Fairfax, VA, May 3, 2006 – The American Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgery (ASCRS) and the Canadian Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgery (CSCRS) today announced a joint agreement under which all members of the CSCRS will enjoy full privileges of membership in the ASCRS.

Under the agreement, announced by ASCRS President Samuel Masket, MD, all CSCRS members will become ASCRS international members. ASCRS will provide its full complement of international membership services to include: 12 issues per year of the Journal of Cataract and Refractive Surgery and 12 issues of EyeWorld news magazine along with full access to the members-only clinical portion of the ASCRS website (www.ascrs.org).

“One of primary objectives of ASCRS is to extend our educational capabilities to give them a global reach.  Our agreement with the CSCRS is mutually beneficial to our societies,” said ASCRS President Samuel Masket, MD.  “More importantly, we hope that our closer relationship will lead to a more vigorous exchange of ideas and experience that will benefit all of our patients.”      

Should both ASCRS and CRCRS agree, the societies will explore the possibility of a future on-line CME-eligible educational program through a CSCRS-developed website. ASCRS would provide supplementary materials for the site to include Journal of Cataract and Refractive Surgery articles and quizzes, EyeWorld CME supplements, and additional electronic materials resulting from the ASCRS Annual Symposium.