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30 American Glaucoma Society 2026
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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.
Lama Al-Aswad, MD, recently presented about the cost-effectiveness of glaucoma treatment at the American Glaucoma Society annual meeting. She outlines why physicians must consider cost as part of the treatment algorithm when driving decisions for patients. Watch the full video on 
Waleed Kojan, a medical student at the University of Toledo College of Medicine and Life Sciences, has been collaborating with Dr. Al-Aswad and the OPTIC Lab team on a research project titled "Assessing Glaucoma Specialist Referrals by Chatbots (generative AI)." His abstract was accepted by the American Glaucoma Society for a poster presentation at the 2025 conference in Washington DC. The OPTIC Lab looks forward to more collaborative research projects across institutions!