Irish College of Ophthalmologists

The position of the Irish College of Ophthalmologists is that doctors performing refractive eye laser surgery should be on the Register of Medical Specialists in the Division of Ophthalmic Surgery. The Irish College of Ophthalmologists would encourage patients to establish that their prospective doctor meets this requirement (can be confirmed on the Irish Medical Council website www.medicalcouncil.ie ). The doctor should be practicing full time in Ireland and be available for all follow up care both routine and emergency.

The Irish College of Ophthalmologists advises the Medical Council on the suitability of applicants for inclusion on the Register of Medical Specialists in the Division of Ophthalmology.

The Irish Surgical Postgraduate Training Committee, of which the Chairman of the College’s Manpower Committee is a member, advises the Medical Council on the suitability of candidates for the Division of Ophthalmic Surgery.

The College does not register clinics for ophthalmic surgery, including laser surgery.

10.00 – 11.00am Keynote Address:
Ms Mary Harney, Minister for Health & Children

11.30 – 1.00pm Symposium Oculoplastics Chair Mark Mulhern
1.00 – 2.00pm Lunch

11.00 – 12.30pm        Paediatric & Stabismus Symposium
                                    Chair Kathryn McCreery
                                    Gunter von Noorden “Nystagmus Surgery”
                                    John Lee
                                    John Burke “Unilateral Inferior Oblique Overaction”

2.00 – 3.00pm Workshop 'Genetic Diagnosis in Clinical Ophthalmology'
Mr Colin Willougby, Senior Lecturer/Consultant Ophthalmic Surgeon
Centre for Vision Science, Queen's University Belfast

7.00 – 7.45pm                        Mooney Lecture
                                    Prof Gunther von Noorden
                                    “An Update on Amblyopia”

9.00 – 10.30am          Symposium Vein Occlusion
                                      Chair ; David Keegan

10.30 – 11.00am            Coffee Break

The Spring Meeting of the RAMI Ophthalmic Section will take place on Friday March 29th in Faithlegg House Waterford.

Abstracts for presentation at the meeting are now being invited. Abstract forms may be obtained from ico@rcsi.ie

The 2008 Irish College of Ophthalmologists Annual Conference will be held in the Radisson SAS, Farnham Estate Cavan Wednesday 14th to 16th May, 2008

We are now inviting the submission of suitable scientific papers suitable for presentation at the Conference.

Submission is by e-mail only and the covering abstract form must accompany each entry. Abstract Entry Forms are available by request from ico@rcsi.ie

The closing date for submission of abstracts is Friday February 8th, 2008.

Each paper will be allotted six minutes for presentation followed by two minutes for discussion and questions. Those abstracts chosen for posters will be presented from a podium and should be accompanied by two slides.

Prof. Dr. Bernd Kirchhof

‘Is there any room for surgery in AMD treatment now?’

on Friday 14th December 2007 at 6.30pm in the Joly Theatre,
Hamilton Building,
Trinity College Dublin.

The lecture will be followed by a reception in the Panoz Institute, Trinity College Dublin.

The Annual winter meeting of the RAMI Ophthalmic Section will be held on Friday 14th December in the RCPI, Kildare St.

Abstracts for presentation at the meeting are now being invited. Abstract forms may be obtained from ico@rcsi.ie

Completed application forms should be returned to:
Mr Ian Flitcroft
Hon Secretary

The Irish College of Ophthalmologists is inviting applications from suitably qualified ophthalmologists for the post of Dean of Post Graduate Education.

The part-time post will be for 13.5 hours for week and funding has been received for an initial period of up to one year.

Please send six copies of your CV, including three referees with a covering letter to:

Siobhan Kelly
Administrator
Irish College of Ophthalmologists,
121 St Stephen's Green,
Dublin 2

Further information and a detailed job description available by e-mailing request to ico@rcsi.ie

The Cardiff meeting will be chaired by Mr James Morgan (Cardiff University) and will be held at the St David's Hotel in Cardiff Bay.

