IFOS Notes:
Thanks and World Congress Details

Dear IFOS Members and Applicants,

Because a new set of officers will assume the leadership of the International Council of Ophthalmology (ICO) after the upcoming World Ophthalmology Congress/International Congress of Ophthalmology, February 19 - 24 in São Paulo, this is the last time I will send you IFOS Notes.

I want to take this opportunity to express my appreciation to the members of the International Federation of Ophthalmological Societies (IFOS), who make our work possible. Also a vote of thanks to my fellow officers and members of the Council, the Advisory Committee to the ICO and chairs and members of other standing and ad hoc ICO Committees.

Thank you for allowing me to serve as your President and for your support and encouragement over the last eight years.

My thanks also to the organizations that work closely with us, including the supranational ophthalmologic societies, the American Academy of Ophthalmology, Academia Ophthalmologica Internationalis and our friends and colleagues at the WHO, IAPB and other non-governmental development organizations (NGOs).

Together, we have built major programs (including the ICO Assessments, Fellowships, Clinical Guidelines and more) and undertaken other initiatives that are helping to enhance ophthalmic education and contribute to the preservation and restoration of vision for the people of the world. (For details, see the ICO Web site at www.icoph.org.)

We have not achieved all of our goals but we have moved in the right direction and made great progress.

I am confident that the next ICO President, Bruce Spivey, MD, and the other officers and Council members to be elected in São Paulo will build on what we have started and achieve even more. International ophthalmology faces significant challenges, but we have a bright future, and I know that IFOS and the ICO will contribute enormously.

Later this week, you will receive the February ICO Leader Letter, which will offer a preview of the World Ophthalmology Congress. In this letter, I will cover some important details of the Congress for IFOS members.

1. IFOS Representatives Should Have Received Agendas

Agenda books with reports on ICO programs and action items for the IFOS General Assembly have been mailed to the official Representatives to IFOS from each member society. If you are the Representative and have not received the book, please contact Bruce Spivey at spivey@icoph.org as soon as possible.

The IFOS General Assembly will be from 11:00 to 14:00 on Tuesday, February 21 in Room 8 of the Transamérica Expo Center & Hotel in São Paulo. Representatives of IFOS members are asked to arrive at around 10:30 in order to register for the General Assembly before we start, which will be promptly at 11.

There will be very limited space for others to observe the General Assembly. You can download the agenda as a PDF file from www.icoph.org/pdf/ifosagenda06.pdf.

2. ICO Publishes Directory of International Ophthalmology

We have mailed the 2006 edition of the ICO’s Directory of International Ophthalmology to the ophthalmologic societies listed in it and will have additional copies for IFOS Representatives at the World Ophthalmology Congress.

The Directory lists ophthalmologic societies and residencies around the world based on information in the ICO database, which is linked to our Web site. You can check your current listing in the database at www.icoph.org/soc/ifos.cfm.

For information on how to update your listing, see www.icoph.org/soc/update.cfm.

Thank you for helping us keep this information up-to-date.

3. IFOS Seating at Opening Ceremonies

Congress President Rubens Belfort, MD, has kindly reserved seating for the official Representatives of IFOS members at the Opening Ceremonies of the World Ophthalmology Congress. The Ceremonies will start at 7:00 p.m. on Monday, February 20 in the theater of Credicard Hall at Rua Bento Branco de Andrade Filho, 400. (Buses will depart from the Convention Center starting at 5:15.)

The seating for IFOS Representatives will be just behind the seats saved for the Council, directly opposite the podium, in the middle of the hall. Since we expect a big crowd, I would advise you to get to the Hall early to find the section for IFOS Representatives.

4. Best National Papers

See www.ophthalmology2006.com.br/best.php for a list of the “best national papers” submitted to the World Ophthalmology Congress selected by IFOS members from various countries.

Council member Pran Nagpal, MD, chaired a Congress committee that encouraged national ophthalmologic societies to select one free paper on ophthalmology and one on prevention of blindness submitted by their members as best national papers. The lead authors of the winning papers were given free registration to the Congress.

5. More Details

For information on visa requirements, yellow fever vaccinations and formal invitations to the Congress, see the December issue of IFOS Notes at www.icoph.org/news/ifos0512.html.

See www.ophthalmology2006.com.br/tips3.php#airport for information on arriving in São Paulo and transportation to hotels, currency and other details, plus some useful words and phrases in Portuguese.

Pre-registrants are encouraged to pick up your badges and registration materials at the reception desk between 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. on Saturday, February 18. We expect big crowds for registration on Sunday and Monday.

Thanks again for your support. I look forward to seeing you in São Paulo,