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ICO Leader Letter

October 2009, Volume 6, Number 10

1. ICO To Meet in San Francisco

For those of you who are attending the American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO)/Pan-American Association of Ophthalmology (PAAO) Joint Meeting this month in San Francisco, there will an impressive array of educational and social opportunities available. With ophthalmologists from the Americas and around the world coming together, this meeting will not disappoint those seeking to learn the latest clinical development, expand their skills, and connect with colleagues.

The ICO will also take the opportunity to gather ICO leaders together to move forward on several programs and new initiatives, such as ICO Basic and Clinical Assessments, International Fellowships, and new information technology. We will also have a booth in the North Exhibition Hall, #3945.

Please join us at the World Ophthalmic Roundtable on Leadership Development (WORLD), Saturday, October 24 from 12:00 to 13:30 in Grand Ballroom C at the Intercontinental Hotel. Co-sponsored by the PAAO, this roundtable offers stimulating new perspectives on developing organizations and leaders and a discussion on enhancing ophthalmic education. The full agenda is available at: archive.icoph.org/pdf/ICOWORLDSanFrancisco.pdf (PDF - 140 KB).

If you'll be in San Francisco next week, I look forward to seeing you there.

- Bruce Spivey, MD, ICO President

2. International Forum: Pediatric Cataract, Volunteering, and VISION 2020—The Next Decade

• Are blindness strategies used in childhood cataracts in developed countries suitable for developing countries?


• We are a decade into the VISION 2020 initiative. Where are we now? Where are we going?


• Are visiting ophthalmologist programs in developing countries helpful or can they hinder long-term progress?

Since 1990, the International Forum held at the AAO annual meeting has brought world ophthalmologists together to address key international concerns such as specific geographic challenges in Africa, Eastern Europe, Latin America, and South Asia; sustainable eye care; surgical management in developing countries; and many other critical topics.

This year's Forum will be especially significant as we note the progress of VISION 2020 and the challenges that still lie ahead. We hope to provide a thought-provoking format and welcome your input on topics such as the pros and cons of fly-in, fly-out surgical teams.

Please join us to share your thoughts and ideas on these questions and issues Monday, 26 October from 08:30 to 11:00 in room 3001, Moscone West. You can download the full agenda at: archive.icoph.org/pdf/forumflyer.pdf (PDF 118KB). I hope to see you there!

- Hugh Taylor, AC, MD, ICO Treasurer

3. International and Education Events at the AAO/PAAO Joint Meeting

In addition to the ICO WORLD Roundtable and the International Forum, there are quite a few other international and medical education sessions at the AAO/PAAO Joint Meeting. I list a few here that may interest you:

25 October

• PAAO Young Ophthalmologists Symposium, 14:00 to 15:30, Moscone North 112

26 October

• Improving Teaching Skills, 09:15 to 10:45, Moscone West 2012
• Resident Assessment Techniques, 11:00 to 12:30, Moscone West 2012
• Teaching and Learning Beyond Medical Knowledge and Surgical Skills, 14:00 to 15:30, Moscone West 2002
• Young Ophthalmologists in International Ophthalmology, 16:30 to 17:30, Moscone West 2022

27 October

• Modern Technologies and Techniques for Young Ophthalmologists, 09:15 to 10:45, Moscone West 3011
• Professional Relations and Advocacy, 14:00 to 15:30, Moscone West 2010

28 October

• Lo Mejor de la Academia en Espanol (The Best of the Academy in Spanish), 06:30 to 17:00, Moscone West 3001; advance registration and $40 fee required

For more information and location details, see the AAO/PAAO Joint Meeting online program:
secure.aao.org/ebusPPROD/AAOCustomization/AAOMeetingEventBrowseOnly/tabid/278/Default.aspx.

- Mark Tso, MD, DSc, ICO Director for Education

 

4. Francisco Contreras to Receive G.O.H. Naumann Award

As Chairman of the G.O.H. Naumann Award Committee, it gives me great pleasure to announce that Dr. Francisco Contreras of Peru has been chosen as the recipient of the G.O.H. Naumann Award for Leadership and Global Eye Care for 2009. I will present this award to Dr. Contreras during the ICO board meeting on October 23, in San Francisco.

The Naumann Award is given annually to an ophthalmologist who has made a significant contribution to global eye care in his or her community in an effort to promote educational programs and establish service models for other societies.

Dr. Contreras' encouragement of national ophthalmologic societies in Latin America, and his work on prevention of blindness and recoverable vision restoration for various socio-economic levels in the region, have earned him this well-deserved recognition. Prevention of visual loss has long been a heartfelt pursuit for Dr. Contreras and he has inspired many others to make it their commitment as well. Latin America and world ophthalmology are fortunate to be the beneficiaries of his work and dedication.

- Akef El-Maghraby, MD, ICO Vice President

5. Helen Keller International Receives Champalimaud Vision Award

The 2009 recipient of the Champalimaud Vision Award is Helen Keller International (www.hki.org), recognized for its decades-long leadership in the global control of Vitamin A deficiency. Hellen Keller International has programs in 21 countries focusing on malnutrition, cataract, trachoma, onchocerciasis (river blindness) and refractive error.

The António Champalimaud Vision Award is given alternately for contributions to overall vision research (even numbered years) and contributions to the alleviation of visual problems, primarily in developing countries (odd numbered years). The award of € 1.0 million may be used in any way that furthers the outstanding contribution of the recipient group(s).

The Award recognizes organizations of any size that demonstrate high impact achievements at a local, national, regional or international level; is the largest monetary prize in the field of vision; and one of the largest scientific and humanitarian prizes in the world.

Application forms for the 2010 Champalimaud Award, focused on vision research, are available from October 1 through December 31, and completed entries are due by December 31, 2009. For more information, visit the Champalimaud Foundation Web site: www.fchampalimaud.org/vision-award/.

- Serge Resnikoff, MD, ICO Director for Advocacy

6. Next ICO Meetings and World Ophthalmology Congress (WOC)

• ICO Board of Trustees: October 23, 2009, San Francisco
• ICO General Assembly: June 5, 2010, Berlin
• World Ophthalmology Congress®: June 5-9, 2010, Berlin (www.woc2010.de)
• Other future ICO Meetings: archive.icoph.org/lead/icomeet.html.

More News

For more news of the ICO and international ophthalmology and resources for ophthalmologic leaders, see the ICO’s Web site at www.icoph.org.

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 ophthalmologic leaders? Please let us know at leader@icoph.org.

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