SUBMIT YOUR ABSTRACT NOW!! for the TFOS Conference in Taormina, Sicily, 2013

Early registration & Hotel Specials have been extended until 28 FEBRUARY!

ABSTRACT SUBMISSION

ABSTRACTS ARE NOW BEING ACCEPTED for the 7th International TFOS Conference in Taormina, Sicily: www.tfos2013.org

The TFOS Governing Board welcomes the submission of abstracts to this International Conference. All abstracts, except those from Travel Award applicants, should be submitted no later than June 21, 2013. Abstracts will be selected for either an oral or poster presentation by the Organization & Program Committee. First authors will be notified of the form of their presentation by August 1, 2013.

Young investigators applying for a Travel Award should submit their Conference abstract no later than April 15, 2013. Individuals may apply for this Award without first registering for the Conference. Winners will be notified by June 1, 2013.

The 7th International TFOS Conference on the Tear Film & Ocular Surface: Basic Science and Clinical Relevance, will occur from September 18-21, 2013, in Taormina, Sicily. Please visit the conference website for more details: www.tfos2013.org

Mission:

• Assess the current knowledge and ‘state of the art’ research on the structure and function of tear film-producing tissues, tears and the ocular surface in both health and disease

• Promote an international exchange of information that will be of value to basic scientists involved in eye research, to clinicians in the ophthalmological community, and to companies with an interest in the diagnosis and treatment of lacrimal gland, tear film or ocular surface disorders

SESSIONS
Translating Tear Film & Ocular Surface Protein Discoveries into Treatments
Cutting-Edge Surgery: Induction and Treatment of Ocular Surface Disease
New & Emerging Clinical Endpoints for Ocular Surface Disease
Macro to Micro: Imaging Approaches for Understanding the Ocular Surface
Meibomian Gland Dysfunction: Update
Ocular Surface Senescence: Programmed or Preventable?
Innate & Adaptive Immunity: For Whom the Bell Tolls
Microbiome: Role in Inflammation & Infectious Disease
New Paradigms in Understanding Corneal Sensation & Pain
Corneal Homestasis, Repair & Regeneration
Prime Time: TFOS Debates
TFOS Workshop on Contact Lens Discomfort: Reports

CONFERENCE KEYNOTE SPEAKERS, MODERATORS & HOSTS
Akpek, Esen K. (USA)
Ames, Bruce (USA)
Aquavella, James V. (USA)
Argueso, Pablo (USA)
Asbell, Penny A. (USA)
Azar, Dimitri T. (USA)
Belmonte, Carlos (Spain)
Benitez del Castillo, Jose (Spain)
Blumberg, Richard S. (USA)
Bonini, Stefano (Italy)
Bright, Frank V. (USA)
Bron, Anthony J. (UK)
Castronovo, Giuseppe (Italy)
Chodosh, James (USA)
Christine Purslow (UK)
Christophe Baudouin (France)
Ciolino, Joseph B. (USA)
Craig, Jennifer P. (New Zealand)
Dana, Reza (USA)
Daniels, Julie T. (UK)
Deng, Sophie X. (USA)
Dogru, Murat (Japan)
Dumbleton, Kathy (USA)
Efron, Nathan (Australia)
Fini, M. Elizabeth (USA)
Fleiszig, Suzanne M. J. (USA)
Fonn, Desmond (Canada)
Foulks, Gary N. (USA)
Gadjeva, Mihaela (USA)
Gallar, Juana (Spain)
Gipson, Ilene K. (USA)
Gomes, Jose A. P. (Brazil)
Griffith, May (Sweden)
Gronert, Karsten (USA)
Hamm-Alvarez, Sarah F. (USA)
Hamrah, Pedram (USA)
Jester, James (USA)
Jones, Lyndon W. (Canada)
Kawashima, Motoko (Japan)
Kinoshita, Shigeru (Japan)
Knop, Erich (Germany)
Korb, Donald R. (USA)
Laurie, Gordon W. (USA)
Lemp, Michael A. (USA)
Lynch, Susan (USA)
MacKay, Andrew (USA)
Margolis, Todd P. (USA)
Markoulli, Maria (Australia)
McDermott, Alison M. (USA)
Mehta, Jodhbir S. (Singapore)
Millar, Thomas J. (Australia)
Nichols, Jason J. (USA)
Nichols, Kelly K. (USA)
Papas, Eric B. (Australia)
Paulsen, Friedrich (Germany)
Pellegrini, Graziella (Italy)
Rama, Paolo (Italy)
Rocha, Eduardo (Brazil)
Rolland, Jannick (USA)
Rosenblatt, Mark I. (USA)
Rosenthal, Perry (USA)
Schaumberg, Debra A. (USA)
Schmidt, Tannin A. (Canada)
Shimazaki, Jun (Japan)
Shimmura, Shigeto (Japan)
Stapleton, Fiona J. (Australia)
Stepp, Mary Ann (USA)
Sullivan, Benjamin D. (USA)
Sullivan, David A. (USA)
Tomlinson, Alan (Scotland)
Tsubota, Kazuo (Japan)
Weisbarth, Richard E. (USA)
Willcox, Mark D. P. (Australia)
Wong, David (USA)
Xu, Jianjiang (China)
Yokoi, Norihiko (Japan)

