The 50th annual symposium of the New Orleans Academy of Ophthalmology was held from April 6th – 8th, 2001. This was the Academy’s ninth meeting devoted to glaucoma and consisted of formal lectures, round table discussions, and workshop presentations. The New Orleans Academy of Ophthalmology maintains a strong tradition of providing the ophthalmologist with a venue for learning from exceptional mentors and innovative leaders. Inspection of the list of Academy meetings pertaining to glaucoma will highlight the fact that we have been privileged to have outstanding contributors and notable repeat performers (Appendix 1). The first symposium of this Academy was held in 1952 and, with its focus on glaucoma, the contributors were Sir Stewart Duke-Elder, Paul A. Chandler, MD, and Peter C. Kronfeld, MD. The first three lectures from that 1952 meeting were presented by Sir Stewart Duke-Elder and are published for the first time, from a copy of the original transcript, in this collection of papers. I think you will find his discussion of ‘simple’ and ‘congestive’ glaucoma enlightening and instructive. The Program Committee chairpersons, Claude F. Burgoyne, MD and Katherine Loftfield, MD, were instrumental in putting together a strong assembly of contributors and a well-balanced meeting. Special acknowledgment for their hard work in organizing this symposium goes to committee members Rameish Ayyala, MD, Annemarie Etienne, MD, Kenneth Haik, MD, Jill B. Koury, MD, and Daniel A. Long, MD, and to executive secretaries, Emily Busby and Amber Howell. For his dedicated and thoughtful leadership, much appreciation is given to the president of the New Orleans Academy of Ophthalmology, 2000-2002, George S. Ellis, Jr, MD, and to the board of directors. The Academy acknowledges its sponsors for providing unrestricted financial support, which helped to defer the expense of this medical education meeting and subsequent publication. Special thanks go to Peter Bakker at Kugler Publications for his guidance and wisdom, as well as his unending support for the task of publishing this glaucoma specialty symposium. The contributors to this symposium on glaucoma are outstanding. They provided chapters covering a wide range of issues that confront the general ophthalmologist, as well as the glaucoma specialist. Due to an unfortunate circumstance, Chris A. Johnson, PhD, was unable to attend the meeting; however, he was gracious enough to provide his written contribution, which is included in this compilation of papers. You will find that the lectures, round table discussions, and workshop sessions are filled with pearls of wisdom that will help guide you toward a modern, common sense approach in addressing the special needs of your glaucoma patients. Jonathan D. Nussdorf, MD Ochsner Clinic Foundation New Orleans, Louisiana, USA