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ICO Leader Letter

September 2011, Volume 8, Number 10

1. WOC 2012: February 16-20, 2012

This special issue of the ICO Leader Letter highlights the excellent scientific program and exciting events that will be part of the 2012 World Ophthalmology Congress® (WOC) in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.

Sponsored by the ICO and hosted by the Middle East Africa Council of Ophthalmology (MEACO), WOC 2012 is the first time the Congress is hosted in the Middle East and Africa Region, and it promises to be a first-class worldwide event with outstanding scientific content, top speakers, the latest in practice, exhibits of the newest ophthalmic drugs and equipment, and participants from countries throughout the world.

Now is the time to make your plans to attend this important gathering of world ophthalmologists. Beat the Second Early Bird Registration deadline of December 15 by registering online now at: www.woc2012.org/register_online.html.

Please join us and share the news of the World Congress with your colleagues so we can make the 2012 WOC the best yet.

See you in Abu Dhabi!

– Bruce Spivey, MD, ICO President

2. WOC Scientific Program and New Events for 2012

Scientific Program

To date, 50 societies are organizing 58 scientific sessions. The WOC 2012 Scientific Program includes presentations from 2,000 internationally-recognized invited speakers representing 80 countries worldwide; 230 multidisciplinary invited sessions and more than 150 free paper sessions; over 800 digital poster sessions; over 225 video presentations; more than 75 instruction courses; and abstracts accepted from 97 countries.

To learn more about the WOC 2012 Scientific Program go to: www.woc2012.org/invited_program.html.

New for WOC 2012

In addition to its fine Scientific Program, new topics and sessions for WOC 2012 include an eye care personnel education program, an invited video program, 3D Stereotactic Anatomy, Women in Ophthalmology and the Ophthalmic Premier League.

– Peter Wiedemann, MD, Chairman, WOC Scientific Program

3. ICO World Ophthalmology Quiz

Another exciting addition to the 2012 Congress is the first World Ophthalmology Quiz, which is being organized by the ICO and is already promising to be one of the top events.

Teams representing the best residents and fellows in the world will answer questions covering the entire spectrum of ophthalmology, ending with a decisive "Rapid Fire" round consisting of 10 questions asked and answered by each team in three minutes.

You are invited to apply as a team through a society or apply individually. Each ICO Member society is invited to officially nominate a team to participate in the ICO World Ophthalmology Quiz. There is no fee to participate.

•  Each team of three must be comprised of residents and fellows in ophthalmology. Participants do not need to be society members.
• To enter, submit the name of your society, your team members and their email and telephone contact information to Dr. Santosh G. Honavar at honavar@lvpei.org by December 31, 2011.

WOC 2012 will be a truly dynamic meeting you cannot afford to miss, and I look forward to seeing you there.

– Peter Wiedemann, MD, Chairman, WOC Scientific Program

 

4. World Ophthalmic Education Colloquium

As part of the third World Ophthalmic Education Colloquium (WOEC), the ICO Education Committee will present eight symposia February 17-20, 2012, designed to attract attendees of different interests and spotlighting various aspects of ophthalmic education.

Our 2012 WOEC program features almost 50 speakers covering essential topics in ophthalmic education that are of interest to ophthalmologists and allied ophthalmic personnel:

• Education of Ophthalmic Professionals for a New Century
• Demonstration of Innovative Educational Technologies in Ophthalmic Centers Around the World
• Assessment of Clinical Skills of Residents, Practicing Ophthalmologists and Subspecialists in Developing and Developed Countries
• E-Learning Programs in Ophthalmic Education: Theory and Implementation
• Teaching Ophthalmic Subspecialties in Developed and Developing Countries
• ICO Educational Programs Designed for Your Participation
• Developing a Comprehensive Curriculum and Training Program with Assessment Tools to Improve Quality Eye Care
• Using Online and E-Learning Technology Resources to Effectively Train Mid-Level Ophthalmic Personnel for Higher Productivity

The WOEC is open to all members of the ophthalmic community with the goal of helping ophthalmic educators and others enhance the training and continuing education of ophthalmologists and other eye care personnel. It builds on the success of the 2008 and 2010 Colloquia in Hong Kong and Berlin.

