Recent News

Emerging International Leaders (EILs) and Young Ophthalmologists (YOs) are at the forefront of a long and exciting professional life, and WOC2018 offers numerous opportunities to meet and socialize with newfound EIL and YO colleagues: 

• EIL and YO Lounge: Open Daily, 8:30–17:30, Tibidabo Suite 
• EIL and YO Reception: Sunday, 17 June, 18:30–19:30, Room 7.1, Conference Center 7 
• EIL Brainstorming Discussion and Happy Hour: Sunday, 17 June, 17:30, Room 22, Hall 8.0 
• YO Informal Night Out; Sunday, 17 June; stop by the EIL/YO Lounge for details.

The ICO Emerging International Leaders Initiative, part of the ICO 2017–2020 Strategic Plan, offers opportunities for networking, mentorship, and leadership skill improvement, especially for those interested in ICO activities or in becoming a future ophthalmic society leader. For more information about this initiative, email Jennifer Hanes, ICO Membership and Society Relations Manager, at jhanes@icoph.org.

As was previously announced, the ICO has formed a special interest group for ophthalmic educators, the ICO Ophthalmic Educators Group (ICO-OEG). The ICO-OEG supports educators and teachers of ophthalmology and recognizes ophthalmic education as a distinct subspecialty of ophthalmology.

As part of these efforts, the ICO has created an ICO-OEG LinkedIn group with the goal of creating a dynamic online space for ophthalmic educators to network, share resources, and discuss issues relevant to their profession. If you are an educator or involved in ophthalmic education, we are pleased to extend an invitation for you to join.

BOOST (Better Operative Outcomes Software Tool), a simple, free and easy-to-use app to help surgeons monitor and improve cataract surgical outcomes, has been launched at the World Ophthalmology Congress in Barcelona.

Read more on IAPB's website.

Presidents and leaders of 23 ophthalmologic societies in Sub-Saharan Africa came together at the African Ophthalmology Council (AOC)/ICO Summit on 15 June during WOC2018 to consider how to better serve ophthalmologists and enhance eye health in Africa.

Topics included the needs of the public related to eye health, the needs of ophthalmologists and ophthalmologic societies, and society development in Sub-Saharan Africa. The role of the AOC and objectives for African ophthalmological societies were discussed, as was WOC2020, which will take place 26–29 June 2020 in Cape Town, South Africa.

The World Ophthalmology Congress® is the premier international ophthalmic meeting. Be sure to mark your calendars and join us for WOC2020 in Cape Town, South Africa, and WOC2022 in Melbourne Australia.

WOC2020: Cape Town, South Africa
26–29 June 2020

Register now for WOC2020 and receive a greatly reduced rate that is only available through 31 July 2018.

WOC2020 will be hosted by the Ophthalmological Society of South Africa (OSSA), with the African Ophthalmology Council (AOC) and Middle East Africa Council of Ophthalmology (MEACO) as co-hosts. Kgaogelo “Eddie” Legodi, MD, will serve as President of WOC2020.

WOC2022: Melbourne, Australia
25–28 February 2022

WOC2022 will be hosted by the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Ophthalmologists (RANZCO). Mark Daniell, MB, BS, FRACS, will be WOC2022 President.

Join us for the World Ophthalmic Education Colloquium (WOEC) series of symposia and workshops spotlighting a variety of educational techniques. The WOEC sessions are designed for a diverse audience, from trained educators to practicing ophthalmologists interested in education.

As part of the WOEC, the course “Beyond the Lecture: Using Concept Maps to Promote Deep Learning of Medical Knowledge” will cover evidence supporting the use of mind maps to stimulate deep learning. Participants will have a hands on experience on how to create concept maps and how to teach this skill.

The case study “Complex Cases of Problem Residents: Discussing Prevention and Remediation” discussion will equip educators and program directors with the appropriate tools to feel confident applying effective remediation plans to deal with a variety of difficult situations.

