today announced that its annual Spring meeting will be held in Baltimore MD in conjunction with the annual meeting of the Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology. Further details can be found in the Events section of the Society's website, www.UveitisSociety.org.

AUS Member curated Top Uveitis Papers from 2015 for Residents List now available

Russell Read — Sun, 06 Nov 2016 17:44:08 GMT

The American Uveitis Society curated reading list for residents, culled from the uveitis literature published in 2015 is now available online. A collaboration between the American Academy of Ophthalmology and the American Uveitis Society and spearheaded by AUS Educational Liaison Justine Smith MBBS PhD FARVO, the Resident Reading List is an annual project intended to highlight the top papers published in uveitis for the past year. While targeting residents, the list is applicable to anyone with an interest in staying current in uveitis.

Douglas Jabs MD MBA, Member of the AUS Board of Directors, to present Inaugural C Stephen and Frances Foster Lecture on Uveitis and Immunology

Russell Read — Mon, 08 Aug 2016 21:30:12 GMT

At the upcoming Annual Meeting of the American Academy of Ophthalmology, the Inaugural C Stephen and Frances Foster Lecture on Uveitis and Immunology will be given by our own Doug Jabs (Please note this lecture is not sponsored by the AUS, this is being provided for your information).

"Immunosuppression for the Uveitides: Current Status and Future Directions"

Douglas A. Jabs, MD, MBA

12:45 PM on Monday, 17 October 2016

McCormick Place, Room S406A

Chicago, Illinois

FOCIS Meeting 2016

Russell Read — Tue, 12 Apr 2016 21:57:20 GMT

Don’t forget to register for the upcoming FOCIS meeting! Meeting registration deadline for poster presenters April 1, 2016; Late-breaking abstract submission deadline April 1, 2016; Headquarter hotel registration discount deadline May 20, 2016

See more at: http://www.focisnet.org/2013-03-07-14-01-50/2015-annual-meeting#sthash.keTc9tBg.dpuf

Abstract Submission Open for AUS 2016 Spring Meeting

Russell Read — Fri, 18 Mar 2016 20:42:11 GMT

American Uveitis Society Spring Meeting to be held in conjunction with ARVO Annual Meeting

Russell Read — Fri, 18 Mar 2016 19:45:43 GMT

The American Uveitis Society today announced that its annual Spring meeting will be held in Seattle WA in conjunction with the annual meeting of the Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology. Further details can be found in the Events section of the Society's website, www.UveitisSociety.org.

Justine Smith MD PhD Recognized for Participation in the Council of the American Academy of Ophthalmology

Russell Read — Mon, 16 Nov 2015 01:57:19 GMT

Justine Smith MD PhD was recognized for participation on the Council of the American Academy of Ophthalmology during AAO 2015 in Las Vegas. Dr. Smith served for 6 years as a councilor for the American Uveitis Society.

The Council serves as an advisory body to the Academy’s Board of Trustees. More than 100 Academy members serve on this body and act as liaisons between their society and the Academy bringing issues identified by their societies to the attention of the Academy’s Board of Trustees. Issues are brought to the Academy Board of Trustees as Council Advisory Recommendations (CARs). Each spring the Council meets to debate and formulate its recommendations for the Academy Board.

Representatives to the Council are elected by each state society and by subspecialty societies and specialized interest groups in ophthalmology. On December 31st, Dr. Smith will conclude her term on the Academy Council. Russell Read MD PhD has been elected by the American Uveitis Society to serve as Councilor to the Academy and will begin his term on January 1, 2016 and participate at the Spring Council Meeting in conjunction with the April 13-16, 2016 Mid-Year Forum in Washington, D.C.

American Uveitis Society Fall Meeting to be held in conjunction with AAO Annual Meeting

Russell Read — Fri, 04 Sep 2015 20:48:17 GMT

The American Uveitis Society announces that its Fall Meeting will be held in conjunction with the AAO Annual Meeting in Las Vegas, NV on October 15, 2015 at Treasure Island. Members and guests are invited to join the AUS for a social hour from 7 to 8 PM with the scientific meeting to follow immediately at 8 PM.

AUS members who's dues are current may attend the meeting at no charge. A guest fee of $50 is accessed for others, but is waived for non-AUS members who are the presenter of a free paper.

Dr. Emmett Cunningham will moderate “Controversies in Uveitis. Case-based comments from a non-consensus panel of experts", followed by a free paper session. The program committee invites abstracts presenting research that will not be presented at the AAO meeting. Case presentations will be considered if they are of sufficient interest. Please only submit one abstract per first author.