In the fight to reduce the burden of blindness, training and continuing education of physicians and eye care personnel is critical. By attending WOC 2012 and the World Ophthalmic Education Colloquium you will gain the tools and information you need to enhance training programs and refocus ophthalmic education.

For more information about the WOEC and other invited scientific programs, go to: www.woc2012.org/invited_program.html.

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

5. World Forum for Sight

The Fourth World Forum for Sight (previously known as the World Forum for the Prevention of Blindness/VISION 2020) is expected to be one of the highlights of WOC 2012.

The WOC 2012 World Forum for Sight will feature 11 public health sessions from non-governmental development organizations (NGOs) and ophthalmological societies on initiatives to preserve and protect vision. It is geared towards eye care advocates and others committed to prevention of vision loss worldwide.

Topics will include:

• Can Onchocerciasis be Eliminated in the Next Decade: What Are the Challenges?
• Can Trachoma be Eliminated in the Next Decade: What Are the Challenges?
• VISION 2020 in Africa: A Mutual Challenge for South and North
• Public Health Control Strategies for Glaucoma: What Are the Prospects?
• Prevention of Blindness: Priorities and Achievements
• What Are the Human Resources Development Challenges to Achieving VISION 2020 In Developing Countries?
• Novel Control Strategies for Diabetic Retinopathy
• Physician–Hospital Partnering: Innovative Strategies for Success

The sessions are scheduled February 17-20. For more information about the World Forum for Sight and other invited scientific sessions, go to: www.woc2012.org/invited_program.html.

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

6. WOC Social Program

The true magic of the World Ophthalmology Congress is the mixing of cultures, people and ideas, and the WOC 2012 Social Program provides ideal settings for interacting with your colleagues.

The WOC 2012 Social Program is as follows:

• Opening Ceremony: Thursday afternoon, February 16, 2012, from 11:00 to 12:00. The Opening Ceremony is open to all registrants.
• Cultural Night: Friday, February 17, 2012. Everyone is welcome to attend this festive event. An advanced ticket is required. Tickets will be available from October 30, and registered delegates will be notified of the online link to purchase tickets.
• Speakers’ Reception: Sunday, February 19, 2012. The Speakers’ Reception is by invitation only, for invited speakers, chairs and scientific program coordinators.

Mark your calendars! I look forward to seeing you at these exciting social events.

– Abdulaziz AlRajhi, MD, President, WOC 2012

7. Important WOC Dates, Deadlines and Information

Please mark your calendar with these upcoming WOC important dates:

• October 1, 2011: Deadline for all presenters to be registered
• November 1, 2011: Full program on the WOC Web site
• December 15, 2011: Second Early Bird Registration Closes

Register online now at: www.woc2012.org/register_online.html.

For monthly updates and the most up-to-date information, view the WOC 2012 e-newsletter at: www.woc2012.org/news.html.

For more Congress information, visit the WOC 2012 Web site at: www.woc2012.org.

For information on Abu Dhabi, go to: www.woc2012.org/city_information.html

And if you need more reasons to attend WOC 2012 go to: www.icoph.org/downloads/Society-Promotion-of-WOC-2012.pdf

– Abdulaziz AlRajhi, MD, President, WOC 2012

8. Next ICO Meetings and World Ophthalmology Congresses

ICO Board of Trustees Meeting: February 15, 2012, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates

ICO General Assembly: February 16, 2012, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates

World Ophthalmology Congress®: February 16–20, 2012, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates (www.woc2012.org)

World Ophthalmology Congress®: April 2-6, 2014, Tokyo, Japan

World Ophthalmology Congress®: February 5–9, 2016, Guadalajara, Mexico

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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