"EURETINA-2013" XIII Congress of the European society of vitreoretinal specialists
26 - 29 September 2013 in Hamburg (Germany) hosted the XIII Congress of the European society of vitreoretinal specialists ("EURETINA – 2013"). The venue was chosen the Congress Center Hamburg is the largest exhibition center in Germany. This year the Congress is recognized as the largest in the history of Society. This is due to the large number of participants, an extensive exhibition, multidisciplinary meetings. Traditionally, the Congress was conducted in English.
The Congress was attended by more than 4,5 thousand experts and researchers in the field of pathology of retina and vitreous from 98 countries. The scientific program of the Congress included 10 main sessions, 30 courses, 20 sessions of oral presentations and 16 satellite symposia. Meetings were held simultaneously in 9 halls. The main directions of the Congress: age-related macular degeneration, surgery of anterior and posterior segments, intraocular tumors, new technologies of treatment of diseases of the retina, uveitis, diabetic affections of the eye vitreoretinal surgery.
At the opening ceremony, Professor Gisbert Richard, President of EURETINA, noted that the annual meeting of vitreoretinal specialists provides the main impetus for research and development of vitreoretinal surgery: "Our task is to preserve what we have achieved to promote and develop innovations without losing the individuality of ophthalmology".
In the framework of the opening ceremony of the Congress, the President EURETINA, prof G. Richard awarded Honorary diplomas of the European society of vitreoretinal specialists Professor Mark Blumenkranz (USA), Professor Leonidas Zografos (Greece) and Professor M. M. Bikbov (Russia).
src="/upload/medialibrary/5b3/5b366b853aa06c12da3928c221de28b1.jpg" title="4.jpg" border="0" align="right" alt="4.jpg" width="300" height="221" />Prof. Leonidas Zografos, presented the report on "Radiotherapy on Ocular Oncology," in which he outlined in detail the opportunities and future in the treatment of tumors of the eye. Prof. Mark Blumenkranz was awarded as the best speaker. In his "Evolving concepts in innovation and academic technology transfer in the vitreoretinal world: Lessons learned in Silicon Valley" by Professor M. Blumenkranz presented current trends in the use of nanotechnologies in ophthalmology. The Director of the Ufa research Institute of eye diseases Professor M. M. Bikbov was awarded a diploma for contribution to development of ophthalmology and the implementation of scientific and clinical collaboration between East and West. To the diploma was enclosed a cheque for a round sum from the Vereinigung der Freunde der Universität Tübingen E. V.
In honor of the 60th anniversary since the invention of photocoagulation Gerd Meyer-Schwickerath in eye clinic University Eye Clinic Hamburg-Eppendorf was organized Symposium on "Laser in Ophthalmology".
The main session was devoted to the problems of diagnosis and treatment of various types of ophthalmological diseases: intraocular tumors, neovascularization in age-related macular degeneration, inflammatory eye diseases, wet form of macular degeneration, venous occlusive disease of the retina, proliferative vitreoretinopathy and rhegmatogenous retinal detachment, diabetic retinopathy. We also considered the issues of mapping of pathological changes of the fundus and innovative technologies in vitreoretinal surgery.
At the session on intraocular tumors a large part of reports was devoted to methods of diagnosis and treatment of melanoma. Dr. M. Zeschnigk (Germany) presented the report on the dependence of the pathological process of intraocular tumors from a genetic status that is inherited in an autosomal dominant pattern. Prof. N. Bechrakis (Austria) suggested a newmethods of surgical treatment aimed at reducing the recurrence of the pathological process.
Session on neovascularization in age-related macular degeneration of the retina, included a large number of reports on antimonopolization therapy. Dr. N. Ferrara and R. Spaide(USA) presented an independent work on the differential approach to the use of antimonopolization drugs. The urgency of this problem due to the fact that inhibitors of angiogenesis currently used regardless of the degree of fibrosis foveolar zone, which reduces the effectiveness of the therapy. Similar issues are studied in the framework of international research, in particular, IVAN trial, the results of which are presented by Professor U. Chakravarthy (UK). Given the severity of damage to the Central section of the retina in macular degeneration, many researchers do not stop searches of new technologies. So, Dr. L. Da Cruz (UK) presented their vision of technology use of transplantation in the treatment of pathologies of the Central section of the retina.
To date, the emergence of new diagnostic equipment in ophthalmology enables the mapping of different layers of the retina and the vascular bed. Within the main sessions were organized session on graphical visualization of pathological structures of the fundus, which presented reports on the use of optical coherence tomography (Dr. C. Boon the Netherlands, Dr. S. Schmitz-Valckenberg, Germany) and fluorescent angiography (Dr. S. Wolf, Switzerland, Dr. G. Staurenghi, Italy).
The most prominent was the session on innovation in vitreoretinal surgery. Prof. B. Corcostegui (Italy) raised the question about the methods of treatment of proliferative vitreoretinopathy. The urgency of this problem is due to the development of new pharmacological agents, challenging the use of surgical techniques. A number of reports (Dr Z. Webb, D. G. Steel and McGowan, UK) was devoted to submacular surgery and submacular the hemorrhage. Dr. J. Hillenkamp (Germany) demonstrated the possibility of using blockersangiogenesis in the subretinal hemorrhages. The use antimonopolization the treatment of patients with occlusive pathology remains the main treatment. Dr. F. Bandello (Italy) showed developments in this direction in his report at the session devoted to occlusive disease of the venous channel of the fundus. In turn, Dr. B. Kuppermann (USA) presented a report on the use of steroids in the pathology of the retinal veins. Multidisciplinary treatment of this nosology have emphasized Dr. I. Mc Allister (Australia), showing a prospect of laser technologies.
Only 5 oral reports from Russia were included into the scientific program, and 3 of them were presented to the staff Ufrii GB:
- Boyko E. Removal of foreign bodies from the eye in the era of minimally invasive technologies: New approaches to old problems (Saint-Petersburg).
This year at the Congress there were represented practically all of the ophthalmological societies from all continents – Europe, America, Asia and Africa. Was organized by the World Retina Day, where representatives of each direction could discuss problemsophthalmology, to define ways of their decision on their part.
Great interest among the participants of the Congress called the video session, which presented a new technique of surgical treatment of pathology of the retina and vitreous. Poster session included more than 50 presentations.
In the exhibition participated more than 65 companies presented new developments in the treatment of retinal pathology. Deserve special attention in the field of treatment of pathology of the macular area. Company located in Sylmar (CA), manufactures the device, Second Sight (“Second sight”), which is a prosthetic retina for patients with pathology of the photoreceptor component, for example, during late stages of pigment retinitis, degenerative eye disease that can lead to blindness. This is the first approved prosthesis for the treatment of this disease in the United States. Based on it created intraretinal chip Argus II, which provides the formation of the visual image falling on the retina. Nerve impulses from the photoreceptor layer conducting component is transmitted, and then to the brain, which ensures the formation of the visual image in the Central nervous system. The main function of the implant is to provide blind patients sufficient vision to be able to move. The company continues to work in this direction is developing software that will allow the device to stimulate the retina of patients by transmitting electrical signals of different frequencies and will give the opportunity to distinguish colors.
Company Alcon, Opticon has introduced new equipment for vitreoretinal surgery – vitreoretinal machines, such as Constilation, Revolution, allowing operation with a high frequency of cuts.
At the General Assembly it was announced that the fourth winter session of the EURETINA will take place in Rome January 25, 2014, and the focus of its work will be connected with the aspects of fundamental science.
R. R. Fayzrakhmanov