Abstract submission will be electronic and the submission site is now open. Submissions will close on September 30, 2015. Decisions will be made by October 9, 2015 and the corresponding author notified via email.

Sincerely,

Nisha Acharya, M.D., M.S.

nisha.acharya@ucsf.edu

Program Chair, AUS Fall Meeting

Russell W. Read, MD, PhD

rwread@gmail.com

Executive Secretary

American Uveitis Society

AUS Co-Sponsors First-Ever Congressional Briefing on Uveitis

Russell Read — Tue, 16 Jun 2015 01:28:28 GMT

The American Uveitis Society joined the Alliance for Eye and Vision Research (AEVR) and other societies and patient advocacy groups to co-sponsor the first ever Congressional Briefing on Uveitis. AUS member Gary N. Holland, MD, Professor of Ophthalmology at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA and Jack H. Skirball Chair in Ocular Inflammatory Diseases, was a featured speaker.

Left to right: Gary N Holland MD (Jules Stein Eye Institute, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA), Janine Austin Clayton MD (National Institutes of Health Associate Director for Research on Women’s Health), and James Jorkasky ( Executive Director of AEVR/NAEVR).

Full details of the briefing can be found on the AEVR website.

13th Congress of the International Ocular Inflammation Society to be held in US for first time

Russell Read — Sat, 09 May 2015 12:43:35 GMT

The 13th Congress of the International Ocular Inflammation Society will be held in San Francisco from September 25 to 27, 2015. This will be the first IOIS Congress to be held in the US. More than 25 societies focused on ocular inflammation will host sessions during the three day meeting along with IOIS Sections focused on all aspects of ocular immunology and disease. Further details can be found at the Congress website.

AUS member Steven Yeh Featured in NPR story on Ebola survivor's battle with Uveitis

Russell Read — Sat, 09 May 2015 01:03:54 GMT

NEI/FDA Endpoints Workshop on Ocular Inflammatory Diseases

Russell Read — Sun, 22 Mar 2015 20:44:55 GMT

The National Eye Institute (NEI and US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) are holding a public Workshop on Endpoints for Ocular Inflammatory Diseases on the campus of the NIH on March 26, 2015 in the Masur Auditorium.

Details regarding the meeting can be found here:

2015 NEI/FDA Endpoints Workshop

MUST Research Group Seeks New Sites

Russell Read — Tue, 03 Feb 2015 18:00:00 GMT

The MUST Research Group, which successfully completed the Multicenter Uveitis Steroid Treatment (MUST) Trial is conducting two new trials, the Periocular and Intravitreal Corticosteroids for Uveitic Macular Edema (POINT) Trial and the Macular Edema Ranibizumab v. Intravitreal Anti-inflammatory Therapy (MERIT) Trial. Both are funded by the National Eye Institute. POINT will compare the relative efficacy of three common approaches for the regional treatment of uveitic macular edema, periocular and intravitreal triamcinolone acetonide, and the dexamethasone intravitreal implant. MERIT will evaluate the relative efficacy of intravitreal ranibizumab and intravitreal methotrexate and the dexamethasone intravitreal implant for the treatment of uveitic macular edema persisting after intravitreal triamcinolone acetonide. The POINT Trial will be initiated in Spring 2015 in clinical centers that are currently following participants in the MUST Trial Follow-up Study and to have new clinical centers selected and preparing for start-up by the time of our Research Group meeting in June 2015. The MERIT Trial will begin approximately 12 months after the start of POINT; the trials will run concurrently until POINT is completed.

Those interested in being a clinical center for POINT and MERIT should visit the Clinic Applications site or read the attached document to learn more.

MUST Trial New Clinical Center Memo

FOCIS Abstract Submission Closes Jan 28

Russell Read — Wed, 21 Jan 2015 21:56:17 GMT

Abstract submission for FOCIS 2015 closes Wednesday, January 15.

The American Uveitis Society is a member society of FOCIS, the Federation of Clinical Immunology Societies.

"Be My Eyes" An iPhone app to help low vision patients

Russell Read — Tue, 20 Jan 2015 23:46:01 GMT

Interesting application for the iPhone that allows you to help a low vision person with a specific issue via a video/audio link on your iPhone.

Be My Eyes - iTunes App Store Link

Announcing the New UveitisSociety.org!

Russell Read — Fri, 16 Jan 2015 16:40:10 GMT

The American Uveitis Society is proud to reveal its most extensive update to UveitisSociety.org since its inception. This complete revamping will result in enhanced membership customer service by allowing members to view and update their profile information, track their membership status and pay dues online, and provides an enhanced Uveitis Specialist Directory through which patients can easily access clinician contact information.