ESCRS widens its scope, open to cooperation

BARCELONA — The European Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgeons is widening its scope to develop increasingly ambitious, far-reaching projects.

Paul Rosen

In introducing the Congress Opening/Awards Ceremony, ESCRS President Paul Rosen, FRCS, FRCOphth, said that the efforts of the society toward providing increasingly better and wider opportunities to its members are constantly growing.

He illustrated current and future initiatives of the ESCRS, including the European Registry of Quality Outcomes for Cataract and Refractive Surgery.

"The main objective of it is to improve quality standards of cataract and refractive surgery across Europe. The data collection will involve individual practitioners, small clinics, large hospital and university institutions. By making comprehensive data available for comparison of visual outcomes, we aim at facilitating the exchange of best practices," he said.

Education is another field in which the ESCRS wants to play a primary role.

"In future years, we will invest a significant amount of money and resources in education and support training doctors, particularly from the European emerging markets," he said.

Finally, Dr. Rosen emphasized the importance of cooperating with other scientific societies. This year's joint symposium with the World Congress of Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus was "a tremendous success," gathering nearly 1,000 delegates from 90 countries.

"The board has agreed to join forces again for the second World Congress that will take place in 2012 in Milan," he said.

In Paris next September, the ESCRS will partner with Euretina, the European Society of Retinal Specialists.

"Each society will retain its own scientific program, but we'll have two joint symposia. There has been a great deal of crossover between cataract and retinal surgeons, and the 2010 appointment will give both societies the opportunity to explore further synergies," he said.