The annual ASCRS•ASOA meeting will begin in sunny San Diego, Calif., on May 3 and run until May 7. In addition to the exhibition hall and numerous lectures, the convention will host several special events. The full list of events can be found at https://annualmeeting.ascrs.org , but highlights include:

• ASCRS Opening General Session. Saturday, May 4, 10 a.m. to noon. Opening events include ASCRS President’s Remarks given by Nick Mamalis, MD, as well as W. Andrew Maxwell, MD, PhD, and Donald N. Serafano, MD, being named the 2019 ASCRS David A. Karcher Honored Guests. Also, the ASCRS Ophthalmology Hall of Fame will hold a ceremony to induct two new members: Howard V. Gimble, MD, MPH, FRCSC, FACS, and the late Phillips Thygeson, MD. Stephen C. Pflugfelder will also give this year’s ASCRS Binkhorst Lecture: “The Quest for Tear Stability.”
• ASOA Opening General Session. Saturday, May 4, 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. Keynote speaker Brad Montgomery’s presentation will use humor, stories, music and other tools to illustrate how to meaningfully encourage others. For the full ASOA program, visit https://annualmeeting.ascrs.org/asoa-program .
• ASCRS Sunday Summit General Session. Sunday, May 5, 10 a.m. to noon. The first part of the general session will feature the ASCRS Lecture on Science, Medicine and Technology, given by John Medina, PhD, a developmental molecular biologist, researcher, professor and New York Times bestselling author. The second part of the general session will be devoted to season two of ASCRS’ “The Voice of Ophthalmology,” hosted by Edward J. Holland, MD.
• Winning Pitch Challenge symposium. Sunday, May 5, 3 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. This symposium is a new session designed to “connect early stage ophthalmologist innovators with early stage investors” to help them develop a product. Selected finalists will present their pitch live to a panel of judges who will vote on a winner. A first place winner will receive $10,000, and second place will take home $5,000.
• ASCRS Young Eye Surgeons (YES) Skills Transfer Lab. Friday, May, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. New for 2019, this lab is exclusive to residents, fellows and surgeons in their first five years of practice. The lab offers hands-on training at more than 70 stations in cataract, refractive, cornea and glaucoma surgery.

ASCRS booth preview

Presenting our annual list of highlights from this year’s ASCRS Exhibit Hall.

ASCRS is almost upon us, and in the following pages you will find highlights of some of the leading products and services on display at the Exhibit Hall. To help you plan your trip and find the latest and greatest for your practice, we invited advertisers to submit a brief company or product intro, along with their ASCRS booth number and website. — Larry Patterson, MD, Chief Medical Editor