CONFERENCE SPONSORS
Title Sponsor: Alcon Laboratories (USA)
Silver Sponsor: Allergan (USA), Santen (Japan)
Bronze Sponsor: SIFI (Italy), TearLab (USA), Vistakon (USA)
Sponsors: Advanced Vision Research (USA), SOOFT (Italy), Senju (Japan), Menicon (Japan)
(others to be announced)

For Sponsor and Exhibit opportunities, please contact Amy Gallant Sullivan.

ENDORSEMENTS
International Association for the Prevention of Blindness (IAPB), Italy
Italian Society of Corneal Transplants (S.I.TRA.C.)
European Society of Cornea and Ocular Surface Disease Specialists (EUCORNEA)
Italian Society of Glaucoma (S.I.GLA.)
Italian Association of Ophthalmologists (A.I.M.O.)
Società Italiana Dacriologia e Superficie Oculare (S.I.D.S.O.)
(others to be announced)

NOTE: Special hotel rates will only be available until the end of February! Book your hotel as soon as possible! Link here to the conference hotel booking page: BOOK NOW!

Early Registration Ends 28 February: TFOS Members receive a discount for conference registration! REGISTER NOW!

For more information, please visit the conference website: www.tfos2013.org

“One cannot think of Italy without having a picture of Sicily in your heart: this is the key to everything. . .” Goethe

IN ADDITION

While we are honored that Members, organizations and institutions want to promote TFOS, in order to maintain brand consistency and content accuracy, please contact us for permission before using/distributing/referencing our logo and materials. The only ‘official’ TFOS activities, events or literature are those which we authorize and promote. Thanks.

TFOS APPS

Don’t forget to download the TFOS App!

iPhone/iPad App:
TFOS APP – http://itunes.apple.com/tw/app/tfos/id485364890?mt=8
MGD APP – http://itunes.apple.com/tw/app/tfos-mgd-report/id484975330?mt=8

Android App:
http://www.tearfilm.org/MGDReport.apk

Follow TFOS on Twitter: @Eyeppl

Get the news as it happens! Tweet us your updates!

The 7th International TFOS Conference on the Tear Film & Ocular Surface: Basic Science and Clinical Relevance, will occur from 18-21 September 2013, in Taormina, Sicily. Please visit the conference website: www.tfos2013.org

Mission:

• Assess the current knowledge and ‘state of the art’ research on the structure and function of tear film-producing tissues, tears and the ocular surface in both health and disease

• Promote an international exchange of information that will be of value to basic scientists involved in eye research, to clinicians in the ophthalmological community, and to companies with an interest in the diagnosis and treatment of lacrimal gland, tear film or ocular surface disorders

SESSIONS
Translating Tear Film & Ocular Surface Protein Discoveries into Treatments
Cutting-Edge Surgery: Induction and Treatment of Ocular Surface Disease
New & Emerging Clinical Endpoints for Ocular Surface Disease
Macro to Micro: Imaging Approaches for Understanding the Ocular Surface
Meibomian Gland Dysfunction: Update
Ocular Surface Senescence: Programmed or Preventable?
Innate & Adaptive Immunity: For Whom the Bell Tolls
Microbiome: Role in Inflammation & Infectious Disease
New Paradigms in Understanding Corneal Sensation & Pain
Corneal Homestasis, Repair & Regeneration
Prime Time: TFOS Debates
TFOS Workshop on Contact Lens Discomfort: Reports

CONFERENCE KEYNOTE SPEAKERS, MODERATORS & HOSTS

CONFERENCE SPONSORS
Title Sponsor: Alcon Laboratories (USA)
Silver Sponsor: Santen (Japan)
Bronze Sponsor: SIFI (Italy), Vistakon (USA)
Sponsors: Advanced Vision Research (USA), SOOFT (Italy), Senju (Japan), Menicon (Japan)
(others to be announced)

For Sponsor and Exhibit opportunities, please contact Amy Gallant Sullivan .

ENDORSEMENTS
International Association for the Prevention of Blindness (IAPB), Italy
Italian Society of Corneal Transplants (S.I.TRA.C.)
European Society of Cornea and Ocular Surface Disease Specialists (EUCORNEA)
Italian Society of Glaucoma (S.I.GLA.)
Italian Association of Ophthalmologists (A.I.M.O.)
(others to be announced)

NOTE: Special hotel rates will only be available until the end of January! Book your hotel as soon as possible! Link here to the conference hotel booking page: BOOK NOW!

