Prof McGovern commended the ICO for its on-going engagement with the Department of Health and the HSE on workforce planning and pledged to work with the College in prioritising the securement of a workforce plan- ning report and review of manpower needs in the field of Ophthalmology over the coming months. During her presentation, Prof McGovern noted that the key elements of the new model of care under the HSE National Clinical Programme in Eye Care, including the development of multidisciplinary primary care eye teams, will result in many more patients being seen in the community, and hence a need for greater numbers of ophthalmologists. Speaking to Priscilla Lynch for the Medical Independent in Killarney, Prof McGovern explained, “We all know that almost every specialty in ICO NEWSLETTER | SUMMER 2016 PAGE 1 Newsletter ISSUE 15 SUMMER 2016 With best wishes Billy PoWer Message from the President Manpower Review on Ophthalmology Continued on page 2 ➥ Dear Colleagues, W elcome to the latest edition of our newsletter which, among other important news for our speciality, reflects on the successful ICO Annual Conference at The Europe Hotel, Killarney last May. The meeting goes from strength to strength each year, with record numbers in attendance at this year’s conference. It was a huge personal disappointment to be unable to attend due to illness but my thanks to Michelle for making the journey to Killarney to represent me amongst colleagues and friends in my absence. Thank you to the members and invited guest speakers for their contributions to the main symposia and to all who participated in the meeting. A special thanks to Jeremy O’Connor and the scientific committee for organising an excellent programme over the three days. It was a great honour for the College to welcome Professor Reza Dana, Claes H. Dohlman Professor of Ophthalmology at Harvard Medical School and Director of the Department of Ophthalmology Cornea Center of Excellence to present this year’s Annual Mooney Lecture. I know I speak for all members when I express my deepest sadness and shock at the untimely passing of our dear friend and colleague Peter Barry in recent weeks. On behalf of the college, I wish to extend our most heartfelt sympathies to Carmel and to David, Stephen, Simon and Lisa and to Geraldine and Susan at this most difficult time. Peter’s contribution to ophthal mology here in Ireland and abroad was immense and his loss immeasurable. Peter was an especially wonderful mentor to young ophthalmologists and it will be our honour to ensure his legacy lives on throughout the future of the speciality he represented with such unwavering energy, integrity and commitment. May he rest in peace. Published by Irish College of Ophthalmologists 121 St Stephen’s Green, Dublin 2. Tel 01 402 2777 · [email protected]www.eyedoctors.ie · t: @eyedoctorsirl If you would like to make any suggestions for future issues of the College Newsleer please contact Siobhan on [email protected]L-r Niamh Collins, Marie Hickey Dwyer, Yvonne Delaney pictured with Prof Eilis McGovern, Director HSE National Doctors Training and Planning at the ICO Annual Conference 2016 at The Europe Hotel, Killarney, 18th-20th May. P rof. Eilis McGovern, Director for the HSE’s National Doctors Training and Planning (NDTP) spoke to delegates at the ICO Annual Conference in The Europe Hotel, Killarney on the work of the NDTP, the current medical workforce trends and the progress made to date in the specialities which have been examined.
Transcript
Prof McGovern commended theICO for its on-going engagement withthe Department of Health and the HSEon workforce planning and pledged towork with the College in prioritisingthe securement of a workforce plan -ning report and review of manpowerneeds in the field of Ophthalmologyover the coming months.
During her presentation, ProfMcGovern noted that the keyelements of the new model of care
under the HSE National ClinicalProgramme in Eye Care, including thedevelopment of multidisciplinaryprimary care eye teams, will result inmany more patients being seen in thecommunity, and hence a need forgreater numbers of ophthalmologists.
Speaking to Priscilla Lynch for theMedical Independent in Killarney,Prof McGovern explained, “We allknow that almost every specialty in
ICO NEWSLETTER | SUMMER 2016 PAGE 1
NewsletterISSUE 15 SUMMER 2016
With best wishesBilly PoWer
Message from thePresident
Manpower Review onOphthalmology
Continued on page 2 ➥
Dear Colleagues,
Welcome to thelatest edition of
our newsletter which,among other importantnews for our speciality,reflects on thesuccessful ICO Annual Conference at TheEurope Hotel, Killarney last May.
The meeting goes from strength tostrength each year, with record numbers inattendance at this year’s conference. It wasa huge personal disappointment to beunable to attend due to illness but mythanks to Michelle for making the journeyto Killarney to represent me amongstcolleagues and friends in my absence.
Thank you to the members and invitedguest speakers for their contributions tothe main symposia and to all whoparticipated in the meeting. A specialthanks to Jeremy O’Connor and thescientific committee for organising anexcellent programme over the three days.
It was a great honour for the College towelcome Professor Reza Dana, Claes H.Dohlman Professor of Ophthalmology atHarvard Medical School and Director ofthe Department of Ophthalmology CorneaCenter of Excellence to present this year’sAnnual Mooney Lecture.
I know I speak for all members when Iexpress my deepest sadness and shock atthe untimely passing of our dear friendand colleague Peter Barry in recent weeks.On behalf of the college, I wish to extendour most heartfelt sympathies to Carmeland to David, Stephen, Simon and Lisa andto Geraldine and Susan at this mostdifficult time. Peter’s contribution toophthal mology here in Ireland and abroadwas immense and his loss immeasurable.Peter was an especially wonderful mentorto young ophthalmologists and it will beour honour to ensure his legacy lives onthroughout the future of the speciality herepresented with such unwavering energy,integrity and commitment. May he rest inpeace.
Published byIrish College of Ophthalmologists121 St Stephen’s Green, Dublin 2. Tel 01 402 2777 · [email protected] www.eyedoctors.ie · t: @eyedoctorsirl
If you would like to make anysuggestions for future issues of theCollege Newsleer please contact Siobhan on [email protected]
L-r Niamh Collins, Marie Hickey Dwyer, Yvonne Delaney pictured with Prof Eilis McGovern,Director HSE National Doctors Training and Planning at the ICO Annual Conference 2016 at TheEurope Hotel, Killarney, 18th-20th May.
Prof. Eilis McGovern, Director for the HSE’s National Doctors Training
and Planning (NDTP) spoke to delegates at the ICO Annual Conference
in The Europe Hotel, Killarney on the work of the NDTP, the current medical
workforce trends and the progress made to date in the specialities which
have been examined.
ICO NEWSLETTER | SUMMER 2016PAGE 2
Ireland is undermanned, so the firstthing we look at is unmet need andthen, on top of that, future develop -ment, and we look at populationtrends, epidemiology of disease in theparticular specialty, models of carecoming down the road, technologicaladvances and pharmacologicaladvances, variables like feminisation,which affects part time work, andemigration… ”.
