JAO : VOL 1 ISSUE 2 2008
The International Council of Ophthalmology and Ophthalmic Education: 1857 - 2007
2008, Volume 1, Number 2 48 Introduction In the brain of each of us, nearly one-third of the cere-bral cortex - the thin layer of 20 billion neurons re-sponsible for language, consciousness and reasoning -is devoted to vision [1]. Cortical cells join through neural paths with the intri-cacies of the eye to form the visual system that is the primary sense we rely on in our daily lives. Vision contributes to learning, mobility, perception and the quality of life. With the central role of vision in daily life, ophthal-mology is among the oldest if not the oldest specialty in medicine. It is not surprising, therefore, that the oldest international medical congress that survives today, under the umbrella of the International Council of Ophthalmology, is the International Congress of Ophthalmology [2]. International Congress of Ophthalmology The First International Congress of Ophthalmology at Brussels, Belgium, in 1857 took place at a time of momentous change in the whole of medicine. The new doctrines of Charles Darwin in biology, Louis Pasteur in bacteriology, Joseph Lister in surgery and William Morton in anesthesiology were equaled by discovery in 1850 of the ophthalmoscope by Hermann von Helmholtz. Views of the inner eye stimulated a new science which, along with the ongoing pandemic of trachoma-related eye disease, led 150 delegates from 24 countries to convene for the reading of 34 formal papers. Highlight of the meeting was an im-promptu speech by Albrecht von Graefe in which he reported his operative treatment of glaucoma by iridectomy [2]. Altogether, scientific information was exchanged, international relationships were estab-lished, and a propitious pattern was established for subsequent Congresses. Through the ensuing 150 years, the International Con-gress of Ophthalmology convened at nearly four-year intervals except when interrupted by major war or political turmoil. Meeting to disseminate scientific discovery and advance ophthalmic education, con-gress attendance increased, subspecialty programs multiplied and growth mirrored the expanding realm of medical - surgical ophthalmology and societal needs for eye and vision care. To more effectively meet these needs, the International Council of Oph-thalmology merged the International Congress of Ophthalmology into the World Ophthalmology Con-gress . World Ophthalmology Congress Organized by the International Council of Ophthal-mology, the 2006 World Ophthalmology Congress in Sao Paulo, Brazil, combined the XXX International Congress of Ophthalmology, the XXVI Pan-American Congress of Ophthalmology and the XVII Brazilian Blindness Prevention and Visual Rehabilita-tion Congress. All components were united for the purpose of transmitting knowledge, stimulating dis-covery through research, and decreasing avoidable visual impairment and blindness. With Dr. Rubens Belfort (Brazil) as President, the 2006 World Ophthalmology Congress included an outstanding scientific program as well as the seminal World Forum of Non-Governmental Organizations The International Council of Ophthalmology and Ophthalmic Education: 18572007 Bradley R. Straatsma, MD, JD 1* 1 Department of Ophthalmology and the Jules Stein Eye Institute, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90095-7000, USA * Corresponding Author & e-mail: straatsma@jsei.ucla.edu Accepted for publication July 2, 2008 2008; 1:48-52 Available via open-access on the web at http://www.academic-ophthalmology.com The author(s) have no personal financial interest in any of the products or technologies cited herein. 2008