The Asia-Pacific Academy of Ophthalmology has been collaborating with SLACK Incorporated to bring to you Ocular Surgery News APAO Edition. Highlights from OSN APAO Edition will now be distributed by email twice a month to bring you updates from the ophthalmic community. In this issue, the APAO will introduce to you one of our national members, the Korean Ophthalmological Society, as well as share news about the APAO Congress and other major ophthalmic meetings.

Korean Ophthalmological Society

The Korean Ophthalmological Society (KOS) was founded in 1947. Since its inception, it has organized many activities with the sole mission to better serve members of the KOS. Since 1958, the KOS has published the Journal of the Korean Ophthalmological Society (JKOS), which is accessible at www.komci.org/arted to publish the Korean Journal of Ophthalmology (KJO), which is a bimonthly eye journal in English, in 1987. The KJO is indexed by Medline and available at www.ekjo.org. With these two publications, the KOS hopes to provide a platform for its members to publish academic findings, advancing research and ophthalmic developments in Korea and the Asia-Pacific region. Around 330 papers are published in these two journals annually.

The KOS also manages qualification examinations for ophthalmology specialists and assesses the quality of the programs that training hospitals provide for ophthalmologists in Korea to continue to improve the quality of ophthalmology care offered to patients. Additionally, the KOS conducts preventive programs and activities with the aim to educate patients and enhance their understanding of ocular diseases. Information about various eye diseases and their treatments is disseminated to patients through the production of pamphlets and leaflets.

The 12th APAO Congress held in Seoul in 1989. It was the first time APAO hosted its congress in South Korea.

Since 1949, the KOS has organized an academic meeting biannually in spring and autumn. In 2008, the KOS hosted its 100th academic meeting in the fall and had a celebration. The scientific programs of the KOS academic meetings include free papers, symposiums, posters, educational lectures and video presentations. The KOS organized its 117th annual meeting in conjunction with the 27th APAO Congress in April 2012 in Busan, South Korea. The congress, with the support from many organizations, was a great success, with more than 4,600 delegates from 72 countries. Since 2012, the KOS has redefined its academic meeting in the fall as an international meeting. The meeting was attended by more than 2,100 ophthalmologists; 288 free papers, 409 posters and 47 videos were presented during the fall 2012 meeting. The 110th international academic meeting of the KOS will be held Nov. 1 to 3, 2013, at Kintex in Seoul. The KOS looks forward to another successful congress with your active participation.

WOC 2014 abstract submission

The 29th APAO Congress will be held in conjunction with the World Ophthalmology Congress 2014 and the 118th annual meeting of the Japanese Ophthalmological Society in Tokyo from April 2 to 6, 2014. WOC 2014 is now calling for abstracts. Free papers, posters, videos and instruction courses are all welcome. Please go to http://www.woc2014.org/contents/call_for_papers.html for more information. The deadline for abstract submission is July 26, 2013, at midnight (Tokyo time).

The 27th APAO Congress held in Busan in 2012. We were pleased to return to Korea to organize another successful congress under the capable leadership of Prof Hyung-Woo Kwak, Congress President of APAO Congress 2012.

Hotel reservations are now available at http://www.woc2014.org/contents/hotel.html. For general inquiries, please contact woc2014tokyo@congre.co.jp.

APAO award nominations

Every year, the APAO recognizes distinguished ophthalmologists and individuals who have made significant contributions to the advancement of ophthalmology in the Asia-Pacific region and beyond with various awards. The APAO is now calling for nominations for the Distinguished Service Awards and the Outstanding Service in Prevention of Blindness Awards, which will be presented at the 29th APAO Congress held in conjunction with WOC 2014. You may contact your national societies for more information. Please note that only APAO council members and member society presidents or their representatives are eligible to submit a nomination.

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Other major scientific meetings

The APAO takes pride in presenting to you the annual meetings of its member societies and collaborators. The meeting dates and venues are:

18th Congress of the Chinese Ophthalmological Society

Sept. 13 to 17, 2013

Xiamen, China

The Vietnam Ophthalmology National Congress

Oct. 24 to 26, 2013

Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

9th International Symposium of Ophthalmology

Nov. 9 to 11, 2013

Guangzhou, China

Annual Meeting of the American Academy of Ophthalmology 2013

Nov. 16 to 19, 2013

New Orleans, U.S.A.

8th Asia-Pacific Vitreo-retina Society Congress

Dec. 6 to 8, 2013

Nagoya, Japan