Yvonne Delaney, Dean of Post -graduate Education and Training atthe College confirmed that the ICOremains committed to continuing toimplement changes in response to theneeds of patients and trainees, butstated that with the implementationof change comes additionalresponsibilities.
A key feature of the new trainingpathway is that career progressionand entry into medical or surgicalophthalmology is linked to traineeperformance during the common coreyears of training. Equity of access to
training opportunities across alltraining units for all trainees isessential. To provide equal access tolearning and training opportunities inthe current climate of severe fiscalrestrictions with rolling theatreclosures and other resource limita tionsis challenging. Beyond the financialare other less visible issues but whichhave equal impact such as increasingsubspecialisation, the ever growingdemand for intravitreal injections, andthe risk-averse environment in whichtraining now takes place – all ofwhich places additional restraints ontraining.
The need to more effectively aligntraining programs to future manpowerdemand and patient need has put thespotlight firmly on medicalophthalmology.
The anticipated five-fold increasein the elderly population by 2040 aswell as the unprecedented develop -ment of effective treatments inmedical retina has fundamentallychanged the way in which medical
ophthalmology needs to be organisedand practiced. Developments havebeen incorporated in recent years intothe ICO training to reflect theseexternal factors, including anincreased focus on acquiring clinicalskills and competencies, whilebroader skills such as research andcritical appraisal of the literature willbe more purposefully embedded intothe revised programme.
Yvonne Delaney said, “Manychallenges lie ahead but despite someuncertainties, the ophthalmiccommunity, the trainers, trainees andthe College, will work together toensure the continued delivery of high-quality ophthalmic training in theICO and at all training sitesnationally.”
The ICO eagerly await thepublication of the report from theHSE’s review of primary eye careservices and urge the HSE and theDepartment of Health to ensure thatthe necessary funding is madeavailable to allow for implementation.
➥ Continued from page 1
Peter BarryColleagues andfriends alikewere so verysaddened tohear of thesudden andunexpectedpassing of PeterBarry, so soon
after the annual conference. He wasa huge figure in both Irish andInternational ophthalmology. Peterhad taken on the role of NationalClinical Lead for Ophthalmology inthe latter part of 2015 and all of thespecialty and patients benefitingfrom his considerable skill andexperience in the discussions at theprimary eye care services review.Peter's loss to his family isenormous but also to the Collegeand we will miss him very much.
We will include a tribute piece in afuture edition and if you have anypersonal tributes to Peter you wouldlike to share please contact Siobhan orCiara.
Guest speakers at the Vascular Symposium at the ICO Annual Conference 2016 were, (L-R) CharlesMcCreery Cardiologist, St Vincents Hospital, St Colmcilles Hospital and Blackrock Clinic, Dublin,Ronan Killeen Consultant Diagnostic Neuro-radiologist & Nuclear Medicine Physician, StVincent’s University Hospital and Royal Victoria Eye and Ear Hospital Dublin, Brian Sweeney,Consultant Neurologist, Cork University Hospital, Cork pictured here with Jeremy O'Connor,Chair of the ICO Scientific Committee.
PHOTO: DON MACMONAGLE
Guest speakers at the ICO AnnualConference 2016
ICO NEWSLETTER | SUMMER 2016 PAGE 3
Jim Joyce, health techentrepreneur andChairman/co-founder ofmedical adherence companyHealthBeacon, was a guestspeaker on the topic of theemerging trends inhealthcare technology.
Jim’s presentation gavean insight into the latestadvances and trends inmedical healthcare technology andthe impact this is having on both thepatient and the medical community.He highlighted how significantadvances in digital technology inrecent years are now being applied tomore meaningful uses in healthcare,to empower patients and improvecommunication between them and themedical community. In the US in 2015,$4.3 billion was invested in digitalhealthcare, with an expectation ofhigh returns by the investing venturecapitalists.
In relation to ophthalmologyspecifically, Jim noted there have beensignificant developments, particularlyin diagnostics and simulationtechnology.
Jim spoke to delegates about howhe is trying to extend the impact andreach of the doctor and nurse topatients through innovative tools likeHealthSnap, a 60-second videomessaging platform that allows filesand links to be attached to a shortvideo by the clinician for patients; andHealthBeacon, a unique smart sharpsdisposal and monitoring system thathelps patients who use self-injectablemedications at home to manage andimprove their medical adherence.
He said, “Tools such asHealthBeacon are contributing toclinical understanding of howpatients behave in the real world. Abetter appreciation of the challenges
faced by patients withchronic conditions adheringto therapy contributes to abetter understandingbetween physicians andpatients.”
“As more and more out-patient treatments shiftfrom in-hospital infusion tohome injection, technologytools such as HealthBeacon
support the delivery of innovativehealthcare closer to the patient athome, which lowers costs andincreases patient safety andsatisfaction“, the conference heard.
He added, “The primary care andpreventative pathways of clinicalmedicine which are continuouslyexpanding to support screening, earlyassessment, early intervention andon-going support, benefit whenenabling technologies can be easilydeployed in real world settings. “
HealthBeacon is currently in theprocess of being launched andHealthSnap, which is also new to themarket, has yet to be formallylaunched to the HCP, but is already inuse by a number of consultants whohave reported that it is helpful inreducing ‘do not attends’ in theirpatients.
“HealthSnap is a very personalisedmessage from a doctor to theirpatient, which we believe encouragesthe patient to continue interaction andcare”, Jim said, adding that earlypilots and studies of HealthSnap usehave demonstrated that personalisedvideo messaging could be “one of themost impactful and cost effectivesolutions in improving patientadherence to therapy.”
He added that HealthSnap studieshave also shown it to reduce patientanxiety, thereby improving theeffectiveness of their appointment.
The Future of HealthcareTechnology
Jim Joyce
Anotable focus on healthcare technology featured at the ICO Annual
Conference 2016, with presentations by a number of eye doctors who are
involved in studies in the area.
Details of ICO/Novartis ResearchBursary 2016Announced atAnnual Conference
The details of the Irish College
of Ophthalmologists Eye
Research Bursary for 2016,
supported by Novartis, were
announced at this year’s
Conference in Killarney.
Now in its 5th consecutive year,the annual bursary is anunrestricted educational grantawarded to a doctor who wishes toundertake a research project orspecific training in the field ofophthalmology.
The bursary has beeninstrumental in facilitating eyedoctors in Ireland to undertakepioneering research into potentialcures and treatments for sight-threatening conditions.
It is a fantastic opportunity foreye doctors to continue to beinvolved in cutting edgeophthalmic research.
Eligible medical practitionersare invited to submit theirapplications to the College byMonday, 5th September 2016.
The applicant should include the
following in their entry
submission:
• A detailed outline of theresearch project or specifictraining, including how this willimpact patient care andoutcomes in Ireland
• Evidence of support from asenior ophthalmologist assponsor
• Breakdown of costs.
