News of the ICO, Ophthalmology and Vision:

Recent News

International ophthalmology news headlines:

• Comments Requested on Report on Functional Vision
  
  
• 2008 World Ophthalmology Congress® in Hong Kong
  
  
• 2010 World Ophthalmology Congress® in Berlin
  
  
• WHO reports on progress and challenges
  
  
• IAPB/VISION 2020 focus on support for eye care
  
  
• Council seeks to increase visibility within ophthalmology
  
  
• Focus on increasing support for eye care
  
  
• More than 13,000 have taken ICO Assessments
  
  
• IFOS/ICO Fellowships for 235 ophthalmologists
  
  
• New Clinical Guidelines in development
  
  
• New Directors for ICOFoundation
  
  
• ICO adopts Code of Ethics for ophthalmologists
  
  
• Council approves report on vision for driving

(Also see:

• the Latest News
• the most recent ICO Leader Letter
• Previous News)

The report makes the distinction between “Visual Functions,” which describe how the eye functions and “Functional Vision,” which describes how the person functions in vision-related activities.

“As societal attention is extended … from the prevention and treatment of disease to its functional consequences and their rehabilitation,” the report says, “it is imperative that we more clearly define those consequences and provide means to measure their remediation.”

The report aims at (a) expanding the awareness of all those involved with eye care to the functional consequences of vision loss (Part 1), and (b) pointing to ways in which the effectiveness of vision rehabilitation can be measured (Part 2).

The draft of Part 1 can be downloaded from (www.icoph.org/pdf/FunctionalVisionDraft.pdf). The Standards Committee would appreciate comments on Part 1 and suggestions for Part 2 (in preparation). Send comments to standards@icoph.org.

The final report will be presented at the 2008 World Ophthalmology Congress®, June 28 - July 2 in Hong Kong, and at the "Vision 2008" International Conference on Vision Rehabilitation, July 7 – 9, in Montreal.

2008 World Ophthalmology Congress® in Hong Kong

Dennis Lam, MD, President of the 2008 World Ophthalmology Congress®, , June 28 – July 2 in Hong Kong, reported to the Council in Cape Town on plans for the Congress, particularly development of the scientific program, which is being led by Stephen Ryan, MD.

Dr. Lam said the Congress expects from 10,000 to 15,000 delegates, including 3000 to 4000 from China, and has arranged for low cost housing in hostels in addition to standard hotels. The Congress will send out a monthly e-mail newsletter and promote the meeting at ophthalmologic society congresses throughout the world.

The Congress will include the XXXI International Congress of Ophthalmology, XXII Congress of the Asia-Pacific Academy of Ophthalmology, XIII Congress of the Chinese Ophthalmological Society and XX Hong Kong Ophthalmological Symposium.

For more, see www.woc2008hongkong.org.

2010 World Ophthalmology Congress in Berlin

Gerhard Lang, MD, reported to the Council on the 2010 World Ophthalmology Congress® (WOC 2010), scheduled June 5 – 9 in Berlin.

The Congress will be hosted by the German Society of Ophthalmology, with the German Academy of Ophthalmology as co-host. It will incorporate the 108th Congress of the German Society and the 2010 Congress of the German Academy.

The main social event will be a Bavarian-style Octoberfest, to be called the WOCtoberfest.

See the preliminary Congress Web site at http://www.woc2010.de.

WHO reports on progress and challenges

 Advisory Committee Member Serge Resnikoff, MD, PhD, Coordinator of Chronic Disease Prevention and Management for WHO, reported to the Council on key WHO milestones in 2006, including adoption of a resolution in support of prevention of blindness and visual impairment at the 59th World Health Assembly in May and definition of VISION 2020 strategic objectives for 2006 – 2011 in July.

Dr. Resnikoff reported progress on initiatives to eliminate trachoma and onchocerciasis but said that a WHO review of national health policies in 136 countries revealed that only 36 had any mention of the eyes and only six made specific reference to prevention of blindness. He said ICO efforts to stimulate training in countries with no eye care system were critical.

IAPB/VISION 2020 focus on increasing support for eye care

Gullapolli (Nag) N. Rao, MD, President of the International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness (IAPB), gave a progress report on the VISION 2020 global initiative and stressed the need for continuing advocacy at the national level in every country to increase support for prevention of blindness and eye care.

In India, Dr. Rao reported, such advocacy has resulted in doubling the budget for eye care and prevention of blindness over the next five years.

Dr. Rao also emphasized the importance of better communication of successes and the benefits of improved eye care. He reported that IAPB plans to hire a full-time CEO to take over when his term ends in September 2008.

ICO seeks to increase visibility within ophthalmology

The ICO Advocacy Committee met in Cape Town and defined plans for internal (within ophthalmology) and external advocacy.

Director for Advocacy Hugh R. Taylor, AC, MD, has set a goal of having every ophthalmologist in the world recognize what the ICO is and does. In addition to asking IFOS Representatives to arrange brief presentations about ICO work on key issues during plenary sessions at their society Congresses, and the Council will work to increase coverage in society newsletters and other ophthalmic publications.

Focus on Increasing Support for Eye Care

On the external side, the focus of ICO advocacy will be on increasing support for prevention of blindness and eye care, particularly from WHO and national governments.

“In many countries, ophthalmologists have connections with their ministers of health and other key officials that put them in a unique position to encourage support for eye care,” said Committee Member Abdulaziz AlRajhi, MD. The ICO will try to identify one ophthalmologist in each country to work with it as an advocate.

