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ICO Leader Letter

January 2009, Volume 6, Number 1

1. New ICO Clinical Guideline for HIV/AIDS

Dear Colleagues:

I am pleased to announce the completion of the new ICO Clinical Guideline on HIV/AIDS in the Eye. Written in the standard ICO format, we hope you will find them to be current, practical, and easy to read.

This new clinical guideline will be a terrific addition to the current ICO Guidelines, which serve as an outstanding resource for practical clinical information for the international ophthalmic community. This new Guideline breaks ground as the first evidence-based clinical guideline published on HIV/AIDS in the eye.

The new ICO Clinical Guideline for HIV/AIDS in the Eye is available for download on the ICO website: archive.icoph.org/pdf/ICOHIVAIDS.pdf (PDF - 500 KB).

I would like to acknowledge the considerable cooperation and hard work of the authors: Nikolas J.S. London, M.D.; Rubens Belfort, Jr., M.D., Ph.D.; and Emmett T. Cunningham, Jr., M.D., Ph.D., M.P.H.; as well as the reviewers: Gary Holland, MD; J. Fernando Arevalo, M.D., FACS; and Carlos Pavesio, FRCS.

The ICO Clinical Guidelines are designed to be translated and adapted by ophthalmologic societies to help ophthalmologists assess how they are treating patients. They are intended to serve a supportive and educational role and ultimately to improve the quality of eye care for patients.

- Richard L. Abbott, MD, ICO Director for Guidelines

2. WHO Action Plan on Prevention of Visual Loss

I am happy to report that on January 21, the WHO Executive Board recommended endorsement of the Draft Action Plan for the Prevention of Blindness and Visual Impairment at the World Health Assembly in Geneva in May. The draft action plan was prepared in collaboration with WHO Regional Offices, Member States and international partners - the result of a three-year effort to increase support for prevention of visual loss around the world. The draft action plan is available at archive.icoph.org/pdf/WHOActionPlan.pdf (PDF - 80.5 KB).

During the meeting, the following Executive Board members gave statements on the prevention of avoidable blindness and visual impairment agenda item: UK, Peru, Niger (on behalf of the African Region), Oman, the People's Republic of China, United Arab Emirates, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, USA, and Indonesia, followed by representatives of non-Board members: Saudi Arabia, Thailand and Venezuela.

In December, the ICO asked societies in countries represented on the WHO Executive Board to contact their representatives on the Board and urge them to support adoption of the Plan. The International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness (IAPB) sent a similar request to their members. It seems that our voices were heard.

Thanks to everyone for this concerted effort, particularly HRH Prince Abdulaziz Al Saud, Abdulaziz AlRajhi and the Eastern Mediterranean Region and Middle East African Council of Ophthalmology team who were instrumental in the long process leading to the success of this vote.

- Bruce Spivey, MD, ICO President

3. Free Access to O.N.E. Network in Developing Countries

The ICO would appreciate the help of ophthalmologic societies and educational programs letting ophthalmologists in developing countries know that they now have free access to the American Academy of Ophthalmology's Ophthalmic News and Education (O.N.E.) ™ Network.

O.N.E. Network (one.aao.org) is a comprehensive educational online resource, and the Academy and ICO have collaborated to make it free in developing countries, starting this month. We jointly formed an International Advisory Panel to suggest how the O.N.E. might be adapted for international use, and the Academy has recently redesigned the O.N.E. to make it easier to navigate.

To arrange for access to O.N.E., ophthalmologists should go to www.aao.org/oneapplication. If they are not currently registered with the AAO, (not required) and your society has not already arranged for group access, they can start at the drop-down menu to select your country. Click "submit" and proceed with the application.

For more specific information on the O.N.E. Network and the free access for individuals in developing countries, see the January 2009 edition of ICO Notes: archive.icoph.org/news/ico0901.html.

- Bruce Spivey, MD, ICO President

4. ICO Symposium at the Asia-ARVO Meeting

I am happy to report that we held a successful ICO symposium, Transcending the Borders in Ophthalmic Education, on Friday, January 16 at the 2009 Asia-ARVO meeting in Hyderabad, India. The following presentations were made:

• Overview of the ICO, Dr. Jean-Jaques De Laey
• The ICO Fellowship Program - A Stimulus in International Collaboration, Dr. Peter Gabel
• The Experience of an ICO Fellow, Dr. Jay Kelkar
• Training the Trainers - An International Perspective, Dr. Venkatesh Prajna
• Twinning of the National Societies - Concept and Recommendations, Dr. P.N. Nagpal
• International Scientific Collaboration - East Meets West, Dr. Jost Jonas

There were approximately 60 attendees, and a number of them were former ICO Fellows. Their spontaneous reactions were especially encouraging. If you are interested in reading more about the symposium, some of the presentations will be available for download on the ICO website: archive.icoph.org/soc/index.html.

Incidentally, the Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology (ARVO) is one of the ICO's newest members with their membership having just been approved in November 2008.

- Jean-Jacques De Laey, MD, ICO Secretary General

5. 2009 Courses for Residency Program Directors

ICO Ophthalmology Residency Program Directors Courses are working to elevate the level of ophthalmic education in residencies worldwide. After three successful courses in 2008, in Brazil, Slovenia and Ethiopia, the following courses have been scheduled for this year:

* February 9-10 in Bogota, Columbia
Chairs: Dr. Fernando Gomez and Dr. Peter Quiros

* May 10-12 in Beijing, China
Chairs: Dr. Xiaoxin Li, Dr. Jialiang Zhao and Dr. Karl Golnik

* May 14-15 in Bali, Indonesia
Chairs: Dr. Tjahjono D. Gondhowiardjo and Dr. Karl Golnik

Sponsored by the ICO and supported by the ICOFoundation, Allergan and others, the courses are being organized with national and supranational ophthalmologic societies. Topics include curriculum development, teaching in outpatient areas, surgical instruction and assessment of residents' knowledge and skills. For example, see the program from the course for residency program directors in Ethiopia (PDF - 84 KB).

- Mark Tso, MD, ICO Education Director

6. Supranational Meetings in 2009

The ICO is co-sponsoring the upcoming 10th International Congress of the Middle East Africa Council of Ophthalmology (MEACO), March 26 - 30, in Manama, Bahrain. Online registration, housing and visa application for the MEACO Congress are now available on the MEACO site: www.meaco.org/register.php.

More information on the 2009 MEACO Congress is also available in our December Leader Letter: archive.icoph.org/news/leader0813.html.

Asia Pacific Academy of Ophthalmology (APAO), May 16 - 19, 2009
The 24th Asia-Pacific Academy of Ophthalmology Congress will be held in Bali, Indonesia. More than 500 international speakers who have agreed to join the scientific program for the APAO Congress. Early registration is available until January 31. Visit www.apao2009bali.org/index03_1.shtml to register.

European Society of Ophthalmology (SOE), June 13 - 16, 2009
The 2009 Congress of the European Society of Ophthalmology will take place in Amsterdam in the RAI International Exhibition and Congress Centre - in close proximity of Amsterdam's city center. Early registration is available until February 5. Visit www.soe2009.org/Registration.asp to register.

Pan-American Association of Ophthalmology (PAAO)/American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO), October 24 - 27, 2009
The joint Meeting of the Pan-American Congress of Ophthalmology and the American Academy of Ophthalmology will be held in San Francisco, California. Registration will open on June 24. See www.aao.org/meetings/annual_meeting/ for more details.

- Yasuo Tano, MD, ICO Treasurer

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

• ICO Board of Trustees: 29 March 2009, Bahrain
• ICO Board of Trustees: 23 October 2009, San Francisco
• ICO General Assembly: 5 June 2010, Berlin
• World Ophthalmology Congress®: 5 - 9 June 2010, Berlin (www.woc2010.de)
• Other future ICO/IFOS Meetings: archive.icoph.org/lead/icomeet.html

8. Coming in the Next ICO Leader Letter:

The WORD forum on residency training, ICO Task Forces, ICO Foundation Leadership, and more.

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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