The prize is not restricted to eyedoctors in training and those inpractice are encouraged to considermaking a suitable application.Further details are available onwww.eyedoctors.ie.
ICO NEWSLETTER | SUMMER 2016PAGE 4
At this year’s conference in
Killarney, the winners of the
awarded funding for the
ICO/Novartis Eye Research
Bursary in 2015 presented an
update on their projects.
Dr. Khalid Kamel was awardedfunding for his clinical projectexamining a genetic weakness whichmay predispose certain glaucomapatients to accelerated optic nervedamage. The study aims to find outwhether patients with pseudo -exfoliation glaucoma (severe sub-type of glaucoma) have a geneticweakness in the energy producingpart of the cell (called mitochondria),and whether this genetic weaknesspredisposes their cells to beincapable of getting rid of toxic wasteproducts that can lead to optic nervedamage.
To date the study has recruited 40PXFG patients, completed training inskin biopsy technique and isolation ofskin cells will be used in mitochon -drial function assessment. Training inmitochondrial function assays is on-going in University College Cork labsand data collection will start in July2016, followed by data analysis andresults 6 months later.
Dr Kamel said, “If the studydemonstrates that glaucoma patientswith a mitochondrial gene defect areunable to clear away toxic wasteproducts from cells, then we wouldpropose that these patients wouldbenefit from ‘across the counter’medications (such as Co-Enzyme Q10)that enhance mitochondrial functionto help control their glaucoma diseasemechanism.
“This can eventually help inreducing the morbidity of glaucomaby decelerating visual loss.”
Dr Ghaleb Farouki presented anupdate on his winning project from2015 which is aimed at identifyingpatients at an increased risk of
developing Wet AMD. The animalbased project is investigating thepotential protective role ofneutralising interleukin-18 bindingprotein on the development of laserinduced choroidal neovascularisationin a mouse model.
The estimated prevalence of AMDin Ireland is 7% and currently AMDaccounts for a third of the total cost ofvision loss in the Republic of Irelandwhich is estimated at €400 millionannually and predicted to rise to €2.7billion by 2020. Current treatment forwet AMD is based on blockage of theaction of vascular endothelial growthfactor (VEGF) in the retina.
The research is taking place at theOcular Genetic Lab at the SmurfitInstitute at Trinity College Dublinunder the supervision of Mr MarkCahill, Dr Sarah Doyle and DrMatthew Campbell.
Explaining the study, Dr Faroukisaid, “Inflammation plays asignificant role in the development ofAMD and in disease progression. Weare trying to develop new treatments
that will target the inflammation andimmune system that are part ofMacular Degeneration. Interleukin-18(Il-18) is a cytokine that has beenhighlighted as having useful anti-angiogenic (against the developmentof new abnormal blood vessels)effects, with promising results inanimal studies including the use ofexogenous interleukin-18 as a therapyon its own and in combination withestablished treatments.”
He added, “We are very excitedabout the real promise, in terms ofimproved medium and long-termoutcomes, in finding ways for earlierdetection and treatment of thatproportion of AMD patients whodevelop wet/neo-vascular AMD.”
Ms. Loretto Callaghan, ManagingDirector, Novartis Ireland said,“Novartis is delighted to partner withthe ICO again in 2016 to support theResearch Bursary. As a company,Novartis is committed toOphthalmology and to research inIreland and we are delighted tocontinue our support in this area”.
Winners of 2015 Bursary give update on AMD andGlaucoma Studies at ICO Annual Conference
Ghaleb Farouki (Left) and Khalid Kamel (3rd left), recipients of the ICO / Novartis Eye ResearchBursary 2015 pictured with Marie Hickey-Dwyer and Oliver McCrohan (right), Novartis at the ICOAnnual Conference 2016, The Europe Hotel, Killarney.
PHOTO DON MACMONAGLE
ICO NEWSLETTER | SUMMER 2016 PAGE 5
Speaking at the ICO AnnualConference in Killarney, PatrickMurtagh, winner of the Sir WilliamWilde Medal said, “Beginning in July2014 an idea was undertaken todevelop an application for smart -phones and tablets in conjunctionwith the pharmacy department in theRoyal Victoria Eye and Ear Hospital.The aim of this application is to aidprescribing of the common anduncommon ophthalmic medicationsand that it would contain easy accessto protocols and pro cedures usedthroughout the hospital, and wouldtherefore be an invaluable referenceaid to consultants, NCHDs andstudents alike.
He added, “The App wouldprovide easy access to information onantimicrobial guidelines, anaestheticguidelines and would have generalinformation on the hospital also. Eachsection is then subdivided into an
easy to use and initiative layout sothat whatever information is requiredis effortlessly accessible. There is alsoa section on medications which are‘short’ and suitable alternatives.”
“The application is currentlyavailable for download from theApple iStore and from the GooglePlay store by searching ‘RVEEH’. Todate, the application has proven itselfto be useful in everyday practice as anexcellent reference source. Feedback isessential so that we can continue toimprove and maintain the up keep ofthe application.”
Congratulations also to SineadConnolly, who was awarded theBarbara Knox Medal for her paper onthe ‘Design of Nanoparticle-basedMicroRNA Therapeutics in Sjogren’sSyndrome.
Explaining the basis for the report,Sinead said, “Sjogren’s Syndrome(pSS) is an inflammatory disease that
is to date not well-understood and isunder-diagnosed. Dry eye is acommon symptom of this condition,for which there is no curativetreatment at present. MicroRNA havea role in regulating genes ininflamma tion and inflammatorydiseases. Our work has demonstratedthat there is a significant difference inmicroRNAs between patients withSjogren’s Syndrome and healthycontrols. We have confirmed that oneof these is involved in an inflam -matory pathway which is oftenabnormally active in pSS.”
The study is being carried out atthe Molecular and CellularTherapuetics, RCSI, the Royal VictoriaEye and Ear Hospital and the Schoolof Pharmacy, RCSI, Dublin.
They are developing a nanoparticledrug-delivery system to restore normalmicro RNA levels at the surface of theeye. Our prelimin ary findings showthat it can reduce increase anti-inflammatory gene expression. This isa promising strategy for reducinginflammation, and, hopefully, thesymptoms of dry eye.
ICO Medal Winners 2016announced at Annual Conference
Sinead Connolly, winner of the Barbara Knox medal, Jeremy O’Connor, Chair of the OrganisingCommittee, presenting Patrick Murtagh, winner of the Sir William Wilde medal andYvonneDelaney, Dean of Postgraduate Training and Education pictured at the ICO Annual Conference2016, at The Europe Hotel, Killarney.