Day 1 Wednesday 16^th May
8.00am                         Registration
8.50am                         President’s Welcome Address
                                    Mr Robert Acheson President, Irish College of Ophthalmologists

11.30 – 1.00pm Endophthalmitis Following Cataract Surgery - diagnosis, treatment and prevention

5.30 – 6.30pm             “The Role of the NTPF in the Delivery of Ophthalmic                     Services                      in Ireland”
                                    Mr Pat O’Byrne
                                    Chief Executive Officer
                                    National Treatment Purchase Fund

11.00 – 12.30pm         Paediatric Symposium
                                   Chair: Mr Peter Tormey

                                              Surgical Management of Paralytic Strabismus
                                              Dr Richard Saunders,
                                  Professor of Ophthalmology,
                                  Storm Eye Institute, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC

                                  Ms Kathryn McCreery
                                  Dr Loretta Nolan

2.00pm                        Leisure Afternoon
                                   Golf – Mount Juliet Golfcourse
                                   Tour of historic Kilkenny
                                   Tennis – Kikenny Tennis Club

2.00 – 3.00pm Novel Therapeutic Strategies for Age Related Macular Degeneration
Mr Stephen Beatty

7.00 – 7.45pm Mooney Lecture
“Wavefront-Guided Refractive Surgery: Advances and Impediments.”

                                    Dr Dimitri Azar M.D.
                                    Field Chair of Ophthalmologic Research
                                    Professor and Head, University of Illinois at Chicago
8.15pm                        Conference Gala Dinner

12.00 – 1.00pm Tom Finn, National Hospitals Office speaking on the co-location of public and private hospitals

The Annual Conference of the College will be held in the Lyrath Estate Hotel in Kilkenny from Wednesday 16th to Friday 18th May.

Irish College of Ophthalmologists Annual Conference 2007
Wednesday 16th to Friday 18th May, Lyrath Estate, Kilkenny

Call for Scientific Abstracts
Deadline for the receipt of abstracts is
Friday, 19^th January 2007 @ 5pm

Abstract forms can be obtained from the College
Please e-mail ico@rcsi.ie
Please return completed abstract forms to
Irish College of Ophthalmologists
By e-mail only
E-mail: ico@rcsi.ie

This year's Montgomery Lecture will take place in the University of Dublin, Trinity College on Friday November 17th.

Mr Collin is the Director of Oculoplastic and Adnexal Services and Consultant Surgeon at Moorfields Eye Hospital, London

The lecture will take place on Friday 17th November at
6.30pm in the
Robert Emmet Theatre, Trinity College

The lecture will be preceded by a wine reception at 5.00pm in the Dublin dental Hospital, Lincoln place, Dublin 2

This day-long meeting has been approved for 7 CME points by the Irish College of Ophthalmologists

AGENDA:
09:00 REGISTRATION & COFFEE on arrival
09:30 PAEDIATRICS - TIPS TO AID CO-OPERATION IN PAEDIATRIC EXAMINATION
10:00  DEVELOPMENTAL DYSLEXIA
10:45  COMPETENCE ASSURANCE: UPDATED GUIDELINE FROM MEDICAL COUNCIL
          & IRISH MEDICAL ORGANISATION
11:30  COFFEE
11:45  NCBI AND VISUAL AIDS
13:00  LUNCH
14:00  CLINICAL AUDIT SKILLS

16:00   COFFEE
16:15   WEST / NORTH-WEST CME GROUP MEETING
17:00   CURRENT CONCEPTS IN THE MANAGEMENT OF AGE RELATED            MACULOPATHY      -   MR STEPHEN BEATTY
18:00            ASSESSMENT AND INVESTIGATION OF THE LOW TENSION GLAUCOMA PATIENT    - PROF. COLM O’BRIEN

For information on registration please contact Helen, Private Secretary to Professor Michael. O’Keeffe, Suite 5, Mater Private Hospital, Eccles Street, Dublin 7

8am - 10am
Retinal Complications in Refractive Surgery, Dr. Janice Brady
Lasek after Lasik,    Dr. Ayman Saeed
Higher Order Aberrations - significance, Dr. Caitriona Kirwan
Experience with the Intralase Laser,    Mr. Gerry Kervick
CASE PRESENTATIONS – 3 CASES

10.30am – 12.30pm
3^rd Tom Casey Memorial Lecture – Newer Techniques and results in corneal grafting
Mr. Edward Holland
Forme Fruste Keratoconus – Method of Diagnosis
Dr. Caitriona Kirwan
PTK- Indications-Techniques-Results
Mr. William Power
Corneal hysteresis in refractive surgery
Dr. Caitriona Kirwan