Early Registration Ends 31 January: TFOS Members receive a discount for conference registration! REGISTER NOW!

For more information, please visit the conference website: www.tfos2013.org

See some images from the 2010 Conference in Florence: Florence Pictures

See some images from 2007 Conference in Taormina: Sicily Pictures

“One cannot think of Italy without having a picture of Sicily in your heart: this is the key to everything. . .” Goethe

MISCELLANEOUS

Thank You
On Thursday November 29, 2013, a Gala Dinner & Charity Auction took place at the Hotel Hassler in Rome. This event, aided by TFOS, was a fundraiser to support the Italian Blind and Visually Impaired People Association. This organization, founded by Roberto Wirth, is dedicated to helping deaf and blind children from birth to 6 years of age, as well as their families. The Association provides services, programs and professionals to address the childrens’ needs until they attend school (http://www.cabss.it/). Thank you to all the TFOS guests who were able to attend, despite the torrents of rain & flooded roads of Rome!

Giuseppe Castronovo, President, International Association for the Prevention of Blindness, Italy
Fabrizio Chines, Chairman, SIFI
Giorgio Silvestri, Secretary, Unione Italiana dei Ciechi e degli Ipovedenti ONLUS

Scientific World Journal
There is an upcoming issue of the Scientific World Journal with a special issue on dry eye syndrome, entitled. “Dry Eye Syndrome: Diagnosis, Mechanisms, and Therapies.” Drs. Anat Galor, Bennie Jeng, Stephen Pflugfelder and Remigio Lopez Solis are guest editors for this issue and request that TFOS Members submit papers for possible inclusion. The link to submit a paper is: http://www.hindawi.com/journals/tswj/si/192356/cfp/

IN ADDITION

While we are honored that Members, organizations and institutions want to promote TFOS, in order to maintain brand consistency and content accuracy, please contact us for permission before using/distributing/referencing our logo and materials. The only ‘official’ TFOS activities, events or literature are those which we authorize and promote. Thanks.

TFOS APPS

Don’t forget to download the TFOS App! We shall also have a conference App available soon!

iPhone/iPad App:
TFOS APP – http://itunes.apple.com/tw/app/tfos/id485364890?mt=8
MGD APP – http://itunes.apple.com/tw/app/tfos-mgd-report/id484975330?mt=8

Android App:
http://www.tearfilm.org/MGDReport.apk

Follow TFOS on Twitter: @Eyeppl

“Neurobiology of discomfort and pain” at the InterContinental New York Barclay Hotel from September 14-16

“Trial design and outcomes” at the InterContinental Boston from September 16-17

“Contact lens materials, design & care” at the InterContinental Boston from September 21-23

“Management & therapy” at the InterContinental Boston from September 21-23

“Contact lens interactions with the ocular surface & adnexa” at the InterContinental Park Lane from September 27-29

“Contact lens interactions with the tear film” at the InterContinental Park Lane from September 29 to October 1

“Epidemiology” at the InterContinental New York Barclay from October 3-4

“Definition & Classification” at Houston’s Hotel Icon from October 4-5

“Industry Liaison” in November or December at a site to be determined

Initial outlines are due from Subcommittees on October 15, at which time the review and comment period will begin.

TFOS welcomes Bausch+Lomb, which has joined Alcon, Santen, Laboratoires Théa, Vistakon, Menicon and Allergan as sponsors of this Workshop. If additional companies would like to be sponsors, please contact Amy: amy@tearfilm.org

The Workshop Steering Committee, Subcommittees, participants, mission and timeline are shown in the Workshop website (http://www.tearfilm.org/tfoscldreport/index.htm). TFOS again thanks all Workshop members for their willingness to participate, as well as numerous other scientists and clinicians who volunteered to serve.

The Tear Film & Ocular Surface Society (TFOS) congratulates the following individuals for winning the TFOS Travel Awards for ARVO 2012:

The TFOS MGD Workshop was over a 2-year effort involving 50 of the world’s MGD experts. Overviews of this TFOS Report have been distributed in many languages to over 400,000 eye care practitioners throughout the world.

