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ICO Notes
Supporting Our Member Societies

October 2011

Dear ICO Members and Friends,

1. 2011 ICO Update

The ICO is having an extremely positive year. We have defined a new strategic plan with clear goals and strategies to meet the growing need for eye care worldwide. And we are making great strides in enhancing current programs and developing new initiatives.

The success of the ICO is possible in great part because of you, our Member societies. Thanks to your participation, collaboration and yearly dues, we can set ambitious goals and make real progress on enhancing ophthalmic education and improving eye care worldwide.

Please take a look at the ICO’s 2011 Update for an overview of the many exciting programs your dues help to support, by downloading the Update at: www.icoph.org/downloads/2011Update.pdf

2. Annual Dues Notices Arriving Soon

As an ICO member, you play an important role in defining the future of ophthalmology and global eye care. Your membership dues help support our programs to improve ophthalmic education, enhance eye care and advance leadership.

This year alone, your dues have allowed us to:

• Offer ICO educational programs including Residency Program Directors Courses, the Ophthalmology Surgical Competency Assessment Rubric (OSCAR) and support for Continuing Professional Development/Continuing Medical Education;
• Provide an opportunity for 91 promising young ophthalmologists from developing countries to improve their practical skills and broaden their perspectives of ophthalmology through ICO Fellowships; and
• Develop a comprehensive new Center for Ophthalmic Educators Web site, which actively expands upon our “Teach the Teachers” initiative.

3. Benefits of ICO Membership

Your membership in the ICO provides critical support for our programs and initiatives. In the August issue of the ICO Notes I spoke of how your contribution furthers global ophthalmology, but another key benefit of ICO membership is how the ICO spotlights and recognizes your society and your congresses.

First, ICO Member societies are identified on the ICO Web site with an ICO membership star. This star tells others that your society is committed to working with the ICO to enhance ophthalmic education and preserve and restore vision around the world.

Second, the Events page on the ICO Web site promotes our members’ upcoming meetings; and third, the ICO Web site showcases your congresses on a rotating basis in our Featured Meeting and Events section.

The ICO has programs and workshops for helping society-designated “Advocates” work with the ICO and ophthalmologic societies to increase support for eye care and prevention of vision loss in their countries, as well as helping societies develop continuing professional development (CPD) programs.

Free registration for your society’s official representative is yet another benefit for ICO Members, as it ensures your voice is heard at the ICO General Assembly, which will be held on February 16, during the World Ophthalmology Congress® (WOC) February 16-20, 2012, in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. Societies who have paid their dues by January 1, 2012, will be entitled to a free registration for their ICO Official Representative.

For further information on membership benefits, criteria and expectations, please visit: www.icoph.org/advancing_leadership/ico_membership_advancing.html.

4. Join the ICO Online Community

To further enhance ophthalmic education and eye care, the ICO is building a “World Alliance for Sight” by leading, stimulating and supporting the efforts of ophthalmologic societies, eye departments and related organizations worldwide.

I invite you to join the ICO Online Community where you can:  

• Find and connect with others who share your interests
• Support the worldwide effort to preserve vision and prevent visual loss
• Receive updates and information from the ICO
• Customize your content, submit and rate resources on the ICO Web site.

If you have not done so already, please join the ICO Online Community at: www.icoph.org/connections.html.

Thank you for partnering with the ICO to preserve and restore vision. 

With warm regards,

Bruce

Bruce Spivey, MD, MS, MEd
President, International Council of Ophthalmology

945 Green Street
San Francisco, CA, 94133, USA
Fax: (1-415) 409-8403
spivey@icoph.org
www.icoph.org