PHOTO: DON MACMONAGLE
The Sir William Wilde Medal 2016 has been awarded to Patrick Murtagh,
Royal Victoria Eye and Ear Hospital, for his poster on the development of
a Smart Phone Application for the hospital. The Barbara Knox Medal 2016
was awarded to Sinead Connolly, Royal Victoria Eye and Ear Hospital, for her
paper entitled ‘Design of Nanoparticle-based MicroRNA Therapeutics in
Sjogren's Syndrome..
Post GraduateTeachingProgramme
Prof Bobby Braunstein, Clinical Professor ofOphthalmology, College of Physicians andSurgeons at Columbia University is picturedwith Professor Conor Murphy following histalk on “Hot, Rot or Not: Black-market,Counterfeit and Off Label Drug Use” at thePost Graduate Teaching Programme in theRoyal Victoria Eye & Ear Hospital on April14th.
PAGE 6 ICO NEWSLETTER | SUMMER 2016
This transplant represents theculmination of collaboration betweenresearchers, scientists and clinicians inthe National Institute for CellularBiotechnology (NICB) in Dublin CityUniversity (DCU), the Eye Bank at theIrish Blood Transfusion Service(IBTS), and the Royal Victoria Eye andEar Hospital (RVEEH).
Cornea grafting is used for manycorneal diseases, but relies on anintact limbal cell source in therecipient for long term success. Thelimbal stem cells help maintain a clearcornea. The health of the cornea onthe front surface of the eye is essentialfor vision. Deficiency of these stemcells results in corneal inflammation,opacification, vascularisation, painand loss of vision.
In January 2016, the IBTS receivedauthorisation from the HPRA to growthese cells as an Advanced TherapeuticMedicinal Product for clinical use.The stem cells originated from ahuman cornea which was donated bya deceased donor. These stem cellswere then isolated and grown incarefully controlled conditions in theclean rooms of the Irish Blood Trans -fusion Service over a period of 12days by the team of medical scientistsled the Chief Medical Scientist SandraShaw, Colin Hynes and Fiona Cauchiand by Dr. William Murphy, Medicaland Scientific Director.
This achievement was madepossible by a generous bequest to the
IBTS by the late Edith Ingram. Thebequest allowed the IBTS tocollaborate with the research team inDCU led by led by Prof. MartinClynes and Dr. Finbarr O'Sullivan.The primary research anddevelopment of the methodology wassuccessfully established by theresearchers in the National Institutefor Cellular Biotechnology (NICB)DCU led by Dr. Finbarr O’Sullivan, DrKishore Reddy and Dr Clair Gallagherand then transferred to the IBTSwhere further translational researchwas carried out and the processoptimised to meet regulatoryapproval necessary for clinical use.
Additional funding was receivedby DCU from Pharmacia –UpjohnIrish College of OphthalmologistsFellowship Award, the ResearchFoundation of the RVEEH, NationalCouncil for the Blind of Ireland, andthe Health Research Board Partner -ship Award and the 3U BiomedicalResearch (DCU-NUIM-RCSI).
The transplantation of culturedlimbal stem cells is one of only a fewexamples of the successful clinical useof adult stem cell therapy in patients.It is hoped that a further six patientsof Mr Power and Prof. Conor Murphyat the Royal Victoria Eye & EarHospital will receive this newtreatment during 2016. A link tocoverage of the development whichfeatured on RTE Six One News can beviewed on the ICO website.
First Corneal Stem Cell TransplantConducted in IrelandOn Tuesday 7th June 2016, the first Limbal Stem Cell transplant in
Ireland was performed by William Power at the Royal Victoria Eye
and Ear Hospital (RVEEH) in Dublin. While this technique has been
available in a number of other countries, until now this was not a
treatment option available in Ireland.
The ophthalmology service at
Sligo University Hospital and
Sligo, Leitrim and West Cavan
Community Health Organisation
(CHO) Area 1 has been awarded a
HSE Excellence Award for their
project entitled ‘Having The Right
People With The Right Skills In The
Right Place, At The Right Time’.
The project highlighted how theOphthalmology Service in SligoUniversity Hospital joined forces withcolleagues working in the communityto create an improved model of carefor patients and the excellence instandard of innovation and co-operation that the service hasachieved.
The final seven projects wereselected from an original entry of 426projects to compete to be the OverallWinner of the 2016 Health ServiceExcellence Awards. They were chosenby the selection panel after 39 projectswere invited to make presentationsdetailing their projects aims andobjectives.
The project also recently won anaward as first in the category‘Healthcare Department Initiative –Cost Saving Measure’ at The IrishHealth Care Centre Awards 2016which were held in the Royal MarineHotel in Dublin.
HSE ExcellenceAward
Darren McAteer, Medical Ophthalmologist(left) with Jo Shortt, Senior Project Manager,Sligo University Hospital and Paul Mullaney,Ophthalmologist, Sligo representing theOphthalmology Service project which wasannounced as Overall Best Project at theHealth Service Excellence Awards 2016.
Eyedoctors.ie DirectoryThank you to members who have uploaded their practice and listed theirspecialty information on the ICO eye doctor directory on our website. It isimportant that each doctor listed in the directory has their detailsincluded. Please email [email protected] if you would like thelink to update your details resent.
ICO NEWSLETTER | SUMMER 2016 PAGE 7
Dr. Matthew Carrigan, apostdoctoral researcher working inthe Genetics Department in TrinityCollege, Dublin, told delegates thatidentifying these causativemutations was a necessaryprerequisite for patients to accessclinical trials and advanced gene-and mutation-specific treatments,including virally-delivered genetherapies.
Delegates at the conferencereceived an update on the use ofnext generation-sequencing in theTarget 5000 project, which aims toprovide genetic testing to theestimated 5000 people in Irelandwho have a genetic retinalcondition. Next-generationsequencing is a technique that hasdeveloped in the last decade andallows the sequencing of a largenumber of genes targeting veryspecifically just the areas of thegenes the researcher is interested in.
The objectives of the study wereto identify the genetic mutationsunderlying inherited retinal diseasein the Irish patient population.Other researchers who participatedwith Dr Matthew Carrigan on thestudy were Dr. Emma Duignan,Prof. Conor Malone and Prof. PaulKenna from the Royal Victoria Eyeand Ear Hospital; Dr. KirkStephenson, Dr. Tahira Saad and Mr.David Keegan at The MaterMisericordiae University Hospital;Dr. Giuliana Silvestri, the BelfastHealth & Social Care Trust; Dr.Andrew Green, Our Lady’sHospital, Crumlin and Dr. CiaraMcDermott, Dr. Adrian Green, Prof.
Peter Humphries and Prof. JaneFarrar at Trinity College Dublin .
“Using next-generation DNAsequencing, we have been able totarget every gene in the literaturethat has ever been implicated inretinal degeneration, which was 218at the time of panel design, which isnow about 240, so we will be doinga panel redesign”, Dr Carrigan toldthe conference.