The 16 Most-Frequently Read Articles in IOVS during April 2011 through March 2012

1. Kelly K. Nichols, Gary N. Foulks, Anthony J. Bron, Ben J. Glasgow, Murat Dogru, Kazuo Tsubota, Michael A. Lemp, David A. Sullivan
The International Workshop on Meibomian Gland Dysfunction: Executive Summary
Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci Mar 30, 2011; 52: 1922-1929.
(Read 9941 times)

2. SS Hayreh, JB Jonas, MB Zimmerman
Parapapillary chorioretinal atrophy in chronic high-pressure experimental glaucoma in rhesus monkeys
Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci Nov 01, 1998; 39: 2296-2303.
(Read 8842 times)

3. Erich Knop, Nadja Knop, Thomas Millar, Hiroto Obata, David A. Sullivan
The International Workshop on Meibomian Gland Dysfunction: Report of the Subcommittee on Anatomy, Physiology, and Pathophysiology of the Meibomian Gland
Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci Mar 30, 2011; 52: 1938-1978.
(Read 7703 times)

4. Kelly K. Nichols
The International Workshop on Meibomian Gland Dysfunction: Introduction
Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci Mar 30, 2011; 52: 1917-1921.
(Read 7403 times)

5. Alan Tomlinson, Anthony J. Bron, Donald R. Korb, Shiro Amano, Jerry R. Paugh, E. Ian Pearce, Richard Yee, Norihiko Yokoi, Reiko Arita, Murat Dogru
The International Workshop on Meibomian Gland Dysfunction: Report of the Diagnosis Subcommittee
Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci Mar 30, 2011; 52: 2006-2049.
(Read 7122 times)

6. Gerd Geerling, Joseph Tauber, Christophe Baudouin, Eiki Goto, Yukihiro Matsumoto, Terrence O”Brien, Maurizio Rolando, Kazuo Tsubota, Kelly K. Nichols
The International Workshop on Meibomian Gland Dysfunction: Report of the Subcommittee on Management and Treatment of Meibomian Gland Dysfunction
Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci Mar 30, 2011; 52: 2050-2064.
(Read 7076 times)

7. Justyn W. Regini, J. Günter Grossmann, Peter Timmins, John J. Harding, Andrew J. Quantock, Stuart A. Hodson, Gerald F. Elliott
X-Ray- and Neutron-Scattering Studies of -Crystallin and Evidence That the Target Protein Sits in the Fenestrations of the -Crystallin Shell
Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci Jun 01, 2007; 48: 2695-2700.
(Read 6105 times)

8. J. Daniel Nelson, Jun Shimazaki, Jose M. Benitez-del-Castillo, Jennifer P. Craig, James P. McCulley, Seika Den, Gary N. Foulks
The International Workshop on Meibomian Gland Dysfunction: Report of the Definition and Classification Subcommittee
Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci Mar 30, 2011; 52: 1930-1937.
(Read 5468 times)

9. Kazuo Tsubota, Hiromi Fujita, Kensei Tsuzaka, Tsutomu Takeuchi
Mikulicz’s Disease and Sjögren’s Syndrome
Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci Jun 01, 2000; 41: 1666-1673.
(Read 4970 times)

10. Minna Vesaluoma, Linda Müller, Juana Gallar, Alessandro Lambiase, Jukka Moilanen, Tapani Hack, Carlos Belmonte, Timo Tervo
Effects of Oleoresin Capsicum Pepper Spray on Human Corneal Morphology and Sensitivity
Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci Jul 01, 2000; 41: 2138-2147.
(Read 4917 times)

11. Henry F. Edelhauser, Cheryl L. Rowe-Rendleman, Michael R. Robinson, Daniel G. Dawson, Gerald J. Chader, Hans E. Grossniklaus, Kay D. Rittenhouse, Clive G. Wilson, David A. Weber, Baruch D. Kuppermann, Karl G. Csaky, Timothy W. Olsen, Uday B. Kompella, V. Michael Holers, Gregory S. Hageman, Brian C. Gilger, Peter A. Campochiaro, Scott M. Whitcup, Wai T. Wong
Ophthalmic Drug Delivery Systems for the Treatment of Retinal Diseases: Basic Research to Clinical Applications
Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci Nov 01, 2010; 51: 5403-5420.
(Read 4084 times)

12. Amalia Enríquez de Salamanca, Yolanda Diebold, Margarita Calonge, Carmen García-Vazquez, Sagrario Callejo, Ana Vila, Maria José Alonso
Chitosan Nanoparticles as a Potential Drug Delivery System for the Ocular Surface: Toxicity, Uptake Mechanism and In Vivo Tolerance
Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci Apr 01, 2006; 47: 1416-1425.
(Read 4075 times)

13. Kari B. Green-Church, Igor Butovich, Mark Willcox, Douglas Borchman, Friedrich Paulsen, Stefano Barabino, Ben J. Glasgow
The International Workshop on Meibomian Gland Dysfunction: Report of the Subcommittee on Tear Film Lipids and Lipid–Protein Interactions in Health and Disease
Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci Mar 30, 2011; 52: 1979-1993.
(Read 4017 times)

14. Debra A. Schaumberg, Jason J. Nichols, Eric B. Papas, Louis Tong, Miki Uchino, Kelly K. Nichols
The International Workshop on Meibomian Gland Dysfunction: Report of the Subcommittee on the Epidemiology of, and Associated Risk Factors for, MGD
Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci Mar 30, 2011; 52: 1994-2005.
(Read 3975 times)

