Alcon, the global leader in eye care dedicated to helping people see brilliantly, will host the fourth annual Alcon Retina Fellows Institute. This unique educational experience gathers more than 30 first-year retina fellows for surgical training and mentorship from leading ophthalmologists across the United States. The three-day Institute will convene virtually this year from June 3-5, as Alcon continues its ongoing commitment to educating retina surgeons.  

“As a faculty member since the inception of the Alcon Retina Fellows Institute, I’ve consistently heard from our national cohort of retinal fellows that the informal dialogue and sharing of best practices in the fundamentals of Vitreoretinal surgery are of tremendous value,” said Yannek I. Leiderman, MD, Ph.D., Course Director, Alcon Retina Fellows Institute. “I strongly believe that it’s our duty to invest in the next generation of leaders in ophthalmology through education, mentorship and training. We, the teaching faculty, are committed to continuing the tradition of mentorship from which each of us has benefitted in our development.”

The Retina Fellows Institute aims to expand the traditional surgical teaching paradigm, offering small group expert guidance from world-class faculty to first-year retina fellows. Participants, who are nominated by their fellowship program directors, will rotate throughout the sessions and engage in live Q&A on the latest innovative techniques, approaches and technologies to prepare them for real-world ophthalmological practice. A variety of topics will be covered, including macular surgery, lens suturing, pediatric retina surgery, surgery for eye trauma, diabetic cases, surgical physics, bimanual technology and instrumentation and more.  

“The Retina Fellows Institute fulfills an important need for retina surgeons early in their careers. The mentorship and teachings here are second to none and a clear path to advanced professional development,” said Josh Anderson, Head of Retina Sales & Marketing, U.S. Surgical, Alcon. “Alcon has a long-standing commitment to educating and training the future generations of surgeons who help people see brilliantly. The fellows are at a pivotal moment in their journey as care providers, and it is an honor to offer them a piece of the foundation that will build their careers.”

Alcon continues to evolve and improve the structure and content of the Retina Fellows Institute. This year builds on the success of the virtual 2020 program, where 89% of fellows surveyed rated the program as very good or excellent. Further, 75% of faculty participants had positive feedback on the small group pod sizes and 82% of fellow participants rated the pod sizes as excellent, affirming that taking that aspect of the in-person program to a virtual setting was successful.¹

“The Retina Fellows Institute was an amazing experience and provided me with the opportunity to ask questions in a small group setting to improve my surgical skills. The small group sessions were my favorite part because it is a rare and privileged experience to ‘pick the minds’ of the well-respected clinicians and surgeons that attend this annual event,” said Monique Munro, a fellow that attended the 2020 Alcon Retina Fellows Institute.

Retina specialists actively consume content pertaining to their advancement, with over half of retina specialists reporting that they learned a new technique online less than 24 hours before performing it.² Based on this statistic and other participant feedback, Alcon has extended the amount of time allocated for the small group classes, ensuring quality time for faculty and fellows to further enhance the learning experience. 

For more information about the Alcon Retina portfolio, visit www.surgicalretina.com and follow Alcon on Facebook, Instagramand LinkedIn. 

Disclaimer

This press release contains “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the safe harbor provisions of the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements can be identified by words such as: “anticipate,” “intend,” “commitment,” “look forward,” “maintain,” “plan,” “goal,” “seek,” “believe,” “project,” “estimate,” “expect,” “strategy,” “future,” “likely,” “may,” “should,” “will” and similar references to future periods. 

Forward-looking statements are neither historical facts nor assurances of future performance. Instead, they are based only on our current beliefs, expectations and assumptions regarding the future of our business, future plans and strategies, and other future conditions. Because forward-looking statements relate to the future, they are subject to inherent uncertainties and risks that are difficult to predict. Some of these factors are discussed in our filings with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission, including our Form 20-F. Should one or more of these uncertainties or risks materialize, or should underlying assumptions prove incorrect, actual results may vary materially from those anticipated. Therefore, you should not rely on any of these forward-looking statements. 

Forward-looking statements in this press release speak only as of the date of its filing, and we assume no obligation to update forward-looking statements as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. 

References

1. Retina Fellows Institute Feedback Survey. November 30, 2020.
2. Stone TW, ed. ASRS 2018 Preferences and Trends Membership Survey. Chicago, IL. American Society of Retina Specialists; 2018.

About Alcon

Alcon helps people see brilliantly. As the global leader in eye care with a heritage spanning more than seven decades, we offer the broadest portfolio of products to enhance sight and improve people’s lives. Our Surgical and Vision Care products touch the lives of more than 260 million people in over 140 countries each year living with conditions like cataracts, glaucoma, retinal diseases and refractive errors. Our more than 23,000 associates are enhancing the quality of life through innovative products, partnerships with eye care professionals and programs that advance access to quality eye care. Learn more at www.alcon.com.

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Media Relations

Melanie McCoy 
+1 817 293 0450 (Fort Worth) 
[email protected]