Sequencing was performed usingan Illumina MiSeq at St. James'sHospital, Dublin, with some samplegroups sequenced off-site on anIllumina HiSeq by GATC Biotech(Konstanz, Germany) and BGI Tech(Shenzhen, China). Allcomputational and downstreamanalysis, including read mappingand variant calling and filtering,was performed at TCD.
The project has sequenced 600people to date with candidatemutations identified in 50-60 percent of DNA analysed so far, withon-going family follow ups andvalidation.
Retinitis pigmentosa, Stargardtdisease and Usher syndrome havebeen the most common retinaldisease recorded so far under theproject. Interesting findings to dateinclude that the RP1 mutationshowed up more frequently in theIrish population than ininternational studies.
Matthew said, “We report over40 novel mutations implicated indisease in this study, as well as thefirst associations of the genesGNAT1 and SLC24A1 with retinitis
pigmentosa. This is the largest studyof its kind to date in Ireland, and sowe also present our view of the“molecular landscape” of themutations and genes mostcommonly implicated in retinaldisease in Ireland.
Results of a new Irish study presented at this year’s ICO Annual
Conference have concluded that target-capture next-generation
sequencing is a cost-effective and efficient approach to diagnosing the
mutations underlying inherited retinal disease.
Target 5000 People with inherited eyeconditions are being urged to signup to Target 5000, a research projectin Ireland which is providinggenetic testing for the estimated5,000 people in Ireland who have agenetic eye condition.
These conditions, among others,include Retinitis Pigmentosa(RP),Usher Syndrome, StargardtDisease, Leber Hereditary OpticNeuropathy, Leber CongenitalAmaurosis, Choroideremia andRetinoschisis.
National patient registryAn essential aspect to the Target5000 project is the creation of anpatient registry of individuals inIreland who have inherited retinaldiseases. This will enable theidentification of patients who areeligible for clinical trials, adding tothe global bank of knowledgeabout inherited retinal conditionsand ultimately advancing theprogress of treatments and curesfor blindness.
The project is now working off acommon electronic databasebetween all the involved centres,and will start recruiting children inthe coming months.
For more information about Target5000 or to register your interest, pleasecontact our Fighting Blindness on01 678 9004 [email protected].
ICO NEWSLETTER | SUMMER 2016PAGE 8
25th ANNIVERSA
Colm O'Brien, Yvonne Delaney, Michelle McNicholas and Paul Moriarty.
Mark James and Eugene Ng. David and Erica Wallace and their babyMuireann Tralee.
Prof Reza Dana, Professor of Ophthalmology,Harvard Medical School and MichelleMcNicholas.
Charles McCreery, St Vincent's and Kathryn McCreery.
The ICO Gala Dinner on
Thursday 19th May was a
wonderful occasion for
members to mark the 25th
Anniversary of the College. Past
President John Nolan gave an
entertaining account on the
origins of the ICO and its
founding members, much to the
delight of the audience, many of
whom have witnessed the
evolution of the College and the
advances in the specialty.
Photography: DON MacMONAGLE
ICO NEWSLETTER | SUMMER 2016 PAGE 9
ARY GALA DINNER
Kevin Kennelly, Elizabeth and Ted Kennelly.
David Shahnazaryan and Aida Hajjar. Gerard and Edel O'Connor. Maureen Hillery, Catherine McCrann and ProfEilis McGovern.
David Gallagher, Deirdre Townley, and Philip O'Reilly. Margaret Morgan, Kevin Tempany, Muirean Tempany, and OliveTempany.
John Nolan, Annie Nolan, Dan Nolan and Shauna Quinn.
Mydriasis is an important elementof the ophthalmic assessment in manysettings, and requires consideration interms of its temporary impact onmedical fitness to drive. This includesa decrease in the ability to recognizelow contrast hazards and avoid them, adecrease in visual acuity and contrastsensitivity and increased glaresensitivity, and is almost certainly ofmost consequence in those withexisting visual impairment.
While there is a degree ofuncertainty about the attitude of themotor insurance industry on those whodrive with dilated pupils despitefulfilling legal requirements, in the UKa motor insurance company refused tocover subsequent claims for damage fora patient who was involved in a roadtraffic accident returning home afterretinal screening because her pupilshad been dilated. She was subsequentlyprosecuted by the police for drivingwithout valid motor insurance.
From a clinical perspective, giventhe widespread use of mydriatic agentsin practice, it is important that clinicianshave clear and straightforwardguidelines on advising patients and
their carers. In addition to individualadvice dispensed in writing andverbally to patients, this advice shouldbe displayed with due prominence inwebsites and literature associated withservices where mydriasis is a routineelement of assessment and care.
In the elective setting, such as inscreening for diabetic retinopathy, thelevel of risk that might be acceptedshould be lower than for emergencycases, and it is appropriate thatpatients should be advised in writingahead of their appointment not todrive to the assessment, and either usepublic transport, taxi, or arrange foranother person to bring them to andfrom the appointment.
Should a patient present havingdriven to an elective appointment, theyshould be advised either to remake theappointment, or not to drive until theyhave adapted to the effects ofmydriasis. Current advice onappropriate strategies to return todriving include waiting for four hours(NHS Screening Programme forDiabetic Retinopathy) and “do notdrive until you can see clearly again”(British National Formulary). The
advice offered should be annotated inthe clinical notes.
This advice applies to bilateralapplication of mydriatics. In the case ofunilateral instillation of a mydriatic, ifthe other eye has adequate vision thendriving can resume. If there is notadequate vision in the other eye, thenthe advice is the same as for bilateralapplication.
Whether or not a patient drivesafter dilation remains entirely theirdecision, although the Sláinte agusTiomáint guideline clearly states thatone of the responsibilities of drivers isto adhere to prescribed medicaltreatment and monitor and managetheir condition(s) and any adaptationswith ongoing consideration of theirfitness to drive. If the patient declaresan intention to drive after pupildilatation without complying withclinical advice, the offer of a binocularvisual acuity and contrast sensitivitytests prior to driving could supportthem should a subsequent accidentclaim be contested in a court.
Working Group on Traffic Medicine atthe National Programme office for trafficMedicine rCPi/rSA: Prof Desmondo’Neill, Director (National Programmeoffice for Traffic Medicine rCPi/rSA), MsPatricia logan (Consultant ophthalmicSurgeon to Beaumont and the MaterHospitals) Mr Sean Chen (Consultantophthalmologist Surgeon (Galway Clinic),Dr Graham roberts (Consultantendocrinologist, Waterford), Mr Martino’Brien (Assoc of optometrists, Chair ofeducation).
