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APAO spotlights the Asia-Pacific Vitreo-retina Society
The Asia-Pacific Academy of Ophthalmology invited subspecialty societies to join as member societies for the first time in 2012. The Council endorsed membership applications from the Asia-Pacific Glaucoma Society, the Asia-Pacific Strabismus and Paediatric Ophthalmology Society, the Asia-Pacific Society of Ocular Oncology and Pathology, the Asia-Pacific Society of Ophthalmic and Plastic Reconstructive Surgery and the Asia-Pacific Vitreo-retina Society. In this issue, we will feature the Asia-Pacific Vitreo-retina Society, which recently conducted its annual congress in Nagoya, Japan, from Dec. 6 to 8.
Asia-Pacific Vitreo-retina Society
Founded in 2006 with the aim to further vitreoretinal developments in the Asia-Pacific region, the Asia-Pacific Vitreo-retina Society (APVRS) provides a platform for exchange of expertise among vitreoretinal specialists in the Asia-Pacific region. To this end, the APVRS organizes an annual congress to promote and disseminate the latest developments in vitreoretinal diseases and related issues to the vitreoretinal community.
Images: Lam DSC
Public education campaigns are also organized to raise public awareness about vitreoretinal diseases. Under the capable leadership of its founding President Yasuo Tano, MD, and his successor Ian Constable, MBBS, FRANZCO, FRCS, the APVRS has seen substantial growth. The APVRS annual congress has become one of the most important vitreoretinal meetings in the Asia-Pacific region and beyond.
The 8th APVRS Congress, held in conjunction with the 52nd annual meeting of the Japanese Retina and Vitreous Society, was a tremendous success. Under the capable leadership of Hiroko Terasaki, MD, the congress was attended by more than 2,300 delegates from 33 countries, providing a good occasion for vitreoretinal specialists to keep abreast of the latest developments in the field, as well as to make new friends and network. The 9th APVRS Congress will be held from Dec. 11 to 13, 2014, in Thailand. Please stay tuned.
In early 2013, the APVRS joined the Asia-Pacific Academy of Ophthalmology as a member society. The APVRS will continue to be the major driving force of vitreoretinal developments in the Asia-Pacific region. APVRS accepts membership applications from vitreoretinal specialists all year round. To learn more about the application process, please go to www.apvrs.org/index03_1.shtml.
APAO Leadership Development Program
APAO acknowledges the importance of grooming future leaders who can take ophthalmological developments to new heights.
Launched in 2009 with the aim to provide systematic orientation and professional development skills for future leaders in ophthalmology in the Asia-Pacific region, the APAO Leadership Development Program (LDP) is now calling for nominations from its member societies to recommend to us future leaders whose potential can be fully realized with sufficient mentorship and training. APAO will cover the registration fees of the fifth LDP class, to be held at the 29th APAO Congress in conjunction with the World Ophthalmology Congress (WOC) 2014.
The LDP graduating class will also be recognized at the APAO reception held during WOC 2014.
Every year, the APAO Leadership Development Standing Committee organizes a mid-year forum for its LDP class in one of APAO’s member nations. This year, the fourth LDP class attended the Masterclass in Manila, Philippines, from Sept. 27 to 29, by the courtesy of the Philippine Academy of Ophthalmology. Volunteer LDP faculty included Drs. Catherine Green, Simon Abbott, Mike Brennan, Marsheila DeVan, Sidney Gicheru, Tjahjono Gondhowiardjo, Jose Martinez, Gail Schmidt, Linda Tsai and Hunter Yuen. Among them, Dr. Martinez is a graduate from the second APAO LDP class. The APAO is always pleased to see its LDP graduates take up leadership positions in national, regional and/or international ophthalmological organizations, contributing to the advancement of ophthalmology in the Asia-Pacific region and beyond.
Asia-Pacific Glaucoma Congress, International Symposium of Ophthalmology
Following the success of the inaugural Asia-Pacific Glaucoma Congress (APGC) in Bali, Indonesia, in December 2012, the 2nd APGC will be held from Sept. 26 to 28, 2014, in Hong Kong in conjunction with the 10th International Symposium of Ophthalmology – Hong Kong (ISOHK).
While the APGC is a biennial conference, the International Symposium of Ophthalmology (ISO) has been made an annual event since 2012, providing a platform for various international and regional meetings and congresses. Hosted by Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center and the State Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, the 9th ISO held in Guangzhou, China, from Nov. 9 to 11 was attended by 1,696 delegates from 68 countries. The 10th ISOHK will surely be another important meeting in the Asia-Pacific region.
Tin Aung, MBBS, PhD, is the scientific program chair of the 2nd APGC, and Clement Tham, BM, BCh, FCOphthHK, FRCS, is the scientific program chair of the 10th ISOHK. Together, they are engineering a world-class program with the help of the Scientific Program Committee. Not only will they bring to you an exceptional glaucoma program, the 10th ISOHK will also cover subspecialties such as cataract and refractive surgery, cornea and external eye diseases, ocular oncology and pathology, pediatric ophthalmology and strabismus. Hosted by the Chinese University of Hong Kong, the conjoint congress will surely be another showcase of the latest developments in ophthalmology.
For more information about the meeting, please visit www.apgcisohk-2014.org.