American Glaucoma Society 2026
The American Glaucoma Society meeting showcased research led by one of our PGY4 residents, Mike Morano. Titled "An Assessment of the Economic Cost of Primary Open Angle Glaucoma Treatment and Management by Disease Severity," the project examined the real‑world financial burden of primary open‑angle glaucoma. The study highlighted how the economic impact of glaucoma rises sharply with disease progression—not only through medical costs, but through lost work and daily productivity, especially for younger individuals. This work underscores the importance of early intervention and offers a practical framework for tailoring treatment decisions to both disease severity and a patient’s financial circumstances.
The Glaucoma Innovation session at the CCOI Asia‑Pacific Innovation Forum — led by Joel Schuman, MD, and current CCOI Glaucoma Chair Lama Al‑Aswad, MD, MPH — showcased a blend of strategic vision and clinical depth. The session connected cutting‑edge science with regulatory and clinical priorities, moving the conversation beyond presentations into true consensus‑building. With topics spanning AI‑driven OCT metrics, implant innovation, accessible perimetry, and endpoint development, the session reflected a field actively shaping its future.
The Penn Center of Innovation’s 10th annual Celebration of Innovation highlighted the remarkable creativity and impact of Penn’s research community, bringing together innovators from across the university to share their groundbreaking work. The Visi Health team introduced their emerging eyecare headset technology. The event marked an exciting milestone for the team as they continue refining their prototype and advancing toward commercial translation—a step that brings their innovation closer to real‑world impact.
OPTIC Lab Innovation Fellow, Almiqdad Saeed, showcased a poster at the American Academy of Ophthalmology 2025. Titled "A Proof-of-Concept Base Model for Automated Corneal Endothelial Cell Analysis via Specular Microscopy Images," the study demonstrates the feasibility of AI to assist in corneal graft evaluation. 
The Glaucoma Poster Panel Discussion at the American Academy of Ophthalmology 2025 showcased research by Dalal Ahmidouch, one of our student researchers from the School of Engineering and Applied Sciences. She presented on our topic: