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ICO Leader Letter

October 2010, Volume 7, Number 10

1. WHO Releases New Visual Impairment Estimates

The World Health Organization (WHO), at its recent meeting in Geneva, announced new estimates of visual impairment worldwide (based on data from 2008) with refractive error included:

Low vision:                       245.5 million
Blindness:                          39.8 million
Total visual impairment:    285.3 million

While these estimates are not yet final and may need minor adjustments, they indicate a significantly lower level of blindness than would have been expected considering that the percentage of the population over age 50 (the population most vulnerable to visual impairment) is estimated to have grown 18 percent from 2004 to 2008.

The previous WHO estimate for total visual impairment was 314 million people with 45 million blind, so the new estimate represents a 13% decline. This is very positive news.

Dr. Serge Resnikoff will share more on the latest WHO estimates and their impact on the future of international ophthalmology in article No. 2 below. Please read further for more news on the American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO)/Middle East Africa Council of Ophthalmology (MEACO) Joint Meeting, World Conference on Refractive Error, and more.

– Bruce Spivey, MD, ICO President

2. ICO Leadership Roundtable Discusses Priorities for International Ophthalmology

At the recent ICO World Ophthalmology Roundtable on Leadership Development (WORLD) in Chicago, we discussed the responsibilities ophthalmology should take for public access to eye care, shared a new tool for teaching and assessing surgical skill, and invited discussion on what international ophthalmology’s top priorities should be for the next 10 years, in light of the new WHO visual impairment estimates.

Although we do not yet have new estimates for specific regions or diseases, cataract is still the number one ongoing challenge in prevention of blindness, with trachoma as the second. Critical challenges for the coming years include refractive error, diabetic retinopathy, glaucoma, AMD, and low vision. Trachoma remains an important issue in endemic countries. In an ideal world, distribution of health care services aims at two goals: efficiency and equity.

But citizens, patients, and health care professionals have preferences over what kind of health outcomes they value most, and how they like them to be distributed.

For my full presentation, see http://icoph.org/downloads/PrioritiesforIntlOphthalmologyICOWORLD2010.pptx (PPT–564 KB).

The ICO WORLD attendees had a lively discussion about the role of international ophthalmology in meeting visual impairment challenges, including improving training (including subspecialists) and placing emphasis on ophthalmic education versus focusing on specific diseases. The ICO will incorporate these ideas and feedback as we proceed through our strategic planning sessions late this year and early next year.

– Serge Resnikoff, MD, PhD, ICO Director for Advocacy

3. AAO/MEACO Joint Meeting Awards

I am happy to share with you the special award winners who were honored at this year's American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO)/Middle East Africa Council of Ophthalmology (MEACO) Joint Meeting. Please join me in congratulating these awardees who have made extraordinary contributions to ophthalmology, education and service:

AAO Awards:

• AAO Laureate Award: Bradley R. Straatsma, MD, JD (United States)
• International Blindness Prevention Award: Ahmed M. Trabelsi, MD (Tunisia)
• Straatsma Award for Excellence in Resident Education: Maria M. Aaron, MD (United States)
• Outstanding Advocate Award: Allan D. Jensen, MD, (United States)
• Outstanding Humanitarian Service Award: E. Darrell Jervey, MD and Robert A. Rice, MD (United States)

MEACO Awards:

• Prince Abdulaziz Ahmad Al Saud Prevention of Blindness Award: Victoria Sheffield (United States)
• El-Maghraby International Award: Theo Seiler, MD (Switzerland)
• MEACO Distinction Award: Hannah Faal, MD (Gambia)

– Akef El-Maghraby, MD, ICO Vice Presiden

4. World Conference on Refractive Error, Durban Commitment 2010

The 2010 World Congress on Refractive Error (WCRE), September 20-22 in Durban, South Africa, attracted more than 600 eye care professionals, researchers, government and industry representatives from all over the world to address uncorrected refractive error––the leading cause of avoidable blindness and vision impairment in the world today.