1.00pm – 3pm
3^rd Dermot Pierse Memorial Lecture - Corneal infection management in refractive surgery
Mr. Terence O’Brien

CASE PRESENTATIONS - 5 CASES

3.30pm – 5.30pm
Femto-second laser keratoplasty, Mr. Sheraz Daya
Diagnosis and management of dry eye, Mr. Edward Holland
Future of Refractive Surgery, Mr. Terence O’Brien
Accommodating IOL’s

The Pfizer/ICO Fellowship for 2006-2007 will be awarded to a project at the College’s Annual Conference 2007.

Closing date for receipt of applications is Tuesday 31st, October 2006.
Application forms are available by sending details to ico@rcsi.ie

The Annual Irish College of Ophthalmologists Montgomery Lecture will be held in Trinity College, Dublin on Friday 17th November, 2006.

The lecture will be given by Mr Richard Collin, Consultant Ophthalmic Surgeon, Moorfields Eye Hospital, London.

The lecture will commence at 6.30pm and will be preceded by a welcome reception in the Dining Hall, Trinity College at 5.30pm.

The Winter Meeting of the RAMI Ophthalmic Section will take place on Friday November 17th, 2006 at the Royal College of Physicians in Dublin

Topics at this Seminar which will be held on Thursday June 22nd, in the NCHD Lecture Room at the Royal Victoria Eye & Ear Hospital are:
1. The Clinical Indemnity Scheme
2. The Medico-legal Implications of Poor Records
3. Importance of Documentation and Consent

This seminar has been organised as part of the NCHD Postgraduate Teaching programme.

Glaucoma
Dr Aoife Doyle
Consultant Ophthalmic Surgeon
Royal Victoria Eye & Ear Hospital, Dublin

Ms Linda Sissons

Director of Competence Assurance, Medical Council

Chair: Mr Anthony Cullinane & Dr Tim Horgan

Congenital Optic Nerve Anomalies

Mr Donal Brosnahan
Consultant Ophthalmic Surgeon

Royal Victoria Eye & Ear Hospital, Dublin
Our Lady’s Hospital for Sick Children, Crumlin

“Reconstruction of the Anterior Segment”

Mr. Bruce Noble,
Consultant Ophthalmic Surgeon,
Yorkshire Eye Hospital, Yorkshire

“Setting up a Hospital based Diabetic Screening service at U.C.H.G. - problems & pitfalls”

Dr Fiona Harney

“Diabetic Retinopathy

Feasibility of screening for more than one ophthalmic disorder using digital retinal photography.

Dr John Smith

Consultant Ophthalmic Physician
Louth County Hospital, Drogheda

“Diabetic Eye Disease – new Pharmacological Treatments”

Miss Marie Hickey Dwyer

Consultant Ophthalmic Surgeon
Limerick Regional Hospital

will take place on September 13th & 14th 2006 in the National Children's Eye Centre, at the Children's university Hospital, Temple Street, Dublin

The course will include ocular motility, optics, visual fields and electrophysiology.

The Course fee is €500 and includes lunch. Numbers are limited to 20. Further information can be obtained from Bernadette Lanigan at the National Children's Eye centre on 01 8784324 or e-mail eye.clinic@tsch.ie

The Irish College of Ophthalmologists Annual Meeting 2006

will take place in the Radisson SAS Hotel, Sligo from Wednesday, 17th until Friday, 19th May 2006.

Deadline for the receipt of abstracts is
Friday, 31st March 2006 @ 5pm

Please return completed forms to
Irish College of Ophthalmologists
121 St. Stephens Green
Dublin 2
Fax: + 353 1 402 2778
E-mail: ico@rcsi.ie

REMINDER: Neuro Ophthalmology Clinical Course

This course covers clinical neuro-ophthalmology with emphasis on clinical demonstrations and teaching sessions. Relevant basic sciences will also be covered during the course.

Monday, 24th April - Friday, 28th April 2006 at the Institute of Neurosciences, Beaumont Hospital, Dublin 9. Course fee E800.

Further information available from Ms. Emma Flynn c/o Eye Dept., Beaumont Hospital, Dublin 9 phone +353 (0)1 809 2609.