15. ALBERT M. POTTS
Methods for Separation of Proteins
Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci Aug 01, 1965; 4: 531-538.
(Read 3954 times)

16. Penny A. Asbell, Fiona J. Stapleton, Kerstin Wickström, Esen K. Akpek, Pasquale Aragona, Reza Dana, Michael A. Lemp, Kelly K. Nichols
The International Workshop on Meibomian Gland Dysfunction: Report of the Clinical Trials Subcommittee
Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci Mar 30, 2011; 52: 2065-2085.
(Read 3942 times)

Down the street from TFOS headquarters is the MIT Media Labs… the birthplace of EyeNetra, an affordable, mobile diagnostic tool for eyes.  Using a mobile phone, app and eyepiece, EyeNetra has developed an affordable, portable solution to measure refractive errors in the human eye. EyeNetra will be testing their new device in Brazil, India and Mexico.

I had the privilege of speaking with David Schafran, Co-Founder of EyeNetra (www.eyenetra.com).

Amy Gallant Sullivan

According to a recent UN report, India has more mobile phones than toilets.  How could mHealth capitalize on the ubiquity of mobile phones in the developing world and offer health care to millions of ‘forgotten’ patients?

David Schafran

The potential of mHealth will not only make it easier to share knowledge with researchers and health care providers, but it will facilitate prescriptions in the developing world for patients that wouldn’t otherwise have access to diagnostic instruments and hi-tech clinics.

And that’s how we dreamt up EyeNetra!  Our device, NETRA-G, is an eye diagnostic on a mobile phone, consisting of a clip-on attachment and a mobile phone with our software app. NETRA-G allows anyone with minimal training to administer an eye test, receive measurements for glasses, and access care remotely.

EyeNetra will enable the eye care industry to quickly and efficiently build and service demand in a way never possible before, leveraging connected hardware already on the market. Patients will have access to quality testing and options for care, all close to home. Through the cloud, eye care providers and vendors will be able to access patients with actionable data.  We are also looking to build a solution that includes a suite of eye care devices, including other eye diagnostics.

What would you do if you had digital data of millions of patients, with their refractive measurements, their demographics, their locations and more?  The possibilities for building new demand, marketing new products and services and planning for future market efforts using big data analytics are tremendous.

Amy Gallant Sullivan

Innovation is usually correlated with the technology sector… But, why do you think innovation is not only relevant, but also important for biotech & life sciences, or specifically the ophthalmic industry?

David Schafran

Eye health will always be a need, and as the population ages and grows (mostly in emerging markets), there will be more demand than ever for eye care. This is good for the industry, but it will also mean that much more infrastructure will be needed to satisfy the demand.  This will put a lot of pressure on the current system, where costs are already unmanageable and manpower to serve demand is scarce.  So the innovation necessary here is changing the norm so that we can rapidly scale new infrastructure to service this demand.  There is no one way to do this… an industry wide effort to embrace the change that will most certainly happen, benefiting the current industry and millions of people around the world.  And if the current industry players do not, then outsiders most certainly will, like consumer product companies and pharmacy chains.

One thing is for certain — eye care products/services/delivery must and will evolve through innovation.

Amy Gallant Sullivan

How would you define innovation?  Who will be the innovators, and capitalize on the enormous opportunity of the future?  EyeNetra could potentially revolutionize the eye care industry…

David Schafran

Innovation is… changing the norm to make something work better. The better is always relative.

Innovation doesn’t happen in a bubble — its a collaborative effort; millions of collisions and fusions of ideas and iterative design that create something truly innovative.

It’s important to design systems that improve life and collaborate with passionate people on solving big problems.  Our goal is to improve the quality of life of millions of people in a direct, visceral way, drawing from multidisciplinary backgrounds and then leveraging cutting-edge technology, human-centric product and service design, and robust and thoughtful business models to solve those problems.

Amy Gallant Sullivan

How can TFOS help create this ecosystem?

David Schafran

TFOS’ international community and outreach is ideal.  Thanks!  We need help to build this ecosystem. We are looking for partners to help us build this model, and join us as front end distributors and test administrators, or a back end fulfillment partners of products and services.  It’s important to find partners to help with clinical testing.  Please have the TFOS community contact me directly if interested in collaborating: info@eyenetra.com

We want to work with all industry players to create a new ecosystem that empowers patients and opens up the massive untapped market of eye care in emerging markets. This is a win-win for patients and providers and vendors.

Amy Gallant Sullivan

In your opinion, how can TFOS promote innovation within ophthalmology?  Is there an opportunity of collaboration with MIT?

David Schafran

Absolutely.  TFOS should promote innovation events within its community… Like your new i² Program… Take for example the HealthGamesCamp I produced — During the Camp we collaboratively learn how games can be used to drive positive change in health behaviors, bringing together multi-disciplinary teams for collaborative learning and co-creation. Together, we learn, have fun and create practical game solutions for real problems! TFOS could even host events like these at MIT Media Lab.

