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XXIX. General Versammlung der
International Federation of Ophthalmological Societies - IFOS - Sitzungsprotokoll
April 22, 2002, 16 – 17.30 Uhr

Present:

Gottfried O.H. Naumann, MD, Präsident
Mark O.M. Tso, Vice-Präsident
Bruce E Spivey, MD, Sekrtär
Balder Gloor, MD, Schatzmeister
Bradley Straatsma, MD
Mohammad Daud Khan, MD
Abdelouahed Amraoui, MD
A-L Siam, MD
Alfredo Dominguez, MD
Alvaro Rodriguez, MD
Ana Luisa Hofling Lima, MD
Andrej Cernak, MD
Anne Katrin Sjolie, MD
Anthony Murray, MD
Antonio Castanheira-Dinis, MD
Anun Vongthongsri, MD
Arunas Miliauskas, MD
Bo Philipson, MD
C. Thomas, MD
Christine Ntim-Amponsah, MD
Cristela F. de Aleman, MD
David Noonan
Dehabia Hartani, MD
Derek Sprunger, MD
Dunera R. Ilako, MD
Eino Stefansson, MD
Enrique Malbran, MD
Eugenio Maul, MD
Eugeniu C. Bendelic, MD
Francisco Contreras, MD
Frank Sullivan, MD
G.H.M.B. van Rens, MD
Georges Yaya, MD
Gomathy Kumar, MD
Guillermo Pereira, MD
Guna Laganovska, MD
Gunnar Lennersrtand, MD
Hannah Faal, MD
Hassan H. Arrazud, MD
Hormoz Chams, MD
Istiantoro Sukardi, MD
Ivan M. Logay, MD
Jack T. Holladay, MD
Jacob Pe'er, MD
Jean Paul Adenis, MD
Jialiang Zhao, MD
John Szetu, MD
Jonathan Joffe, MD
K.P. Steuhl, MD
Kjell Syversen, MD
Koby Pe'er, MD
Kunle Hassan, MD
Lang Lenz Kheong, MD
Leandro J. Chamorro, MD
Lo Peng Iok, MD
Lotta Salminen, MD
M. Latif Chaudhary, MD
Maged A Abu-Ramadan, MD
Marcelino Rio Torres, MD
Marko Hamlina, M.D
Marlene Verlaeckt, MD
Mehmet H. Ergin
Mihai Pop, MD
Misha Omiadze, MD
Mohamed Nazari, MD
Moses C. Chirambo, MD
Nelson Matamoros Sotomayor, MD
Pedro De Alarcon Von Borrries, MD
Peter Watson, MD
Por-Tying Hung, MD
Pran Nagpal, MD
Prof Dr Djordje Kontic, MD
Rajko Pokupec, MD
Rand Simpson, MD
Rida Said, MD
Romulo N. Aguilar, MD
Sanja Sevic Kasumovic, MD
Selwa Al-Hazzaa, MD
Shigeaki Ohno, MD
Sir Elkatim Omer Thabit, MD
Sulejman Zhugli, MD
Suveges Lldiko, MD
Tiliksew Teshome, MD
Titos Christofides, MD
Tony Murray, MD
U.E. Cabernard, MD
Uch Yutho, MD
Ulle Aamer, MD
Vaikoussis Emmanouil, MD
Van Rij, MD
William Gillies, MD
Yasuo Tano, MD
Zbigniew Zagorski, MD
Zh. Mustafina, MD

I. Begrüßung

Dr. Gottfried Naumann, president, called the meeting to order at 4.00 p.m.; he took the lead of the meeting and Dr. Bruce Spivey was asked to act as secretary of the meeting. Dr. Naumann then stated that due notice of this meeting has been given and that it was therefore properly constituted.

He then welcomed the members, representatives, accredited substitutes, members of the International Council of Ophthalmology, committee members, observers and guests.

He asked all representatives of dues paying member nations to accept as personal gifts from the Officers of the International Council medallions signifying their IFOS status to be worn at future gatherings of IFOS. It is with the understanding and expectation of the International Council that the medallions be passed on to future national representatives of IFOS.

II. Scrutineers

Drs. Khan and Nagpal were appointed scrutineers and Dr. Naumann requested that they verify that voting members were certified in attendance and voting in accordance with the current statutes.

III. Review and Approval of the Minutes of the 1998 IFOS Assembly in Amsterdam

Dr. Naumann received a motion to accept the minutes as presented which was adopted without dissent. He and Dr. Spivey will sign the minutes on behalf of the Assembly as approved.

IV. Review of Statutes & Regulations Adapted in 1998 and Regulations Amended, 2001 (See attachment I)

Dr. Naumann presented the statutes and regulations adapted in 1998 and the amended regulations of 2001

ACTION: The IFOS members approved the statutes and regulation as presented without dissent.

V. Report of the Interim Meetings of the International Council of Ophthalmology 1999-2002 (See attachment II)

Dr. Spivey presented a report of the significant activities of IFOS and the International Council since the last meeting of the Assembly. Notable among these activities were revisions of the statutes and regulations, development of a strategic plan, Vision For The Future, a newsletter for the members, and active website and the move to have IFOS meet every two years.

ACTION: The IFOS members asked that the report be filed with commendations to the Council for their strong and active leadership.

VI. Review of the New Structure and Priorities of the International Council of Ophthalmology (See attachment III)

Dr. Spivey reviewed the mission, established and new rules, for the International Council of Ophthalmology including a revised structure, committees and role for the Advisory Committee to the Council.