The President of the Medical Council, Dr John Hillery has called on all doctors to engage voluntarily with its Competence Assurance Structures. Dr Hillery believes that the Council has waited too long for supportive legislation and so will now roll out the total structure on a voluntary basis.

He has reminded doctors of their ethical obligations to maintain competence and bring colleagues who persistently underperform to the attention of the Medical Council.

'Performance and Remediation in Practice....supporting doctors, protecting patients'

The Medical Council is hosting a consultative forum on Competence Assurance Structures on March 31st in Croke Park, Dublin 3. With a new medical Practitioners Act anticipated in the near future, it is hoped that the conference will facilitate discussion on clinical performance and the difficulties that are faced by practitioners throughout the world.

To receive further information or register for the conference please contact Ciara McMorrow, on 01-4983 137 or cas@mcirl.ie

The application form may be downloaded at: http://www.medicalcouncil.ie/_fileupload/news/Registration_form_31March06.pdf

The Spring Meeting will be held in the Hayfield Manor, Perrott Avenue, College Road, Cork on Friday, 24th March from 1.00 - 5.00 pm

For further information please contact Karen Doyle on 01-661 6677 or karendoyle@rcpi.ie

The Annual meeting of the College will take place in the Radisson SAS Hotel, Sligo from Wednesday, 17th until Friday, 19th May.

Deadline for receipt of abstracts is Friday, 31st March. Further information may be obtained by calling the College at 01 - 402 2777 or by e-mailing Siobhan at ico@rcsi.ie

Orycle
The Forth Ophthalmic Registrars and Young Consultants Learning the Essentials Meeting

Orycle 2006 will be held from March 30 to April 1 in the De Vere Houlton, Oulton Hall outside of Leeds. Prices are £210 for the whole weekend or £75 per day, (this does not include accommodation). Further information can be found on the Royal College of Ophthalmologists website www.rcophth.ac.uk or by e-mailing Raquel Surally at otg@rcophth.ac.uk

The Course is open to SHOs who have performed between 50 and 100 phaco operations. The course will take place on Tuesday, 7th March, 2006. Further information may be obtained from Miss Kate Ricketts, Skills Centre Co-ordinator, The Royal College of Ophthalmologists

The Spring Meeting of the RAMI Ophthalmic Section will take place in the Hayfield Manor in Cork on Friday, March 24th 1.00pm - 5.00pm. The deadline for receipt of Abstracts is Monday, 20th February. Papers should be e-mailed to karendoyle@rcpi.ie Tel: 01 - 661 6677

International Federation of Ophthalmological Societies
World Ophthalmology Congress

The Congress will take place in Sao Paolo, Brazil from February 19 - 24, 2006. Further information can be found at the events website. www.ophthalmology2006.com

17-January-2006

The Annual Meeting will take place in the Cleveland Renaissance Hotel, Cleveland, Ohio from July 27-30, 2006. Further information can be obtained by contacting Dr Wynne Morley: Tel 001-440-323-5431., e-mail wmorley@earthlink.net. The societies website is www.cosw.org

17-January-2006

Professor Michael O'Keefe at the National Children's Eye Centre at Temple Street Hospital will be holding his Optics Course towards the end of July. Dates will be posted as soon as they are confirmed. The topics that will be covered include ocular motility, optics, visual fields and electrophysiology.

Neuro Ophthalmology Clinical Course

12-January-2006

This course covers clinical neuro-ophthalmology with emphasis on clinical demonstrations and teaching sessions. Relevant basic sciences will also be covered during the course.

Monday, 24th April - Friday, 28th April 2006 at the Institute of Neurosciences, Beaumont Hospital, Dublin 9. Course fee E800.

Further information available from Ms. Emma Flynn c/o Eye Dept., Beaumont Hospital, Dublin 9 phone +353 (0)1 809 2609.

Irish College of Ophthalmologists Annual Meeting 2006

9-August-2005

The Irish College of Ophthalmologists Annual Meeting 2006 will take place in the Radisson SAS Sligo from Wednesday, 17th until Friday, 19th May 2006. Further details on the meeting will be posted on the Conferences section of the website after Christmas.

