Hosts:

Scott Krzywonos

John Kitchens, MD

Show Summary:

In this episode, Scott and John pick up where they left off — talking about the American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO) meeting and how innovation is reshaping the field. They explore their favorite AAO host cities, the atmosphere of this year’s meeting, and the under-the-radar conversations shaping the future of retina.

Scott shares insights from iCelerator, his favorite ophthalmology meeting, which highlights how technology, AI, and macroeconomic forces are influencing eye care. The two discuss “oculomics” — using retinal data to understand systemic diseases — and the potential of multimodal AI systems that combine imaging, genetics, and longitudinal data.

John then breaks down the next wave of therapies: gene therapy, tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs), and how FDA study design changes could reshape how new drugs are approved. The discussion dives into superiority studies, the logic of targeting diabetic retinopathy (DR) instead of diabetic macular edema (DME), and what these shifts mean for patients and clinicians.

They wrap with a preview of the Cencora (formerly AmerisourceBergen) meeting — a behind-the-scenes look at the often-overlooked but crucial role drug distributors play in retina care.

Credits:

Production & Marketing: Laura Brown

Business Operations: Liz Hogan

Listen and Subscribe:

🎧 RetinUp.com | Available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and YouTube