He noted that the intent is to select individuals who broadly represent the various subspecialties, but not as representatives of an International Subspecialty Society, per se. He noted the inclination of the Council to proceed slowly in identifying these individuals and he urged IFOS members to offer suggestions to him.

ACTION: IFOS members voted to adapt the new rules and structure for the Council and its committees without dissent.

VII. Bericht des Präsidenten

Dr. Naumann presented a substantial report on the activities of the officers and members of the Council since 1998.

Of particular note the evolution of the Educational  Committee (Chairman Prof. Peter Watson) Basic and Clinical Science Examination Tests, the revisions of the structure and roles for the Council. The evolution of the international plan for ophthalmologic role in blindness presentation. The strong interaction with IAPB, the representation of IFOS officers at over 60 international meetings (all at the personal expense of the Officers!) and the WHO recognition of IFOS by its "official relationship". ..

ACTION: The IFOS members asked that the Presidents report be filed.

VIII. Bericht des Generalsekretärs

Dr. Spivey noted that his report could be viewed from a summation of agenda items 5-6-10-11-12 and 13. He suggested that in the interests of time he would forgo further comment.

IX. Report of the Treasurer (See attachment V)

Dr. Balder Gloor presented his report as found in attachment V. He stressed the need for IFOS to remain a financially stable organization it must increase the number of paid subscriptions and increase the subscription rates for the member organizations.

He noted that the activities of the last two years have increased dramatically and that if IFOS is to realize the potential it has for the future then the member organizations must give their full support.

Dr. Gloor acknowledged the opportunity the accumulated IFOS financial reserves, ("the fortune"), has provided to the organization to take on new challenges. He stressed that expanded funding will preserve the momentum IFOS is building for the future.

ACTION: The IFOS members requested that the Treasurers report be received and filed.

X. Review of "Vision For The Future"

Dr. Straatsma presented the attendees with a report on "Vision For The Future", a strategic plan to preserve and restore vision developed as a joint effort of the International Council of Ophthalmology and the Academia Ophthalmologica Internationalis

The central purpose of the plan is to eliminate blindness and severe visual impairment that result from preventable and treatable eye disease throughout the world. The plan encourages activities to enhance ophthalmic education and training, ophthalmology continuing education, eye care guidelines and recommendations, advocacy for the preservation and restoration of vision, and research in ophthalmology and vision.

The plan is a multi-year flexible and interactive program that provides a platform to support the ophthalmologist role with the global initiative for the elimination of avoidable blindness and VISION 2020

Dr. Straatsma presented specific objectives and principles for each of the major segments of the plan along with the desired results.

ACTIONS: The IFOS members approved without dissent the principles and action plans of "Vision for The Future", as presented in the plan. Active participation by the ICO Membership in all aspects of the plan was urged.

XI. Discussion of Communications and Expectations among the IFOS and the International Council

The IFOS assembly received a series of reports on the status of the IFOS website, the Basic and Clinical Science Examination Tests, the IFOS Fellowship program, and Visual Standards for population analysis and clinical research.

ACTION: The IFOS members approved the resolution regarding Visual Standards and accepted the Document Visual Standards: Aspects and Ranges of Vision Loss, for population analysis and clinical research, each without dissent.

XII. Statute Revision (See attachment VI)

The International Council recommended to the IFOS members that the statutes of the IFOS, Article 8, subscription, be amended in the fourth sentence of the article by striking the number 2 and inserting in its place the number 5.

The revised fourth sentence to read as "subscription of the affiliated society may not exceed CHF 5 per member of the affiliated society per year."

Members of the Council had presented the membership with a full review of the proposed budget opportunities in the Treasurers report as a basis for proposing the statute change to raise subscription levels to meet new activities within IFOS.

ACTION: Drs. Khan and Nagpal reported to the Council that the IFOS members, present and voting, unanimously support revision to the statutes, Article 8, as proposed.

XIII. Dues 2003 to the Next General Assembly

The International Council acting in accordance with the newly revised Article 8 recommended to IFOS members that the subscription rate for membership be raised to CHF 3 for 2003 to next General Assembly.

ACTION: By unanimous vote the members of IFOS, present and voting, set the subscription rate of CHF 3 for 2003 to the next General Assembly.

XIV. Election of Officers and Board of Trustees Members (See attachment VII)

The International Council submitted a slate of Officers and Board of Trustees Members in accordance with the adopted structure and rules for the Council for the years 2002-2006.

ACTION: The IFOS members present and voting unanimously adopted the slate of Officers and Counselors for the year 2002-2006 as proposed.

XV. IFOS Assembly and International Congress 2004-2006-2008-2010

Dr. Spivey notified the IFOS of the schedule for future assembly meetings as:

2004 - New Orleans, USA, at the combined meeting of the SOE and AAO

2006 – São Paulo, Brazil, at the XXX International Congress, and associated with The Pan-American Association of Ophthalmology and the Brazilian Ophthalmology Society.

2008 – Hong Kong with the International Congress and possibly with the Asia-Pacific Academy of Ophthalmology.

2010 – Berlin, Germany, in conjunction with the XXXI World Ophthalmology Congress .

XVI. Adjournment

There being no Old Business or New Business brought before the Council, Dr. Naumann expressed his thanks to the IFOS members for their support and guidance.

He declared the meeting adjourned at 5:15 pm.

Next: Draft Minutes of April 20, 2002 Meeting of International Council of Ophthalmology, Sydney, Australia

Also see: ICO and Ophthalmologic Society News