Royal Victoria Eye & Ear Hospital,
Postgraduate Teaching Programme Autumn/Winter 2005

9-August-2005

The Postgraduate Teaching Programme will recommence following the summer break on Thursday, 8th September 2005. Should you require any additional information on the Programme please contact Ms. Marie Doherty on + 353 (0)1 634 3688

Preliminary Teaching Programme Click Here

College Administrator

19-July-2005

The Irish College of Ophthalmologists are currently looking to recruit a College Administrator. The ideal candidate should be organised, efficient, with excellent pc skills and have a demonstrated ability to work on his/her own initiative. This is a varied role with room for flexibility.

Applications including cover letter should be addressed to Miss Maire Hickey-Dwyer, Honorary Treasurer ICO C/o Eye Department, Midwestern Regional Hospital, Dooradoyle, Limerick.

AGM 2005

8-April-2005

The Annual General Meeting of the Irish College of Ophthalmologists will take place in the Great Southern Hotel, Killarney, Co. Kerry at 1pm on Friday, 29th April. A copy of the Agenda, Minutes from the 2004 AGM and the income and expenditure for the College will be circulated to all members early next week.

VAT on spectacles

2-March-2005

The Association of Optomertists Ireland wish to announce that the Revenue Commissioners found in their favour that a dispensing fee should be categorised as a fee for professional services of an optical nature and is now exempt from VAT with only the costs of materials and some additional amounts subject to VAT. If you are in a position to benefit from this please contact the Association of Optomerists Ireland ph: + 353 1 453 8850 or 453 8873.

Annual Meeting 2005

18-February-2005

The Irish College of Ophthalmologists Annual Meeting will take place in the Great Southern Hotel, Killarney, Co. Kerry from Wednesday, 27th until Friday, 29th April. On Tuesday, 26th April Fighting Blindness will host their All Ireland Retinal Researchers Network Meeting from 2pm until 6pm also in the Great Southern Hotel and you are invited to attend.

Further details on both meetings are available in the Conferences section.

Council Elections 2005

15-December-2004

All members of the College will receive an election form in the post over the coming days. Nominations are being sought for President Elect, and five Council members of whom two will take the role of chair of Manpower, Education and Research Committee and the Scientific and Yearbook Committee. Please ensure that the nomination forms are returned to the College before Friday, 21st January so as they can be brought to the Council meeting on Saturday, 29th January.

Orbis coming to Dublin; Dublin going to New Deli?

3-December-2004

The Orbis plane will be coming to Dublin on a promotion and recruitment trip after its journey to New Deli in March (12th - 25th). It is hoped that there would be some Irish ophthalmologists disembarking when the plane touches down in Dublin having volunteered a week of their time to teach in on the Flying Hospital and in local hospitals.

It is a unique experience and is universally enjoyed and valued by all who take part and no long term commitment is expected. Its aim is to teach local ophthalmologists so that they can teach others and to gain self-sufficiency, thus it is not merely a specialising in cataracts.

For further details see www.ukorbis.org and the documents below:

New Deli 1

New Deli 2

Data Registration Fine

1-December-2004

Doctors who use computers to store patient information may face fines of up to E300 if they do not register with the States information watchdog.

Under the Data Protection Act 1988 every doctor or practice holding personal health information on computers must register or face a fine.

For further information please contact Data Protection Office on 01 874 8544 or visit their website www.dataprotection.ie

Ophthalmological Society of South Africa Congress 2005

28-October-2004

There has been considerable interest amongst member in travelling to South Africa for the Ophthalmological Society of South Africa Congress 2005. Members will travel from Dublin on the 3rd March 2005 and after following the Congress Members have the opportunity to go on safari or to remain in Cape Town before flying back to Dublin on the 12th March.

Members interested in travelling who have not been in contact with the College already please contact the College administrator or Mr. John May, RCSI Travel on + 353 1 402 2391

Inland Revenue Income Tax Relief

Members of the Irish College of Ophthalmologists from Northern Ireland and the UK can now apply to the Inland Revenue for income tax relief in respect of membership subscriptions with effect from 6th April 2003. Should you wish to apply before the end of the year please contact Margaret Fanagan, Administrator for further details.

Glaucoma Dr Aoife Doyle Consultant Ophthalmic Surgeon Royal Victoria Eye & Ear Hospital, Dublin