Awardees will be notified by April 16th and will be announced during the TFOS Dinner. Individuals who are recipients of other ARVO 2012 travel grant awards are not eligible to apply.

Please mark your calendars for the annual TFOS Dinner at ARVO on Monday evening May 7, 2012. More details and ticket information will be available in early March.

TFOS TRAVEL AWARDS @ ARVO 2012

TFOS seeks applicants for the annual TFOS Travel Awards at ARVO. These awards will provide partial travel support for at least four postdoctoral fellows, graduate students, or young investigators (35 years or younger), whose accepted ARVO ’12 abstract, in which they appear as first author, demonstrates significant scientific achievement in the field of tear film or ocular surface research. Each monetary award will be accompanied by a free ticket to the TFOS Dinner* on the evening of Monday, May 7th in Fort Lauderdale, as well as membership in TFOS, that includes a subscription to The Ocular Surface (compliments of Alcon).

Applicants should email their accepted ARVO abstract to rose@tearfilm.org by March 5th in PDF format. Awardees will be notified by April 16th and will be announced during the TFOS Dinner. Individuals who are recipients of other ARVO 2012 travel grant awards are not eligible to apply.

*Details about the TFOS Dinner at ARVO will be announced in early March.

EVENT OF THE YEAR

Thank you to Jason Nichols & Contact Lens Spectrum for considering the TFOS MGD Workshop Report their ‘Event of the Year’ for the contact lens industry. As noted, this event that may not, at first, appear to be directly related to contact lenses, but significant portions of the TFOS MGD report were dedicated to discussion of the potential role of contact lens wear in MGD. The impact of the MGD Workshop Reports will be significant for many years to come. Read the Contact Lens Event of 2011.

MGD REPORT UPDATE

Please note that all 9 papers of the TFOS MGD Workshop Report, which was published in IOVS in late March 2011, are ranked among the top 13 read articles in 2011.

ABU DHABI MEETING

In October 2010, TFOS accepted Peter Wiedemann’s invitation to organize and sponsor a 90 minute session at the upcoming World Ophthalmology Congress in Abu Dhabi, February 2012. The session is entitled Surgery-Induced Dry Eye and involves the following speakers and topics:

José Gomes (Brazil)- Definition, diagnosis and treatment of dry eye disease
Stefano Barabino (Italy)- Refractive surgery-induced dry eye
Elias Jarade (Dubai)- Penetrating keratoplasty-induced dry eye
Gerd Geerling (Germany)- Ocular plastic surgery-induced dry eye
Stefano Barabino (Italy)- Cataract surgery-induced dry eye

IN ADDITION

Congratulations to Juan Ding, PhD, a TFOS Member and postdoctoral fellow in David Sullivan’s laboratory, who was awarded the inaugural 2011 ARVO Foundation for Eye Research/Vistakon Dry Eye Fellowship. An international competition was held to determine this recipient, and only one award (i.e. Juan’s) was given this year for basic science. This AFER/Vistakon Dry Eye Fellowship was made available through the generous support of Vistakon and focused on Meibomian Gland Dysfunction (MGD). The ARVO Foundation for Eye Research (AFER) provides continuing education and stable support for original and innovative vision research, particularly research with translational impact that fosters collaboration between clinicians and basic scientists. The Foundation also supports training for new vision research scientists around the world.

TFOS APPS

Don’t forget to download the TFOS App! Also note, the MGD Report now has an App available for Android users:

iPhone/iPad App:
TFOS APP – http://itunes.apple.com/tw/app/tfos/id485364890?mt=8
MGD APP – http://itunes.apple.com/tw/app/tfos-mgd-report/id484975330?mt=8

Android App:
http://www.tearfilm.org/MGDReport.apk

Follow TFOS on Twitter: @Eyeppl

Get the news as it happens! Tweet us your updates!

APAO Prof. Yasuo Tano Travel Grant for the 28^th APAO Congress in Hyderabad, India (January 17 – 20, 2013)

The Asia-Pacific Academy of Ophthalmology (APAO) is pleased to offer up to 10 Prof. Yasuo Tano Travel Grants to young ophthalmologists in the Asia-Pacific region to attend the 28^thAPAO Congress, which is going be held on January 17 – 20, 2013 in Hyderabad, India. Priority will be given to ophthalmologists who are aged 40 or below, come from a developing country and whose presentations (oral, poster, video and/or instruction course) have been accepted by the scientific program committee of the 28^th APAO Congress. Each successful applicant will receive US$500 if they live outside the host country of the 28^th APAO Congress (i.e. India) whereas those who live in the host country will receive US$250.

Interested young ophthalmologists please complete the application form online at www.apaoindia2013.org/congress/travel_grant_nomination by July 31, 2012. Results will be announced in mid-September 2012.

