As the new chief medical editor of Glaucoma Today, my goal is for the publication to present a balanced yet progressive viewpoint. I am committed to the glaucoma community's success, and I am passionate about furthering glaucoma care for our patients during the transition into a new era of health care in the United States.
The opportunity to join the glaucoma profession has without question been the single greatest privilege bestowed upon me during my medical career. The past 2 decades have wrought an amazing transformation of our specialty in regard to our understanding of glaucoma and our diagnostic and treatment ability. Therapy changed dramatically with the introduction of topical prostaglandins. Glaucoma surgery also progressed with the use of antifibrotic agents and the development of improved devices. As a member of the American Glaucoma Society, I have learned that, collectively, we glaucomatologists are bright, compassionate, thoughtful, collegial, innovative, and devoted to the well-being of our patients. The glaucoma community is committed to science of the highest quality to ensure that our patients receive safe and highly efficacious glaucoma care. We take seriously our role as patients' advocates.
Today, we face numerous challenges that will almost certainly change how we provide glaucoma care in the future. Dramatic drops in overall reimbursement seem nearly certain, while the projected increase in our patient population is staggering. High-level success is possible only through cooperation and creative thinking within our ranks. We must embrace constructive changes. We must lead the way rather than simply react. We must modify treatment paradigms to meet our patients' needs. We must encourage advances in drug delivery and implement new, more minimally invasive surgical techniques when appropriate. If we cling to the status quo, less qualified individuals will ultimately make decisions for us.
This edition of GToday provides an overview of the recent history of glaucoma care by some of the most influential and caring men and women in our profession. I hope that their remarks stimulate discussion regarding our pathway to the future. Change is never easy, but it can be exciting and rewarding. Thoughtful preparation and planning are critical to our success, and future issues of GToday will continue to examine the directions we might pursue to meet the needs of our patients. Your active involvement in and feedback on GToday are important. Together, we can make a bright future for our patients and our profession. I look forward to hearing from you.