ICO NEWSLETTER | SUMMER 2016PAGE 10
Early Treatment of Anisometropia on Visual Outcomes in ChildrenGemma Quigley, Orthoptist, HSE
Objective: As part of the national guidelines it isdeemed appropriate to refer any childinto the eye clinic when there is a firstdegree family history of glasses or eyeproblems. With increasing demands onpaediatric eye services within theRepublic of Ireland this report aims toassess if current referral guidelinesregarding ‘family history’ are appropriate.Anisometropia/anisometropic amblyopiahas no visual indications unlike a possiblestrabismus therefore if ‘family history’was removed as a referral criteria it couldlead to the delayed detection ofanisometropic amblyopia.
Results and Discussion: 350 new patients initially referredunder age 3 assessed within the eyeclinic at Roscommon PCCC (62% of allreferrals) with an average referral age
of 18.6 months old. 169 (48.3%) weredischarged automatically as deemedorthoptically satisfactory, 125 (35.7%)were too young to co-operate for fulltest therefore recall advised and 56
Figure 1: Outcome after First Orthoptic Assessment
Temporary Mydriasis and Driving
Patricia Logan, Ophthalmic Surgeon, Beaumont and The Mater Hospitals andSean Chen, Ophthalmologist Surgeon, Galway Clinic are the ICO
representatives on the Working Group on Traffic Medicine at the NationalProgramme Office for traffic Medicine RCPI/RSA. The following articleoutlines the recommended patient safety guidelines in relation to temporarymydriasis and driving.
ICO NEWSLETTER | SUMMER 2016 PAGE 11
(16%) referred to communityophthalmologist for cycloplegicrefraction. 21 showed no abnormalityafter a refraction therefore in total315/350 (90%) of those referred underthe age of 3 were found to have noabnormality. The majority of referralsreceived regarding children under 3are due to ‘family history’ (227/350)(Figure 1.).
From the 35 children found to havea detectable problem after assessmentby the community ophthalmologist 23were initially referred due to ‘familyhistory’. 15/23 had a detectablestrabismus and 19/23 required aglasses prescription needed to rectifystrabismus and/or aid vision.
A systematic literature search wasperformed to evaluate the visualoutcome of patients with anisometropiawhen treatment is commenced beforethe age of 3 versus age 4-5 years.Results revealed 0 randomisedcontrolled trials have been done toassess the treatment of anisometropicamblyopia at age 3 versus age 4-5versus no treatment at all. There is nooverall outcome found to determine ifage has an effect of the outcome ofanisometropic amblyopia treatment.
With limited research clinicianswere asked for their opinion regardingcurrent referral patterns, 48.3% oforthoptists and 23.3% ofophthalmologists completed thesurvey. The survey highlighted thevariability of waiting lists acrossIreland:21% of departments having awaiting list of less than 4 months; 22%of departments having a waiting listgreater than 1 year; 20% of depart -ments having a waiting list greaterthan 2 years. This could demonstratethe variation in resources available tolocal health authorities within thehealth service. This variation couldalso be explained by the difficultiescertain areas within Ireland,particularly rural Ireland find inrecruitment and retention of staff.
Respondents are asked about themost common reasons children underthe age of 3 years old are referred intotheir eye clinic. (Figure 2).
The highest reason for referral was‘obvious squint’ closely followed byparental concerns regarding vision andthen family history, however whenresults were filtered to show onlyresponses from those who work incommunity care ‘family history’ thenbecomes the most popular reason forreferral. From the audit results in
Figure 1. 101 children were referredbecause of ‘obvious squint’ and only10.89% were actually found to have aproblem detected.
60% of respondents suspected thereto be an over referral of ‘family history’with 0% believing there was underreferral. The survey assesses clinicians’opinion on the accuracy of referralsregarding ‘family history’. Resultsrevealed that 57.63% believed thatreferrals were less than 20% accurateand 91.53% of clinicians surveyedbelieve that less than 40% of thesereferrals were accurate.
Respondents were then asked ifthey think ‘family history’ should beremoved from the referral criteria andawait visual screening in school.46.67% of clinicians think that it shouldbe removed and 53.33% disagree.Therefore despite ‘family history’seemingly having a low level ofaccuracy clinicians are split on itsvalue. When clinicians are asked about
whether or not there is a benefit todetecting and starting clinicaltreatment under the age of 3 verses age4-5 years 83.05% of clinicians believethere is a clinical benefit to startingtreatment earlier and 16.95% believingthat outcomes are the same whentreatment is started under the age of 3versus age 4-5 years.
Conclusion: Family history as a referral criteria forunder 3’s produces the greatestamount of referrals into eye clinics,however there is limited research tosuggest that correction ofanisometropia before the age of 3 leadsto a better visual outcome, this is madeever more difficult by the lack ofagreed levels of anisometropia andamblyopia. It would be beneficial tohave a nationwide database compiledto analyse outcomes across the countryand ensure current referral guidelinesare appropriate and adhered to.
Figure 2. Q4. What is the most common reason for a child under the age of three years old
to be referred into your eye department? With 1 been most common and 7 least common.
GREAT ETHIOPIAN 10KM RUN20 November 2016
Join Orbis in Addis Ababa for the Great Ethiopian Run - a 10km like no other. Compete against some of the world’s elite runners or simply enjoy this vibrant running carnival! Experience the
electric atmosphere of almost 40,000 Ethiopians singing, dancing and celebrating!
By joining Orbis you will help save the sight of thousands at immediate risk of blindness across Ethiopia.
Introduction and Context Chronic diseases, comprising of
cancer, cardiovascular disease (CVD),chronic obstructive pulmonary disease(COPD) and diabetes, are the leadingcause of mortality in the world, repres -enting 60% of all deaths worldwideand 76% of deaths in Ireland. At least30% of cancers and 80% of heartdisease, stroke and type II diabetes canbe prevented through healthy diet,regular physical activity and avoidanceof smoking and tobacco products.
Despite the fact that the immediaterisk factors for the development ofchronic diseases are known and mostare modifiable, tackling them continuesto be one of the major challenges bothnow and in the future. Chronicconditions impact negatively onquality of life and affect the sociallydisadvantaged disproportionately,contributing to widening health gapswithin society.
What is Making Every ContactCount?
Health professionals have millionsof contacts each year with clients; theseare all potential opportunities toimprove the health and wellbeing ofthe recipient and it is crucial that theseare used to make every contact count.
Making every Contact Count (MECC)is about health professionals using theirroutine consultation to empower andsupport people to make healthier choicesto achieve positive long-term behaviourchange. This support is given in a waythat is empowering and respect ful of theclients’ circumstances. It is about havingshort focused conversations with peopleabout their lifestyle risk factors andhighlighting the healthier choice in orderto improve their health.
