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World Glaucoma Congress 2015
PGS @ WGC
By Dr. Grace Dizon-Grozman
The 6th World Glaucoma Congress (WGC) was successfully held at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Center from June 6-‐9, 2015. WGC is one of the premier glaucoma meetings and is organized by the World Glaucoma Association (WGA). It is held every 2 years and the venue rotates throughout the different continents. The Philippine Glaucoma Society (PGS) actively participated in this year’s WGC with 31 PGS members attending, exchanging ideas with glaucoma colleagues, contributing to the scientific program and supporting the initiatives of the WGA. There were also other delegates from the Philippines who attended, which highlighted the strong Filipino presence in this meeting.
The PGS held a symposium on June 6, 2015, which was organized by the PGS continuing medical education committee headed by Dr. John Mark De Leon. The symposium was chaired by Dr. Norman Aquino, and the faculty were Drs. Ranier Covar, John Mark de Leon, Nilo Vincent Florcruz and Joseph Anthony Tumbocon. The topics lectured in this symposium included: prevalence and the burden of glaucoma, diagnostic modalities, techniques for monitoring of progression and surgical videos of difficult glaucoma cases. Dr. Norman Aquino delivered 2 more lectures during the course of the meeting, namely “Medical and Surgical Treatment of Angle Closure Glaucoma” and “IOP Lowering and Disc Hemorrhage”.
(Left to right: Drs. Rainier Covar, Nilo Florcruz, John Mark de Leon and Joseph Anthony Tumbocon)
Drs. Joseph Anthony Tumbocon and Hannah Pia De Guzman represented the PGS in the global assembly of glaucoma societies and general assembly of the World Glaucoma Association (WGA). There was a move to increase the participation of the national glaucoma societies in WGA activities, identify areas in the world where there is lack of glaucoma specialists and to continue with worldwide awareness campaigns in glaucoma. The assembly approved the increase in the number of board of governors to involve more countries in the WGA governing body. Dr. Mario V. Aquino, the founding president of the PGS, remains as part of WGA advisory board.
(standing left to right: Joseph Anthony Tumbocon – President of the PGS; Norman Aquino – Head of external affairs and past president of the PGS, and board member of the Asia-‐Pacific Glaucoma Society; Sitting: Hannah Pia De Guzman – Secretary of the PGS)
In addition, the Philippines was acknowledged by the WGA board of governors to have one of the most number of World Glaucoma Week activities in 2015 during the WGA general assembly and during the WGC opening ceremonies.
