SECO 2023: Laser workshop for optometrists

Chris Wroten, OD, shares highlights from the hands-on laser workshop he co-led with Nate Lighthizer, OD, during the 2023 SECO meeting in Atlanta, Georgia.

Editor's note: This transcript has been edited for clarity.

Wroten:

My name is Chris Wroten and I'm a doctor optometry in Southeast Louisiana who's lecturing here at SECO. [I've] got two courses dealing with lasers. One I'm getting to do a workshop with Dr. Nate Lighthizer, who's a stalwart in optometry, he's been doing this for years. So it's an honor for me to get to participate with him in that workshop.

We'll have a very short didactic piece on the the 3 main anterior segment lasers that are done in optometry these days. And then we'll have some hands-on [experience], so our attendees will have an opportunity to actually fire the lasers on model eyes and hear and learn and ask questions from some of their colleagues who are actually doing this on a routine basis. So we're certainly excited about the opportunity to offer that workshop here at SECO on its 100th anniversary.

We really hope that doctors of optometry take away from this workshop the better understanding of when to send patients for these procedures, what's involved with them, what techniques can be used to actually perform the procedures, to demystify some of perhaps the misunderstandings regarding these lasers, and whether they actually do them themselves, refer them to a colleague, or send them to another healthcare provider, we hope at the end of the day that there's just a better overall grasp of how these lasers can impact the lives of our patients.