4th International Congress & II Meeting of Corneal Society of Polish Society of Ophthalmology: Advances in diagnosis and treatment of corneal diseases, March 8-10, 2012, Poland

http://www.cornea2012.pl/?lang=en

Gordon Conference on the Biology and Pathobiology of the Cornea, March 25-30, 2012

http://www.grc.org/programs.aspx?year=2012&program=cornea

Chairs: Suzanne Fleiszig (TFOS Vice-President) & James Jester

The scope of this conference, which will take place in Ventura, CA, USA, from March 25-30, 2012, will include the cornea and supporting tissues. Sessions will cover a wide range of topics, including development, homeostasis, barrier function, secretion, transparency, response to challenges such as infection, inflammation and dry eye, repair, and tissue engineering/regeneration. Emphasis will be on current challenges in cell and molecular biology as they relate to both basic research and translation to the clinic. The Conference will bring together a collection of investigators at the forefront of their field, and will provide opportunities for junior scientists and trainees to present their work in poster format and to exchange ideas with leaders in the field. Following the Gordon Conference philosophy, the conference will emphasize new unpublished research, informal discussions, poster presentations, career networking, and opportunities for involvement of young scientists and students. Late breaking hot topic talks will be selected from submitted abstracts. The collegial atmosphere of this Conference, with programmed discussion time and opportunities for informal gatherings, provides an avenue for scientists from different disciplines to brainstorm and promotes cross-disciplinary collaborations.

* * *

TFOS ASIA, Kenchoji-temple, Kamakura, Japan, April 2-4, 2012

http://www.mediproduce.jp/tfosasia/

Secretariat of 1st TFOS-ASIA
4-1-12-203 Minamiaoyama, Minato-ku, Tokyo 107-0062 Japan
Phone: +81-3-5775-2075 Fax: +81-3-5775-2076
E-mail: tfos-asia@mediproduce.jp

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The 116th Annual Meeting of the Japanese Ophthalmological Society, Tokyo, Japan, April 5-8, 2012

The largest ophthalmological meeting in Japan is for the first time open for
participants from abroad. Travel grants are available for this meeting.

http://www.mediproduce.jp/116jos/eng/index.html

Call for Abstracts and Travel Grant Application, up to 50 Travel Grants (US$1,000) Awarded.

Apply here: http://www.mediproduce.jp/116jos/eng/call.html

Submission Deadline: November 10, 2011, noon (Japan Time).
Please note there are NO extensions available.

Secretariat of 116JOS
4-1-12-203 Minamiaoyama, Minato-ku, Tokyo 107-0062 Japan
Phone: +81-3-5775-2075 Fax: +81-3-5775-2076
E-mail: intl-jos116@mediproduce.jp

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Conference on New Research Challenges in San Quirico d’Orcia, Siena, Italy April 2-5, 2012 at the Neuroscience School of Advanced Studies

The conference purpose is to highlight discoveries, technologies and innovation on mechanisms, novel tools/approaches  that aims  to prevention and  effective therapies for eye diseases:

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27^th APAO Congress in Busan, Korea, April 13 – 16, 2012

The Asia-Pacific Academy of Ophthalmology (APAO) is pleased to offer up to 10 Prof. Yasuo Tano Travel Grants to young ophthalmologists in the Asia-Pacific region to attend the 27^thAPAO Congress, which is going be held on April 13 – 16, 2012 in Busan, South Korea. Priority will be given to ophthalmologists who are aged 40 or below, come from a developing country and whose presentations (oral, poster and/or video) have been accepted by the scientific program committee of the 27^th APAO Congress. Each successful applicant will receive US$500 if they live outside the host country of the 27^th APAO Congress (i.e. South Korea) whereas those who live in the host country will receive US$250.

Interested young ophthalmologists please complete the application form online atwww.apaophth.org/APAO/2012/congress/travel_grant_nomination by November 30, 2011.

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5th Military Vision Symposium on Ocular and Vision Injury, Boston,
September 18-20, 2012

http://www.schepens.harvard.edu/military_conference/military_symposium.html

Topics: Warfighter Vision Readiness; Blast Injury, Blast Eye; Ocular Pain; Inflammation and Infection; Telehealth and Telepresence: Advanced Technologies Informatics; Regenerative Medicine; Modeling and Simulation; Vision Funding Update; Restoring the Functional Eye

Sponsored by: Schepens Eye Research Institute, Mass. Eye and Ear, Harvard Medical School, United States Army Medical Research & Materiel Command (USAMRMC), Telemedicine & Advanced Technology Research Center (TATRC), DOD-VA Vision Center of Excellence (VCE)

• created a video interview with Drs. David A. Sullivan and Kelly K. Nichols: TFOS MGD Report – The Story

• distributed complimentary hard copies of the special IOVS issue containing the Report to all Workshop participants and TFOS members.

