SEE YOU IN BARCELONA!

The ESASO Retina Academy is a premier CME-accredited, educational meeting that addresses current challenges and the latest innovations in the management of retinal disorders. This year the congress is being held in Barcelona, the beautiful Catalan capital in Spain.

The compelling scientific programme includes an examination of whether the results obtained in clinical trials are reproducible in everyday clinical practice, particular challenges when performing cataract surgery in patients with macular diseases, in addition to novel imaging techniques and the application of gene and stem cell therapies in ocular conditions.

An expert faculty comprised of internationally renowned retinal specialists from across the globe will present a series of plenary lectures and challenging clinical cases from their own clinical practice, to inform best practice in maximising outcomes for patients; while the optional Master Class programme provides the opportunity for delegates to have a more detailed discussion with the expert panel in a more informal environment, on a topic of particular personal interest. Highlights of this year’s meeting include the opportunity to observe live surgeries, streamed in real-time, with commentary from the surgeons and an expert panel, as well as a chance to influence the agenda by voting on a number of controversial topics to be debated during one of two ESASO-Style Roundtable discussions.

For next year, the Scientific Committee has decided to switch the date of the congress to spring. For the first time, the 16th ESASO Retina Academy will be held from 23-25 June 2016. The venue, the Estoril Congress Centre, is conveniently located and easily accessible from Lisbon, Portugal.

The scientific programme will be built on the most current evidence from global experts, focussing on topics from all areas of retina. Leaders will present diseases with existing therapies such as wet AMD, PM, DME, RVO, as well as diseases with ongoing extensive research such as GA, dry AMD.

Prof Francesco Bandello, President of the ESASO Retina Academy and Chair of the Department of Ophthalmology, University Vita-Salute, San Raffaele Scientific Institute in Milan, Italy, summarises: “There will be a variety of programme styles based on critical evidence interpretation and debates, with the intention to apply directly into clinical practice."

As in previous years, ESASO invites young colleagues to challenge each other and submit their abstracts. The best-in-class will be invited by the Scientific Committee to participate in the upcoming congress in 2017. Abstract submission opens by 23 November 2015 and closes by 29 February 2016.

ESASO Case Studies are another interactive style format where all delegates can present and share their experience. “These interactive sessions challenge us to present and discuss broad topics in the plenum and share our knowledge. Overall, the conference is an excellent refresher in the areas of diagnosis, clinical management and clinical research,” Prof Bandello points out.

ESASO hopes you are able to join in for what promise to be highly stimulating and educational conferences, and looks forward to welcoming you as part of the ever-growing ESASO family: eager to improve through OUR VISION OF COLLABORATION.