To do this, the health service needs tobuild a culture and operatingenvironment that supports continuoushealth improvement through thecontacts that it has with individuals.Doing so will improve the health and
wellbeing of service users, staff and thegeneral public and contribute toreducing health inequalities. Whiletraining and upskilling of healthprofessionals is an essential part ofMaking every Contact Count, ultimately itis about changing the way in which thehealth service interacts with its clients.To be successful MECC must not beseen as a separate public health issue,but part of what all healthprofessionals do.
Health behaviour change iscomplex and health professionals arein a unique position to support peopletowards making changes that will havelong term health gains for themselvesand for society as a whole. There issome evidence to show that serviceusers expect to be asked questions bytheir health professional about theirlifestyle and if they are not asked, theyassume that there is not a problem.
Model for Making EveryContact CountThe model for Making every ContactCount is presented as a pyramid withfour levels (Figure 1). The lessintensive interventions are at the lowerend of the pyramid, with the moreintensive and specialised interventionsat the top of the pyramid. Each levelrepresents an intervention ofincreasing intensity from brief adviceto specialised interventions such ascognitive behaviour therapy. Thegreatest concentration of resources willbe at the lower levels of the pyramid.The number of healthcare workersdelivering the more intensiveinterventions will decrease as onemoves up the pyramid.
Making every Contact Count isprimarily concerned with the lowerthree levels: brief advice, briefintervention and extended briefintervention. The specialisedinterventions will be carried by a smallcohort of staff with the necessaryspecialised training in the relevantbehaviour change therapies and are
therefore not the main focus of Makingevery Contact Count.
As the implementation of MECC isconcerned with the interventionstaking place in the lower three levels ofthe pyramid; this is where the greatestinvestment will need to be made. Thehealth behaviours which will be thefocus of attention at the onset are thefour main risk factors for chronicdisease; tobacco; physical activity;alcohol and healthy eating.
Implementation of MECCTo implement this model within all
sectors of the health service actionsneed to happen in four key areas: 1. Organisational level which will
involve a culture and environmentthat supports continuous healthimprovement and has systems inplace to embed MECC in to allservices and divisions.
2. Staff engagement, learning, trainingand skills development is crucial tothe integration of MECC within thehealth service.
3. Patient empowerment is essential ifthey are to engage with their healthprofessional about making abehaviour change.
4. Partnership working with keyexternal affiliates such as HigherEducational Institutes; ProfessionalAssociations and Health Profession -als not employed within the HSE iscentral to the success of MECC.The MECC Framework and
implementation Plan has beendeveloped by the HSE, Health &Wellbeing Clinical Programme Team. Itis envisaged that this framework andimplementation plan will be publishedin the coming months.
Further information about MeCCContact: Dr orlaith o’reilly, NationalClinical Advisor & Group Programmelead. email [email protected]
ICO NEWSLETTER | SUMMER 2016PAGE 12
Making Every Contact Count
Specialist Interventions
Extended Brief Intervention
Brief Intervention
Brief Advice
Fig. 1
As the ICO continue to prioritise our engagement with Department ofHealth and HSE official’s in support of the key objectives of the Healthy
Ireland agenda, Dr Orlaith O’Reilly, National Clinical Advisor andProgramme Lead, Health & Wellbeing, outlines the HSE’s framework andimplementation plan for a health behaviour change in the Irish Health Service.
ICO NEWSLETTER | SUMMER 2016 PAGE 13
10th BIPOSA Annual Meeting, Dublin 2016
The meeting is of interest to allophthalmologists who sub specialise orhave an interest in paediatricophthalm ology and strabismus surgery,orthoptists who are specialists inchildren’s vision assessment and eyemovement problems, and alliedprofessionals with an interest inpaediatric ophthalmology & visionproblems. BIPOSA is accredited forCPD at one point per hour.
The programme over the three dayswill include symposia, a videosymposium, free paper sessions ande-poster displays.
Prof Sir Peng Tee Khaw, Professorof Glaucoma and Ocular Healing at theUCL Institute of Ophthalmology andConsultant Ophthalmic Surgeon atMoorfields Eye Hospital, London willgive the Claud Worth Medal Lecture.He is also Director of the NationalInstitute for Health Research SpecialistBiomedical Research Centre in
Ophthalmology at Moorfields EyeHospital and UCL Institute ofOphthalmology; Director of Researchand Development at Moorfields EyeHospital; President of the Associationfor Vision Research in Ophthalmologyand the UK Paediatric GlaucomaSociety; and an NIHR SeniorInvestigator since 2009.
Professor Sir Peng Tee Khaw has aspecial interest in the surgical andmedical treatment of the refractoryglaucomas, particularly paediatricglaucoma. His group undertakesresearch into new surgical techniquesand new treatments to prevent scarringand encourage regeneration of tissuesafter ocular surgery and disease. Theyhave developed inexpensive singleapplications of intra-operative anti-metabolites that have been tested inclinical trials across the world, andhave also developed new surgicaltechniques, including the Moorfields
Safer Surgery System, dramaticallyreducing bleb related and othercomplications, now used worldwide.
Dr Tony Norcia, Professor (ofResearch), Department of Psychology,Stanford University will give the RogerTrimble lecture. Prof Norcia’s workcenters around two overarchingthemes: the relationship betweenneural activity and conscious visualperception, and the role that visualexperience plays in determining thecourse of visual development. Hefocuses on early and mid-level visualprocesses that underlie the perceptionof objects and the layout of surfaces inthe environment.
At the time of the ICO AnnualConference, Donal Brosnahan,Consultant Ophthalmic Surgeon, OurLady’s Children’s Hospital, Crumlinconfirmed that a total of 129 abstractshad already been submitted for the2016 meeting, the highest amount ever.
Further information and registrationdetails for the event are available atwww.eyedoctors.ie andhttp://www.biposa.org/dublin-2016/
Planning has officially begun for
this year’s AMD Awareness
Week, which will take place from the
19th-24th September. Each year the
campaign aims to create further
awareness and understanding of the
condition, and encourage those aged
50 and over to get their eyes tested
regularly.
Since 2007, over 5,000 people havebenefited from free testing duringAMD Awareness Week. Last year, theNovartis Mobile Testing Unit tested646 people across the country, anincrease of 35% from the previousyear, with 115 referrals. It also created5.8million opportunities to hear andread the campaign key messages via
the multi-media approach of print,broadcast and online media relationsand interaction.
Further details on the 2016campaign “Never Miss the Wonder”will be shared very shortly. Ourthanks to members who have offered
their services in previous years to seereferrals. The College will be in touchin due course with further details ofthis year’s schedule, which will alsobe posted on our website and we askmembers to please email the Collegeif you wish to be involved.
Date for your Diary…AMD AwarenessWeek 2016
The Royal Victoria Eye and Ear Hospital is delighted to host the 10th
British Isles Paediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus Association
(BIPOSA) Annual Meeting, which will take place in Dublin from the
12th-14th October 2016 at The Printworks inDublin Castle.
