ICO Leader Letter:
Highlights of 2006 World Ophthalmology Congress in Brazil

September 2005, Volume 2, Number 9

In This Issue:

1. The Longest Continuing International Meeting in Medicine (Fritz Naumann, MD)

2. Congress Offers Education, Science, Social Program, Tours and Carnival! (Rubens Belfort, MD)

3. Scientific Program Will Cover the State of the Art of Ophthalmology (Steve Ryan, MD)

4. First World Forum for Non-Profits and Prevention of Blindness Programs (Cristina Muccioli, MD)

5. Deadlines for Best National Papers, Naming IFOS Representatives and Free Papers

6. Future World Ophthalmology Congresses

7. Next ICO and IFOS Meetings

8. Coming in the October ICO Leader Letter

9. More News

10. Request for other News and Resources

11. Forward the ICO Leader Letter to your Colleagues

12. Comments, Change of Address, Privacy Policy, Subscribe and Unsubscribe

1. The Longest Continuing International Meeting in Medicine

Dear Colleagues:

Fritz Naumann, MD

That Congress became the longest continuing international meeting in all of medicine and led directly to the formation of International Council of Ophthalmology (ICO) and the International Federation of Ophthalmological Societies (IFOS).

(Participants in the Congress founded the ICO in 1927 in Scheveningen, Holland and IFOS in 1933 in Madrid. For those interested in ophthalmic history, there's a list of the 29 previous Congresses at www.icoph.org/congress/pastmtg.html.)

This issue of the ICO Leader Letter features the XXX Congress, which we now also call the World Ophthalmology Congress, February 19 - 24, 2006 in São Paulo, Brazil.

The first "World" Congress promises to be the best International Congress of Ophthalmology ever. We want to have every nation and IFOS member represented, and I hope you will make every effort to join us in São Paulo.

- Fritz Naumann, MD, ICO President

2. Congress Offers Education, Science, Social Program, Tours and Carnival!

2006 World Ophthalmology Congress

More than 4000 ophthalmologists from 67 countries have already registered for the World Ophthalmology Congress, February 19 - 24, 2006 in São Paulo (www.ophthalmology2006.com.br).

As you will see in the reports from Drs. Steve Ryan and Cristina Muccioli below, both the scientific and prevention of blindness programs will be outstanding.

If you haven't already decided to come to São Paulo, consider the Congress social program and tours we have organized to spectacular destinations within Brazil, not to mention the chance to experience Carnival!

There will be many opportunities to spend time with colleagues you haven't seen in years and make new acquaintances. Highlights of the social program include:

• February 19: Informal get-togethers with friends
• February 20: Opening Ceremony
• February 21: Alumni meetings and society social functions
• February 22: Carnival Ball and Soccer Game
• February 23: Speakers & Dinner
• February 24: Start of Carnival throughout Brazil!

For information on tours we are offering around São Paulo; to Rio De Janeiro, Salvador and Recife for Carnival; and to other resorts and areas of Brazil, see: www.ophthalmology2006.com.br/tours.php.

Brazilians are recognized worldwide as joyful and outgoing people. No matter where you spend your time, you will never forget your visit to Brazil!

- Rubens Belfort, MD, President of the XXX Congress and ICO Council Member

3. Scientific Program Will Cover the State of the Art of Ophthalmology

Steve Ryan, MD

I am happy to report that the program is nearly complete. Among the highlights:

• 2400 speakers from all of the ophthalmic subspecialties and all regions of the world
• 400 scientific sessions with 4000 presentations
• Courses, workshops, free papers, posters and a film festival
• Contributions to the program from all five major supranational societies of ophthalmologists and 61 subspecialty societies and international organizations.

For the first time, there will be four "Subspecialty Days," one-day immersion programs led by some of the world's top ophthalmologists: on Glaucoma (February 20), Retina (February 21), Cataract (February 21) and Cornea and Refractive Surgery (February 23).

A list of the topics covered in the program can be downloaded as a PDF file from: www.ophthalmology2006.com.br/preliminary.pdf.

