International Council of Ophthalmology RSS News Feed RSS News Feed http://www.icoph.org/news/recent_news.html en-us <![CDATA[New Assessment Resource: Small Incision Cataract Surgery (SICS)]]> Date: The ICO has added Small Incision Cataract Surgery (SICS) to the ICO-Ophthalmology Surgical Competency Assessment Rubric (OSCAR).

]]> The ICO-OSCAR is a standardized, internationally-valid tool to teach and assess an ophthalmologist’s competence in performing cataract surgery.  This allows the evaluator to use the ICO-OSCAR to objectively assess the student's competence in performing a specific procedure.  It also gives the learner a tool to better gauge their own performance.  

Currently, Extracapsular Cataract Extraction and Phacoemulsification  are offered in Spanish and English.   Small Incision Cataract Surgery (SICS) is available in English.  

View the resource to learn more. 

]]> <![CDATA[Spain Selected For WOC2018]]> Date: Meeting in Abu Dhabi, the International Council of Ophthalmology (ICO) Board of Trustees selected the Spanish Ophthalmological Society to host the World Ophthalmology Congress® (WOC) 2018 in Barcelona, Spain, pending an agreement on Expectations for WOC2018.

]]> The decision to select Barcelona followed a careful consideration of informative presentations from seven Member societies seeking to host the WOC2018 in Europe.

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)
]]> <![CDATA[ICO And MEACO Awards Recognize Achievement]]> Date: In recognition of their pioneering work in ophthalmology and significant contributions to global eye care, the International Council of Ophthalmology (ICO) and Middle East Africa Council of Ophthalmology (MEACO) recognized distinguished ophthalmologists at the World Ophthalmology Congress ® (WOC2012).

]]> Awarded by the ICO:

  • Bietti Medal - Recognizes an ophthalmologist who facilitates international communications in the ophthalmic community.
    • Rosario Brancato, MD
  • Tadeusz Krwawicz Gold Medal - Recognizes an ophthalmologist who has made advances in diseases of the anterior segment and/or introduction of new technologies as well as having advanced international relationships among ophthalmologists.
    • Alan Charles Bird, MD
       
  • G.O.H. Naumann Award - Recognizes an ophthalmologist who is a leader of an ICO Member society and has made a significant contribution to global eye care.
    • Shigeaki Ohno, MD, PhD
  • Peter Watson Award – Recognizes an ICO Examinations candidate for the most outstanding performance on both the Clinical Sciences and the Basic Sciences Examinations.
    • Eduardo Navajas, MD (2010)
    • Mehran Zarei Ghanavati, MD (2011)

Awarded by MEACO:

  • MEACO Lifetime Achievement Award - For regionally and internationally recognized contributions and longstanding dedication to the improvement of ophthalmology and ophthalmic care.
    • HRH Prince Abdulaziz Bin Ahmad Bin Abdulaziz Al Saud and
    • Akef El-Maghraby, MD
  • Prince Abdulaziz Ahmad Al Saud Prevention of Blindness Award - For an ophthalmologist who has substantially contributed to Prevention of Blindness in the developing world.
    • Daniel Etya’ale, MD
  • El-Maghraby International Award - For an international ophthalmologist for his contribution towards the advancement and improvement in ophthalmology.
    • Robert Ritch, MD
  • MEACO Distinction Award – For an ophthalmologist from the Middle East and Africa regions who, by his distinction, leadership and teaching, has contributed most to the development of international relations and collaboration between ophthalmologists, and who has contributed to the advancement of ophthalmology in his or her country or the region.
    • Osama Ibrahim, MD
]]> <![CDATA[World Ophthalmic Educators Luncheon At WOC Honors Dr. Mark Tso]]> Date: Mark O.M. Tso, MD, DSc, was honored by his peers for more than 10 years of extraordinary service as the ICO Director for Education, at a luncheon for ophthalmic educators at the WOC. ICO President Bruce Spivey, MD, announced that the ICO Golden Apple Award has been re-named in his honor as the Mark Tso Golden Apple Award.

]]> The luncheon featured exciting presentations by international experts on medical education:

  • David Nichols, MD, MBA, Vice Dean for Education at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, presented the keynote talk, “The Future of Medical Education in Developed and Developing Countries: Challenges and Opportunities."   
  • Mark Tso, MD, DSc, spoke on the “Past, Present and Future of Ophthalmic Education across the Continents"
  • Karl Golnik, MD, who succeeds Dr. Tso as ICO Director for Education, spoke on "The Best of ICO Educational Programs."