Ambassadors for the AMD Awareness Week Campaign in 2015, Minister Mary Mitchell O’Connor,Evelyn Cusack, RTE Weather Reporter and Mary Kennedy, RTE Presenter.
ICO NEWSLETTER | SUMMER 2016PAGE 14
John Nolan, Hanne Olsen, Jean PaulDernouchamps.
Aoife Doyle, Tim Horgan, Lotte Welinder.
Michelle McNicholas, Edel O Connor Gerard O’Connor, Anne Hyland. Guests attending the U.E.M.S./ European Board of OphthalmologyDinner, RCSI.
Minster for Health, Simon Harris.
Siobhan Kelly, Billy Power, and Alison Blake pictured with Minster for Health, Simon Harris.
The Gala Dinner for the
71st Plenary Assembly of
the U.E.M.S. Section of
Ophthalmology was held at
the Royal College of Surgeons,
St Stephen’s Green, Dublin on
the evening of Saturday 11th
June 2016.
Members were honoured to
have the Minister for Health,
Simon Harris in attendance.
UEMS/European Board of Ophthalmology
ICO NEWSLETTER | SUMMER 2016 PAGE 15
Dr John Duddy, President IMO and AoifeSpillane-Hinks.
Paul Ursell and Denise Curtin.
Marie Hickey Dwyer, Gordana MegevandSunaric and Catherine Creuzet Garcher.
Initiated by Dr Kate Granger, a 34year old doctor from the UK who hasterminal cancer, the campaign grewout of Kate’s frustration at the numberof staff who failed to introducethemselves when she was an inpatientwith post-operative sepsis.
Her campaign asks staff,particularly front line, to pledge tointroduce themselves to their patientsto help show empathy and compas -sion to patients. The campaign hasmade over 1 billion impressions onsocial media since its inception withan average of 6 tweets an hour. The#hellomynameis campaign issupported by the HSE as part of theQuality Improvement Division’spatient engagement strategy and isincluded in the division’s operationalplan for 2016.
Kate spoke at the HSE Communic -ations Masterclass where she gave aninspiring and courageous account ofher illness from her uniqueperspective as someone with amedical back ground coming to termswith a terminal illness diagnosis.
Kate said she firmly believes anintroduction is not just about commoncourtesy, but runs much deeper,“Introductions are about making ahuman connection between onehuman being who is suffering andvulnerable, and another human beingwho wishes to help. They begintherapeutic relationships and caninstantly build trust in difficultcircumstances.”
Her campaign, has now beenrolled out in 120 NHS institutions and100 other countries, and has becomepart of routine medical communic -ation training. As a result, Kate wasawarded an MBE in 2015.
Speaking openly and candidly atthe HSE Masterclass session, Kateexplained how she now sees apsychologist to help her cope with thephobia she has developed about being
treated in hospital. “I think it is justthe cumulative effects of so manypainful procedures and receiving somuch bad news there”.
Thanks to all the feedback fromher Twitter followers and her blog,Kate said she feels proud to haveopened a debate about dying, andprompted conversations withinfamilies facing what her family face.“I’ve managed to create someamazing legacies. All doctors want toleave their mark, and I think I’vemanaged to do that. I think through itall I have found a strength I neverknew I had.”
if you would like to learn more or getinvolved in the #hellomynameis…campaign, visithttp://hellomynameis.org.uk/ or followKate on Twitter @GrangerKate
#hellomynameis
In the busy clinical environment simple gestures by healthcare staff can be
very meaningful for patients. The #hellomynameis campaign highlights the
powerful impact for patients when doctors, nurses and other staff introduce
themselves.
Gala Dinner
Dr Kate Granger
ICO NEWSLETTER | SUMMER 2016PAGE 16
9th International Symposium on UveitisTrinity College Dublin, 18-21 August, 2016
The Symposium, which takesplace every four years, will featurecomprehensive discussions of newtopics in experimental and clinicaluveitis, mechanisms of disease, andinnovative therapies, includingbiologic agents. The programme willbe of interest to generalist andspecialist ophthalmologists, as wellas researchers and practitioners fromother fields such as immunology,genetics and rheumatology.
Dara Kilmartin, ConsultantOphthalmologist and VitreoretinalSurgeon, Royal Victoria Eye and EarHospital (RVEEH), Dublin, andConor Murphy, Professor ofOphthalmology, RCSI and RVEEH,will join a panel of distinguishedinternational experts addressing theSymposium.
The organising committee hasput together an innovative andexciting programme which reflectsthe seismic developments takingplace within Ophthalmology, andespecially in the super-specialistfield of Ocular Inflammation. Fiveplenary sessions are listed,incorporating the genetics of ocularinflammation, infection and themicrobiome, and inflammation andretinal degeneration, followed by areview of classification of diseasesin the context of clinical trials,feeding into an update on novelbiologics in treatment of ocularinflammation. Free paper and postersessions complement the plenarysessions to add up-to-the minutediscussion of the plenary overviews.
Speaking at the recent ICOAnnual Conference, Dara Kilmartin
said, “Uveitis awareness among theIrish public and general medicalpractitioners is very low, despite itbeing “second only to diabetes as acause of visual impairment in theworking population. It affectspeople between 20 and 50 years ofage, in the prime of their life, andtheir ability to function effectively isoften severely impacted by thedisease and the treatment, theimmunosuppression monitoring,and so on.”
He added, “There are only three-to-four dedicated uveitis clinics inthe country, given the specialist carerequired. Patients with systemicdiseases like sarcoidosis and typesof arthritis like ankylosingspondylitis, psoriatic arthritis andjuvenile arthritis have a higher riskof uveitis.”
Broadcaster and rugby pundit,George Hook will be the guestspeaker at the conference dinner,
and will talk about his experience ofcataract surgery.
The varied programme over the4 day meeting presenting a mix ofbasic science and clinical researchaddresses many of the questionsaffecting specialists in ocular inflam -mation and should provide agrounding for continued discoveryand innovation in the field for yearsto come.
A full day review course of
Uveitis for ophthalmology trainees
and practitioners will take place on
August 20 at Trinity College Dublin
and will feature leading IUSG
speakers, as well as local specialists.
The six-hour course will be ofgreat interest to general ophthalm -ologists in Ireland, as it is the firsttime we have been able to capturesuch a comprehensive group and itwill give them very detailed,didactic lectures on how to adjustpatients from suppression, how tomonitor patients for uveitis, how tomonitor their disease activity,appropriate use of steroids, how touse biologic agents, diagnostictesting, histopathology, etc.
The 9th International Symposium on Uveitis, sponsored by
the International Uveitis Study Group (IUSG), will be held
at Trinity College Dublin from the 18th to the 21st August, 2016.
