IFOS Notes:
Comments Requested on Future Directions for ICO/IFOS

Dear IFOS Members,

Prior to the American Academy of Ophthalmology meeting in November in Las Vegas, about 20 members of the International Council of Ophthalmology (ICO) and its Advisory Committee met for a day to follow up on the draft Strategic Plan for the ICO and International Federation of Ophthalmological Societies (IFOS) that was defined in July in Zurich.

In this issue of IFOS Notes, I report on the outcomes of that meeting, including a proposed name change for ICO/IFOS, and ask for your comments on the revised draft Strategic Plan. There’s also an announcement of a major new award for outstanding contributions to the alleviation of visual problems with a December 31 deadline to apply.

1. Planning Group Confirms Future Directions

The participants in the November strategic planning session re-affirmed the broad future directions for ICO/IFOS that had been proposed in July (www.icoph.org/news/ifos0608sp.html), with some relatively minor refinements.

Among other priorities, the group agreed that the ICO/IFOS should:

• Focus on ophthalmic education, particularly (but not exclusively) training of ophthalmologists, subspecialists, medical students and allied personnel to serve in developing countries and underserved areas
  
  
• Develop consensus on essential, appropriate standards for residency training in ophthalmology and help residency program directors enhance training
  
  
• Become an effective advocate for ophthalmology, eye care and preservation of vision and promote operational and clinical research
  
  
• Develop stronger relationships with WHO, VISION 2020, non-governmental development organizations (NGOs), governments and other groups involved with eye care and vision
  
  
• Assess what ophthalmologic societies want and need and provide courses, information and assistance to help them develop and become increasingly more effective
  
  
• Continue to focus on countries with minimal ophthalmic presence and help ophthalmologists in those countries form societies or affiliate with existing societies
  
  
• Co-sponsor congresses and courses with member societies and collaborate with them to offer programs, products and services for individual ophthalmologists
  
  
• Establish a program to develop leaders for both the ICO and other societies, get more ophthalmologists involved and hire professional staff to support the volunteer leadership.

2. Comments Requested on Revised Strategic Plan

Also at the planning session in November, we defined primary strategies and long range objectives for each of the six major goals or functions (ophthalmic education, advocacy, society relations, etc.) defined in the Plan.

Since then, we circulated a revised draft Strategic Plan to the Council and Advisory Committee and have modified it based on the comments we received. Now, we would appreciate hearing comments on the draft Plan from IFOS members. You can read it on our Web site starting at www.icoph.org/plan/part1.html or download the entire document from www.icoph.org/pdf/ICOdraftplan.pdf.

I would particularly appreciate your comments on whether you feel the broad directions for the future are appropriate and what you believe our highest priorities should be. You can comment by replying to this mailing or sending me an e-mail at spivey@icoph.org.

3. Council Will Recommend Name Change

During the strategic planning process, a strong consensus developed that having two names for the organization (International Council of Ophthalmology (ICO) and International Federation of Ophthalmological Societies (IFOS)) is confusing and counterproductive.

As most of you know, IFOS is the parent body, which meets every two years in a General Assembly, and ICO is the executive and operational arm. But it is hard to communicate this relationship clearly, and many people find the two names confusing.

Although IFOS is the official parent, the ICO has become much better known, largely as a result of its programs, the Basic and Clinical Assessments, Fellowships, Clinical Guidelines, etc.

The planning group that met in November, joined at the end of the day by other members of the Council and Advisory Committee who were at the Academy meeting, agreed that there should be a single name for the organization.

There was about an even split among those who felt the name should be "International Council of Ophthalmology (ICO)" and those who preferred a new name, "World Ophthalmology Council (WOC)." The latter name, WOC, would correspond with the "World Ophthalmology Congress," and advocates argued that it would be more distinctive and appropriate for the future. Others felt that the ICO has become much better known in recent years, and this is not the time to change.

When the Council meets in Cape Town in March, it will decide which of the two names to recommend for approval by IFOS in June 2008 in Hong Kong. In either case, we will propose that the name "IFOS" be changed, either to the ICO or WOC. So the societies that are currently members of IFOS would become members of the Council, and what we now call the "Council" would become the Board.

Most importantly, the organization would be known by a single name in the future, rather than perpetuating the confusion that exists now. We are not planning to recommend significant changes in how the organization functions, just in what it is called.

If you have questions, disagree with this proposed change or have a preference for WOC or ICO, please let me know. But the Council feels strongly that a single name will be best for the organization in the future.

4. December 31 Deadline for Champalimaud Award

The Champalimaud Foundation, which is based in Lisbon, Portugal, will present an award of €1.0 million for the first time in 2007 for outstanding contributions towards the alleviation of visual problems, primarily in developing countries.

The award is directed to research groups working on a project, not individuals, with "a strong bias towards work that has provided major breakthroughs in the understanding of vision or in the alleviation of visual impairment and blindness."

According to the Foundation, "Candidates will be considered by a distinguished international jury for quality and distinction of their initiative; achievements and measurable impact of their pursuit; and enduring amplifying effects of their activities."

December 31 is the deadline for applications. For more information, guidelines and entry forms, see www.fchampalimaud.org.

5. Thank You and Happy New Year

Finally, thanks to all IFOS Members for your support and participation during a very eventful 2006. I wish you the very best for a happy and successful New Year.

With warm regards,

Bruce Spivey, MD
ICO President

945 Green Street
San Francisco, CA, 94133, USA
(1-415) 409-8410
Fax: (1-415) 409-8403
spivey@icoph.org
www.icoph.org