The luncheon was part of the World Ophthalmic Education Colloquium (WOEC) at the WOC, which included eight symposia and 50 speakers covering essential topics in ophthalmic education. The full WOEC program is available at:  www.icoph.org/woec.pdf

]]> <![CDATA[WHO Executive Board Endorses New Action Plan For Prevention Of Blindness]]> Date: The World Health Organization (WHO) will define a new Action Plan for the Prevention of Avoidable Blindness and Visual Impairment from 2014 to 2019, the WHO Executive Board decided on January 30 in Geneva. (For details, please see bit.ly/WHOExecBoard.)

]]> The Executive Board requested the WHO Director General to develop a new Action Plan in consultation with member states and international partners. The debate was introduced by Mexico and supported by Morocco, India, China, Canada, U.S., Switzerland, Mozambique and Sierra Leone (representing the 46 countries of the African Union). Speakers made very strong statements of support for intersectoral participation, integration into health systems, additional resources and the need to link to water.

The WHO Secretariat will draft an Action Plan for the Prevention of Avoidable Blindness and Visual Impairment for consideration by the WHO Executive Board in January 2013 and at the 66th World Health Assembly in May 2013. The draft Action Plan will be made available for consultation on the WHO web site. An initial consultation with questions for WHO Member states and international partners was posted at www.who.int/blindness/actionplan.
 
Much hard work is ahead, as well as increased awareness and a renewed commitment from Member States.
 
The previous 2009-13 Action Plan was developed by WHO in collaboration with international partners and WHO Member States, to intensify efforts towards elimination of avoidable blindness. You may download the current action plan at www.who.int/blindness/ACTION_PLAN_WHA62-1-English.pdf.
]]> <![CDATA[CEO Position Confirmed At General Assembly]]> Date: At the General Assembly meeting on February 16, 2012 in Abu Dhabi, International Council of Ophthalmology (ICO) Member societies approved revisions in organizational Statutes so the ICO can move forward with proposed governance changes, including the selection of a chief executive officer (CEO). The ICO invites applications from experienced, highly-respected ophthalmologists.

]]> Priorities for the CEO position include the following:

1. Develop stronger relationships with individual ICO Member societies and more specific benefits of membership.

2. Clarify and strengthen relationships with supranational societies and multinational subspecialty societies.

3. Develop other sources of revenue and a sound financial basis for implementing the new ICO strategic plan.

Find the complete CEO job description at www.icoph.org/CEO-Job-Description.pdf

]]> <![CDATA[Behind The Scenes At World Ophthalmology Congress (WOC) 2012]]> Date: Organizing the World Ophthalmology Congress (WOC) Scientific Program requires balancing the interests of a diverse and global audience. Each WOC is held in a different part of the world, so program organizers also consider the region's ophthalmic concerns. Read a Medscape interview with Peter Wiedemann, MD, who served as chair of the WOC2012 scientific program.

]]> Dr. Wiedemann's duties as chair included the selection of topics for the more than 500 scientific sessions, representing 35 ophthalmology subspecialties and coordinating the recruitment of 2000 internationally recognized guest speakers.

The interview touches upon the International Council of Ophthalmology's emphasis on improving ophthlamic education through its teaching the teachers sessions at the WOC2012.  

Dr. Wiedemann also discusses other issues relating to the international congress,  including the challenges of adopting technology in developing countries.  

Read the article:  icoph.org/Behind-the-Scenes-Wiedemann.pdf

]]> <![CDATA[World Ophthalmology Congress® (WOC) 2012 Highlights]]> Date: The World Ophthalmology Congress® (WOC) 2012 was the first WOC held in the Middle East and Africa region.  Hosted by the Middle East Africa Council of Ophthalmology (MEACO) and guided by WOC2012 President Aziz AlRajhi, MD,  it was an outstanding success for the more than 10,500 international registrants.  Highlights included an outstanding scientific program.

]]> The scientific program covered 35 subspecialty areas, with presentations from the world’s leading experts on cutting-edge approaches to ophthalmic practice and treatments. Over 2000 internationally recognized speakers contributed to 240 invited scientific sessions, as well as 150 free paper sessions, 75 instructional courses, 225 videos and 800 posters.

The ICO Scientific Program Committee, chaired by Peter Wiedemann, MD, developed the scientific program in collaboration with coordinators, chairs and speakers, national and international ophthalmologic societies, and MEACO subspecialty societies.

]]> <![CDATA[Better Education To Reduce Burden Of Blindness - Mark Tso Profile]]> Date: Ophthalmic education and training were at
the heart of activities at the WOC in Abu Dhabi
where the third World Ophthalmic Education
Colloquium (WOEC) took place. This article discusses the WOEC and features Dr. Mark Tso, ICO Director for Education.

