APAO Sydney 2011 should provide excellent science, social programs

The Congress will be held from March 20 to 24 in Sydney, Australia.

Ivan Goldberg

If you have been waiting for the right excuse to visit Australia, the organizers of the APAO Sydney 2011 Congress have given you the perfect opportunity: the Asia Pacific Academy of Ophthalmology’s 26th Congress, to be held in Sydney from March 20 to 24.

On behalf of the Congress host, the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Ophthalmologists, I warmly welcome you to what will be one of the most professionally rewarding, scientifically stimulating, and socially and culturally memorable Congress events in one of the world’s iconic harbor cities.

The APAO Sydney 2011 Organizing Committee has planned a scientific program to incorporate the whole curriculum of ophthalmology. The program includes 20 ophthalmology subspecialties, providing an update across the entire spectrum of ophthalmology with sessions delivered by world-leading faculty. The meeting is co-sponsored by the Asia Pacific Academy of Ophthalmology and the International Council of Ophthalmology, with strong support from the American Academy of Ophthalmology.

Delegates will have the opportunity to move from one section to another throughout the Congress, for a full feast of scientific information.

Science program

There are 650 invited speakers and more than 200 scheduled symposia and sessions. Live surgery sessions will be streamed in real time via satellite link to the Congress venue.

Approximately 1,200 abstracts have been submitted, including papers, posters, films and e-posters. There will be a huge industry exhibition. Interest from the global ophthalmic industry has been intense, with most of the industry exhibition spaces taken up already and filling three large halls. There will be several theaters in the industry hall that will also run a series of programs throughout APAO Sydney.

The associated meetings of orthoptists, ophthalmic nurses and ophthalmology practice managers will run concurrently with the Congress.

Congress organizers are committed to doing everything possible to ensure delegates’ needs are met, including meals. Throughout the Congress, there will be high-quality catering onsite in the exhibition areas. Morning and afternoon tea and lunch will be provided for all registrants at no extra cost. Registrants will able to eat and relax, view posters, visit the industry exhibition and network with colleagues. Lunch and evening symposia organized by sponsors will supplement the main program.

Social program

There will be a wonderful social program, providing an opportunity to catch up with old friends, meet new ones and unwind in the famously relaxed, laid-back Australian style. The social program kicks off with a Welcome Reception with superb entertainment and meaningful professional awards. The social finale will be the Gala Night at Fox Studios, where delegates will be entertained by a host of special guests. There will be an opportunity to sample food from a large range of countries, with special emphasis on the Asia-Pacific region.

The Congress venue, the Sydney Convention and Exhibition Centre, is located in Sydney’s Darling Harbour precinct. The venue is world famous for the facilities it offers and its exquisite setting; it is just minutes from the center of Sydney with its iconic Opera House, Harbour Bridge, historic Rocks District, theaters, concert halls, impressive architecture and unlimited shopping.

I encourage you to take the opportunity before or after the Congress to explore the delights of Sydney and its surrounds. Why not then use Sydney as a stepping stone to venture further afield to some of Australia’s and New Zealand’s magnificent sights and experiences, including the Great Barrier Reef (Queensland), the indigenous heart of Australia (Uluru and Central Australia), the beautiful wine regions of South Australia and Western Australia, the rugged remoteness of the Northern Territory, the art, rich culture and shopping in Melbourne, and the extraordinary, unspoiled masterpiece that is the New Zealand landscape.

For further details and to register for APAO Sydney 2011, visit www.apaosydney2011.com. Click on the “News” link to receive regular electronic newsletters with all the Congress updates.

It has been nearly 9 years since the highly successful World Ophthalmology Congress in Sydney in 2002, and people still talk about the quality of both the scientific and social programs. APAO Sydney 2011 promises an even more worthwhile and unforgettable experience. We look forward to seeing you in Sydney in March.

• Ivan Goldberg, MBBS, FRANZCO, FRACS, can be reached at 187 Macquarie St. Park House, Floor 4, Suite 2, Sydney, NSW 2000, Australia; +61-2-9247-9972; fax: +61-2-9232-3086; e-mail: eyegoldberg@gmail.com.
• Disclosure: No products or companies are mentioned that would require financial disclosure.