Annual Conference

The VSEPS Education Fund hosted the 2024 Annual Scientific Meeting in June at the Richmond Hilton Downtown. The Virginia Society of Ophthalmic Medical Personnel (VSOMP) also hosted training sessions for allied ophthalmic personnel in conjunction with the conference.

Session highlights the Elbyrne G. Gill Memorial Lecturer, Mary K. Daly, MD, Professor and Department Chair at VCU Ophthalmology. Prior to joining VCU, Dr. Daly was a former chief of the Boston VA Medical Center, leading the first cataract and vitreoretinal surgical simulation lab in the Veterans Administration system. She joined the Veterans Integrated Systems Network 23 (VISN 23) Technology Based Eye Care Services Program (TECS) and co-chaired the VISN 23 TECS Community for Innovation in Vision Care workgroup. She specializes in using virtual reality technology to improve ophthalmic surgical outcomes and enhance the quality of patient care.

Dr. Daly gave two presentations: Highlights of Immune Related Disorders of the External Eye, and The Future of Ophthalmology & Education. 

Other featured presentations included:

• Pearls & Pitfalls in Uveitis Diagnosis & Management, presented by Arthi Venkat, MD, MS -- Residency Associate Program Director, UVA Ophthalmology
• Fat Transposition Blepharoplasty, presented by William H  Bearden, III, MD, FACS, Virginia Eye Institute
• The Latest Treatment Modalities for CRVO, presented by Travis J. Peck, MD, Retina Consultants of Delmarva Salisbury, Maryland
•  Immunotherapy/Anticancer Drugs and Uveitis, presented by Surbhi Bansal, MD - Assistant Professor, VCU Ophthalmology
• Alternative Approaches to Anterior Segment Surgery, presented by Albert Jun, MD, PhD –  Professor, Department Chair, UVA Ophthalmology
• Dragged Fovea Diplopia Syndrome, presented by Mohannad Al-Samarraie, MD., Assistant Professor, VCU Ophthalmology
• New Treatments for Geographic Atrophy in AMD, presented by Jessica D Randolph, MD, FASRS - Director of Medical Student VCU Ophthalmology, Richmond, VA
•  Eye Exams for All? Knowing Who Actually Needs to be Seen by an Eye Doctor presented by Evan Silverstein, MD - Associate Residency Program Director, VCU Ophthalmology

At our annual conferences, VSEPS showcases and recognizes outstanding medical residency and student education and scholarship. Siddharth Bhargava, MD of EVMS received the Thomas Frey Award for  Outstanding Resident Research Presentation. Aashrith Madagiri, BS, was recognized for Best Poster Presentation. Vishnupriya Alavala, rising third year undergraduate student at VCU, received the President's Award for Outstanding Student Research Presentation.