]]> The WOEC program featured nearly 50 speakers presenting on key topics of interest to ophthalmologists and allied ophthalmic personnel. The WOEC in Abu Dhabi put the spotlight firmly on the importance of ophthalmic education in both developed and developing countries.

This article was published in the World Ophthalmology Congress Today on February 18, 2012.

]]> <![CDATA[WOC Excellent Scientific Program]]> Date: With over 500 sessions and more than 2,000 internationally recognised speakers covering 35 subspecialty and other key themes in ophthalmology and ocular health, the World Ophthalmology Congress® 2012 (WOC2012) scientific program showcased all the latest developments and clinical updates in a discipline that is always developing.

]]> In the article, which was published in World Ophthalmology Congress Today on February 16, 2012, Chairman of the WOC 2012 Scientific Program, Professor Peter Wiedemann notes that the WOC2012 is set apart by the number of societies presenting their own interests and specialisms.  

"There is probably no other meeting in the world which gathers together such a diverse range of topics – cataract, retina, ocular surface, cornea, ophthalmic education, history, and so forth – all under one umbrella,” he said.

]]> <![CDATA[Unique Blend Of Science And Culture - Dr. Bruce Spivey]]> Date: This article discusses the blend of culture and science at the World Ophthalmology Congress® 2012 (WOC2012).  Featuring Dr. Bruce Spivey, president of the International Council of Ophthalmology (ICO), the piece touches upon special events at the WOC2012, including the third World Ophthalmic Education Colloquium (WOEC) and the ICO World Ophthalmology Quiz.

]]> “Education really goes to the heart of the ICO mission and this is reflected in the amount of sessions devoted to related topics at the WOC in Abu Dhabi," said Dr. Spivey.  

Dr. Spivey notes the variety of Vision 20/20 programs and the World Forum for Sight at WOC 2012, but points out the emphasis in on education.

"We will also have the usual variety of education-related symposia and sessions, including the third World Ophthalmic Education Colloquium (WOEC), featuring around 50 speakers covering essential topics in ophthalmic education that are of interest to ophthalmologists and allied ophthalmic personnel,” he said.

Dr Spivey noted that one of the enduring appeals of the WOC is that every congress takes on something of the local flavour of the host country. It is something that the delegates look forward to and respond to positively, he said.

The article was published in World Ophthalmogy Congress (WOC) Today on February 16, 2012.

]]> <![CDATA[African Program For Onchocerciasis Control,15th Anniversary ]]> Date: The African Program for Onchocerciasis Control (APOC) is celebrating 15 years of success in controlling river blindness in Africa, a major public health problem affecting millions of the world’s poorest persons.

]]>The strength of APOC is the committed partnership of donor countries, communities, and organizations with a shared vision, working together towards a common goal. Launched in December 1995 with the goal of eliminating onchocerciasis, much has been learned about control interventions.

Community-directed treatment with Ivermectin (CDTI) has been established as one of the most effective public health interventions, reaching more than 68 million persons in 2009, with an economic rate of return estimated at 17%.

For more information about APOC, please download the WHO publication, “15 Years of APOC.”

]]> <![CDATA[Congratulations To AAO Awardees ]]> Date: Cngratulations to those awardees who were honored at the 2011 American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO) Meeting in Orlando, Florida.  Award winners were chosen because of their extraordinary contributions to ophthalmology, education and service.

]]>Laureate Award – The Academy’s highest honor, recognizes ophthalmologists who make exceptional scientific contributions toward preventing blindness and restoring sight worldwide.

  • Alfred Sommer, MD, MHS, ICO Director for Research. A pioneer in global health, Dr. Sommer and his research team found that most cases of measles-associated pediatric blindness in Africa were related to low vitamin A levels.

International Blindness Prevention Award – Honors individuals who have made significant contributions to the prevention of blindness or restoration of sight around the world.

  • Clare E. Gilbert, MD, FRCOpth, MSc. A champion for preservation of sight, Dr. Gilbert developed a classification system for the causes of blindness in children, which is now a World Health Organization standard.

Outstanding Humanitarian Service Award – Recognizes community service and humanitarian activity.

  • Steven O. Anderson, MD. Founded the Global Eye Mission to develop sustainable eye care in underserved regions, and volunteered service in Africa, Asia and Central America.
  • Mary Cathleen Schanzer, MD. Provided eye care to patients in rural Africa for over two decades, funded a modern eye care facility in Sierra Leone, established the Southern Eye Institute to support mission efforts.

AAO Guest of Honor – Three Guests of Honor were selected by AAO President, Richard L. Abbott, MD, in recognition of significant contributions to the Academy and ophthalmology.

  • Bruce E. Spivey, MD, ICO President
  • Richard K. Forster, MD
  • Charles P.  Wilkinson, MD
]]>