To search for a specific subject or speaker, go to: www.meetingeventos.com.br/site/programa_oftalmo/principal.asp?congresso=wocprog.

And, there is still a chance to be a part of the scientific program: abstracts for free papers, posters and entries into the film festival can be submitted online until October 28 at: www.ophthalmology2006.com.br/abstract.php.

- Steve Ryan, MD, Chair, Scientific Program Committee, World Ophthalmology Congress

4. First World Forum for Non-Profits and Prevention of Blindness Programs

Cristina Muccioli, MD

One highlights of the 2006 World Ophthalmology Congress will be the first-ever World Forum of Non-Profit Organizations on Vision and Prevention of Blindness.

Scheduled from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Sunday, February 19, the Forum will feature presentations from non-governmental development organizations (NGOs) and ophthalmological societies on initiatives to preserve and protect vision around the world. The Forum is coordinated by Drs. Silvia Veitzman, Marcos Sampaio and Paulo Morales.

Subjects that will be covered include senile cataract, children, low vision and refractive errors, quality of life for the visually impaired, educational programs, human and economic resources management and public policy/civil rights. For more details, see: www.ophthalmology2006.com.br/ong_prog.php.

There will also be many other outstanding programs on prevention of blindness at the Congress, including symposia on VISION 2020: The Right to Sight and prevention of blindness for children, adults and the elderly.

For a listing and links to details of each symposium, go to www.meetingeventos.com.br/site/programa_oftalmo/principal.asp?congresso=wocprog, click on "search activity" and then select "Prevention of Blindness."

- Cristina Muccioli, MD, Co-Chair, Scientific Program Committee, World Ophthalmology Congress

5. Deadlines for Best National Papers, Naming IFOS Representatives and Free Papers

• September 28, for national societies to notify Dr. Pran Nagpal (manishad1@sancharnet.in) of the best free papers submitted to the Congress from their countries. For details and a list of the best national free papers already selected, see www.ophthalmology2006.com.br/best.php.
  
  
• October 1 for IFOS Members to inform ICO Secretary General Bruce Spivey (spivey@icoph.org) who your Representative will be at the IFOS General Assembly on February 21.
  
  
• October 28 for submission of free papers (www.ophthalmology2006.com.br/abstract.php).

6. Future World Ophthalmology Congresses

• 2008: Hong Kong, China, June 29 - July 3
  Co-sponsored by the ICO, Asia-Pacific Academy of Ophthalmology, Chinese Ophthalmological Society, College of Ophthalmologists of Hong Kong, and Hong Kong Ophthalmological Society
  
  
• 2010: Berlin, Germany, June 6 - 10
  Co-sponsored by the ICO and German Ophthalmological Society
  
  
• 2012: Chicago, Illinois, USA, November 10 - 13
  Co-sponsored by the ICO and American Academy of Ophthalmology- Rubens Belfort, MD, President of the XXX Congress and ICO Council Member.

7. Next ICO and IFOS Meetings

• International Council of Ophthalmology: February 19, 2006, São Paulo, Brazil
  
  
• General Assembly of the International Federation of Ophthalmological Societies: February 21, 2006, São Paulo, Brazil

Other Future ICO/IFOS Meetings: www.icoph.org/lead/icomeet.html.

8. Coming in the October ICO Leader Letter:

Enhancing Ophthalmic Education in Nigeria

9. More News

For more news of the ICO and international ophthalmology and resources for ophthalmologic leaders, see the ICO's Eye Site at www.icoph.org.

10. Request for Other News and Resources

Do you have other news of international ophthalmology or know resources (particularly on the Web) that would be valuable to society leaders? Please let us know at leader@icoph.org.

11. Forward the ICO Leader Letter to your Colleagues:

If there are other ophthalmologic leaders you think might be interested in seeing this ICO Leader Letter, please forward this issue to them by clicking on this link.

12. Comments, Change of Address, Privacy Policy, Subscribe and Unsubscribe

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