A key outcome of the Congress is The Durban Commitment 2010 – Vision Health and Development; Enhancing our Commitment to the Durban Declaration on Refractive Error.

Download the full Commitment here: http://icoph.org/downloads/DurbanCommitment2010.pdf (PDF–143 KB).

The 2010 Commitment document reaffirms the intentions of the 2007 Durban Declaration, but is designed to heighten concern for the current inadequate levels of services worldwide. It demands expanded efforts for the provision of quality eye care based on evidence. It also suggests associating eye care more closely with the broader poverty and development agenda.

– M. Babar Qureshi, BMBCh, DOMS, Chair, ICO Task Force for Uncorrected Refractive Error

5. ICO Eye Care Relief Fund for Pakistan

In last month’s ICO Leader Letter, we reported on the efforts of ICO Board of Trustees Member Dr. Babar Qureshi, and his Comprehensive Health and the Education Forum (CHEF) International to help the flood victims in Pakistan.

The ICO now announces the establishment of the ICO Eye Care Relief Fund for Pakistan, a new fund to be administered by the ICOFoundation. This new fund was started by a generous initial contribution from ICO Vice President Dr. Akef El-Maghraby. I hope each of you and your societies will consider contributing to this fund, 100 percent of which will be directed to those in desperate need in Pakistan.

CHEF International is operating eye camps in provinces where floods caused destruction by providing eye care treatments and referring patients to the nearest eye departments for surgical intervention when needed. They are also involved with the provision of medical and eye care, food distribution and in the provision of safe water. They next plan to support the development of health and education services (with emphasis on comprehensive eye care) in the Frontier Province most affected by the flooding.

To make a contribution to the ICO Eye Care Relief Fund for Pakistan, please visit the ICOFoundation Web site: http://www.icofoundation.org/contribute/index.php#how. Funds are accepted via credit card, wire transfer or check. Please specify Pakistan in the “organization” section. Donations of any amount are welcome and I hope you will consider making a contribution.

– Jean-Jacques DeLaey, MD, ICO Secretary General

6. ICOFoundation Supports New Programs

The International Council of Ophthalmology Foundation (ICOF) established in 2002, brings together leaders in global ophthalmology and industry to promote ophthalmic education, advocate quality eye care and advance scientific ophthalmology through support of ICO programs. The ICOF Board met recently at the AAO/MEACO Joint Meeting in Chicago to discuss the best way to continue funding important initiatives in the coming year.

The Board approved funding for new ICO programs, including the Magrabi-ICO Cameroon Eye Center, Conferences for Educators, and information technology that will allow the ICO to provide increased online support for ophthalmic educators and societies. We extend grateful thanks to the corporations, organizations, foundations and individuals for their donations to the ICOFoundation that make many ICO programs possible.

The Foundation is pleased to report that Stephen Ryan, MD, President of the Doheny Eye Institute at the University of Southern California, will commence his position as ICOFoundation President on January 1, 2011.

– Bradley Straatsma, MD, ICOFoundation President

7. Join the ICO Online Community

  ·  Find and connect with others who share your interests
  ·  Support the worldwide effort to preserve vision/prevent visual loss
  ·  Receive updates and information from the ICO
  ·  Customize your content, rate and submit resources on the ICO Web site

Go to https://icoph.org/create_account.html to join us.

Upcoming ICO Meetings and World Ophthalmology Congresses

Conference for Ophthalmic Educators, Busan, Korea, April 12:
New Techniques to Enhance Teaching and Learning

• Register online to attend: icoph.org/rsvp/Busan

World Ophthalmology Congress Meetings

• WOC2014: Tokyo, Japan, April 2-6, 2014, www.woc2014.org
• WOC2016: Guadalajara, Mexico, February 5–9, 2016
• WOC2018: Barcelona, Spain (provisional selection, dates to be announced)

More News

For more news of the ICO and international ophthalmology and resources for ophthalmologic leaders, see the ICO 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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