Funding for the 2018 World Ophthalmic Education Colloquium sessions is provided in part by Carl Zeiss Meditec AG. Funding for the keynote luncheon of World Ophthalmic Education Colloquium is provided in part by the Alcon Foundation. We thank all of the supporters of the International Council of Ophthalmology's Teaching the Teachers Initiative.

Join us for the World Ophthalmic Education Colloquium (WOEC) series of symposia and workshops spotlighting a variety of educational techniques at the 2018 World Ophthalmology Congress, 16–19 June in Barcelona.

This month we would like to highlight two symposia: “Simulation for Teaching and Learning” on Sunday, 17 June, which will teach participants about surgical simulation and how to implement these low cost tools. “Less is More: Focused Workplace Placement Based Assessments (WPBA) in Busy Disciplines” on Tuesday, 19 June, will give examples of WPBA tools, and will teach participants the rationale and steps for implementation of WPBAs for their own programs.

We thank all the supporters of the ICO's Teaching the Teachers Initiative, including our 2018 WOEC sessions supporter Carl Zeiss Meditec AG, and the WOEC keynote luncheon supporter, the Alcon Foundation.

Learn more about the educator sessions and schedule during the WOEC. 

Register for the World Ophthalmology Congress in Barcelona, Spain.

A landmark accord on the ethical use of human eye tissue was signed at the 2018 World Ophthalmology Congress in Spain. The Barcelona Principles outline the ethical use of donated human tissue for ocular transplantation, research, and future technologies.

Developed in coordination with 102 individuals representing 89 nations, the Barcelona Principles encompass consent, donation, and equitable allocation of ocular tissue. It is intended to build eye-banking services and meet the needs of millions of people requiring corneal surgery, without compromising the moral conduct of the donor, the recipient, or the extended community.

A collaboration of Australian eye banking organizations spearheaded creation of this worldwide first, which offers recommendations on areas of ethical ambiguity, such as profitization and supply chains, the global movement of eye tissue, and partnering with colleagues across borders.

The Opening Ceremony officially marked the beginning of WOC2018 and included welcome remarks from WOC2018 President Dr. Rafael Barraquer, the ICO, and the Spanish Society of Ophthalmology. Attendees enjoyed videos showcasing the wonders of our profession and the history of ophthalmology in Spain.

The Opening Ceremony also celebrated achievements of our colleagues who were honored for their outstanding work: 

• Gonin Medal: Jean-Jacques DeLaey, MD, PhD (Belgium) 
• International Duke Elder Medal: Rubens Belfort, Jr., MD, PhD, MBA (Brazil) 
• ICO Ophthalmic Pathology Award: Sarah Coupland, MBBS, PhD, FRCPath, FARVO, FSB (United Kingdom) 
• G.O.H Naumann Award for Leadership in Global Eye Care Commission: Abdulaziz AlRajhi, MD (Saudi Arabia) 
• Academia Ophthalmologica Internationalis Bernardo Streiff Medal: Paul Lichter, MD (United States)

Thank you to everyone who joined us in-person for the WOC2018 Opening Ceremony or who watched via the live stream on Facebook. Watch a recorded version of the Opening Ceremony.

10:30–12:00 Course: Beyond the Lecture: Using Concept Maps to Promote Deep Learning of Medical Knowledge - This course will cover evidence supporting the use of mind maps to stimulate deep learning. Participants will have a hands-on experience on how to create concept maps and how to teach this skill. 

12:00–13:45 Keynote Luncheon: Dealing with Uncertainty in Medicine and Medical Education - The keynote presentation, “Dealing with Uncertainty in Medicine and Medical Education,” will be provided by Dr. Glenda Eoyang, PhD and Founding Executive Director, Human Systems Dynamics Institute. (By invitation only)

14:00–15:30 Case Study: Complex Cases of Problem Residents: Discussing Prevention and Remediation - This workshop will stress the importance of approaching resident performance problems in a way that is tailored to the specific behavior being addressed.

16:00–17:30 Symposium: Simulation for Teaching and Learning - By the end of this session, participants will be able to explain the need and applicability of surgical simulation to their own settings, describe models of simulation in the clinical setting, and implement low cost tools for practicing surgical steps.