• published an overview of the TFOS MGD Report in the Contact Lens Spectrum, Ophthalmology Management and Optometry Management

• emailed (via the Wolters Kluwer Pharma Solutions Vision Care Group) an overview of the Report to 8,800 ophthalmologists and 34,000 optometrists in the USA.

• noted a very nice commentary about Dr. Kelly Nichol’s Chairmanship of the TFOS MGD Workshop http://www.revoptom.com/e-newsletters/opnl/c/27618/

• distributed information about the Report to members of The External Eye Disease Group received details about the Report – Members originate from Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Egypt, Hungary, Israel, Lebanon, Poland, Romania, Russia, Slovak Republic, Slovenia and Turkey. This distribution was made by Dr. Igor Petricek, an ophthalmologist from Zagreb University Hospital in Croatia. He will also post links to the Report on the Croatian Ophthalmology Society webpage.

• received permission to have the overview, and links to the Report, placed on the VISION2020 and The International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness (IAPB) websites (http://www.vision2020.org/main.cfm?Type=NI&objectid=4471). VISION 2020 is the global initiative for the elimination of avoidable blindness, a joint program of the World Health Organization and IAPB. These websites reach people throughout Africa, as well as other regions throughout the world. Ms. Neebha Budhoo, the IAPB Regional Administrator for Africa, gave us this permission. Dr. Kovin Naidoo recommended that we communicate with Neebha. Kovin, in turn, is the Global Director of the International Centre for Eyecare Education Africa, the President-Elect of the African Council of Optometry and an Associate Professor of Optometry at the University of KwaZulu Natal in South Africa.

• received permission to have the overview, and links to the Report, placed on The Middle East Africa Council of Ophthalmology (MEACO) website (http://meaco.org/page.php?mdid=30). MEACO is one of the four supranational organizations recognized by the International Council of Ophthalmology (ICO), representing the national and sub regional ophthalmological societies in Africa and the Middle East including Turkey and Iran. This permission was granted by the MEACO President, Abdulaziz AlRahji, MD (Saudi Arabia), who will also link the overview in their next newsletter.

• licensed various translation rights to Laboratories Thea, which will distribute the overview & Executive Summary in Dutch, French, German, Greek, Italian, Polish, Portuguese, Spanish, Russian and Turkish to hundreds of thousands of eye care practitioners. The translations will also be available on the TFOS website and TFOS App (coming soon).

• licensed the Japanese translation rights to Santen, which will distribute the entire translated Report and overview to thousands of ophthalmologists throughout Japan.

• learned that Dr. Ahmad Salamat Rad, an Iranian ophthalmologist, will translate a concise version of the Report and publish this translation in the Iranian Journal of Cornea and Contact Lens.

• asked Drs. Fiona Stapleton and Eric Papas are distributing the overview and Report link to the Australian professional eyecare associations (i.e. RANZCO, OAA, Australian Cornea and Contact Lens Society). They will or have forward(ed) this information.

• received permission from Dr. Mark Mannis, the Pan-American Association of Ophthalmology (PAAO) President, to publish the overview and Report link in Spanish in Vision Pan-America, the PAAO journal (http://www.paao.org/). This journal reaches over 1,500 eye care practitioners throughout Latin and South America.

• asked Dr. Donald Tan for help in circulating the overview and Report link to all Asia Cornea Society members. Donald agreed, and will also send the information to regional and national cornea societies in Korea, Philippines, Taiwan, Thailand, etc.

• followed Dr. Eduardo Rocha’s advice and received permission from Dr. Wallace Chamon, Editor-in-Chief, to publish the overview and Report link in Portuguese in the September issue of the Arquivos Brasileiros de Oftalmologia. This journal reaches ophthalmologists throughout Brazil. An editorial about the Report will also appear in the journal.

• learned that ASCRS published a special report in June  about the TFOS MGD Workshop and distributed this summary to its members via EyeWorld. This organization has a distribution to over 22,000 ophthalmologists throughout the world.

• commissioned Jing Hua, MD (Boston) to translate the overview into Mandarin and Cantonese. Her translations were proofread by Yan Wang, MD (Eye and ENT Hospital of Fudan University) and will be distributed soon to clinicians in the Chinese Ophthalmological Society by Lixin Xie, MD (Society President and Director of Shandong Eye Institute). Lixin also invited Dr. David A. Sullivan to give an overview of the entire Workshop Report at the 16th Congress of the Chinese Ophthalmological Society (http://www.coschina.org/2011/en/index.asp).

• learned that all 9 chapters of the Report are the most frequently read articles in IOVS between October 2010 through September 2011 – and our Report was only available for 6 of those months.

Overall, our goal was to disseminate the TFOS MGD Workshop information throughout the world. We are well on our way to achieving that goal.