In coming months, the Council will ask societies to contact ministers of health to request their support for inclusion of prevention of blindness in the WHO Medium Term Strategic Plan (2008 – 2013) and in “Country Cooperation Strategy (CCS)” documents, which define how each country will work with WHO.

The Advocacy Committee will also ask one ophthalmologist in each WHO region to represent the ICO at WHO Regional Meetings and coordinate the work of national advocates within their region.

More Than 13,000 Have Taken ICO Assessments

ICO Assessments Director Peter Watson, FRCS, FRCOphth, reported to the Council that 13,000 candidates from 70 countries have taken the ICO Basic and Clinical Assessments since they were established in 1996.

Turkey and an increasing number of other countries are now using the ICO Assessments as part of their national certifying exams, Mr. Watson reported.

The Council approved awarding an El-Maghraby Prize, named for the father of ICO Vice President Akef El-Maghraby, MD, to those trainees who achieve “distinction” in the Basic Science Assessment.

In 2006, there were 1053 registrants for the Basic Sciences Assessment and 484 for the Clinical Sciences Assessment. They took the Assessments at 92 centers in 61 countries.

The Assessments are offered in early April each year, with a January 31 deadline for application. For more information, see http://www.icoph.org/assess.

ICO President Bruce E. Spivey, MD, thanked Mr. Watson for his extraordinary leadership in the development of the ICO Assessments program.

IFOS/ICO Fellowships for 235 Ophthalmologists

ICO Fellowship Director Viet-Peter Gabel, MD, reported that ICO/IFOS Fellowships have been awarded to 235 ophthalmologists from 60 countries since the Fellowship program was created in 2001.

The Council approved a recommendation from the Officers to designate one Fellowship each year a “Gloor Fellowship” in honor of the program founder Balder Gloor, MD.

The Fellowship Committee has defined new information and forms for applications that are available on the ICO Web site at www.icoph.org/fellow. Additional hosts, including 35 from Japan, will be added to the listing in the next few months.

Deadlines for application for ICO/IFOS Fellowships are April 30 and October 31 of each year.

New Clinical Guidelines in Development

Guidelines Director Richard Abbott, MD, reported to the Council that additional ICO International Clinical Guidelines are being defined on HIV/AIDS and onchocerciasis.

There are currently 20 Guidelines available at www.icoph.org/guide, the two most recent covering trachoma and leprosy.

In addition to supporting projects to define clinical guidelines South Korea, the Guidelines Committee will be assessing the use of clinical guidelines in China and elsewhere, Dr. Abbott reported.

There will be symposia on the development and use of clinical guidelines at the Pan-American Association of Ophthalmology Congress in Cancun, May 31 – June 3, and European Society of Ophthalmology Congress in Vienna, June 9 to 12.

New Directors for ICOFoundation

The Council elected ICO Secretary General Jean-Jacques De Laey, MD, to be a Director of the ICOFoundation, which raises funds to advance ophthalmic education, quality eye care and scientific ophthalmology through support of ICO programs.

The ICOFoundation Board had previously elected Hilel Lewis, MD, as Vice President and the following new directors:

• Prince Abdulaziz bin Ahmad bin Abdulaziz AlSaud
  President, Impact-Eastern Mediterranean Region
• Alice R. McPherson, M.D.
  President, Retina Research Foundation
• Mr. Takakazu Morita
  Chairman and CEO, Santen Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd.

For more on the ICOFoundation and how to contribute, see http://www.icofoundation.org or contact President Bradley R. Straatsma, MD, JD, at info@icofoundation.org.

Council adopts Code of Ethics for ophthalmologists

On the recommendation of its Advisory Committee, the Council in 2006 adopted a code of ethics prepared by the ICO Ethics Committee, chaired by Advisory Committee member Pinar Aydin, MD, PhD, of Turkey.

Titled "An Ethical Code for Ophthalmologists: Ethical Principles and Professional Standards," the code defines moral principles and standards to guide the behavior of ophthalmologists related to:

• patient care
• professional practice
• professional community
• research
• communications to the public
• fees and commercial interests.

The Ethical Code was developed over the course of two years with guidance from professional ethicists. It is on the ICO Web site at www.icoph.org/ethics and can be downloaded as a PDF file from www.icoph.org/pdf/icoethicalcode.pdf (164 KB). Comments are welcome.

The core-Code is intended to be general and include principles and not regulations, Dr. Aydin told the Council, but could be used as a basis for defining more specific codes of ethics for ophthalmologists within individual countries.

ICO Vice President and Education Director Mark Tso, MD, suggested that the Ethics Committee consider in the future how to teach ethics, particularly in developing countries. "It is a vital question for our profession," Dr. Tso said, and suggested that there be sessions on ethics at every World Congress.

Other members of the Ethics Committee are Pran Nagpal, MD, and Antonio G. Secchi, MD. Albert Jonsen, PhD and Charles Zacks, MD were consultants to the Committee.

Council approves report on vision for driving

Also in 2006, the Council approved a report on "Vision Requirements for Driving Safety" prepared by ICO Committee on Standards Chairman Jean-Jacques DeLaey, MD, and Standards Committee Member August Colenbrander, MD.

The report recognizes the profound impact vision requirements for driving have and the need to make them more uniform around the world. It evaluates:

• current visual requirements for obtaining a driver's license in various countries
• the literature on the relationship between vision and driving safety, and
• ways to assess different visual functions that relate to driving ability.

The report evaluates various options for testing and suggests that a compromise may have to be found between ideal testing and economic feasibility.

The report on "Vision Requirements for Driving Safety" can be downloaded from www.icoph.org/pdf/visionfordriving.pdf.

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