Germany Hosts International Ophthalmology

This upcoming SOE/DOG joint meeting will be one of the ophthalmological highlights of this decade in Germany. It started out with the 100^th Jubilee Meeting of the German Ophthalmological Society in 2002 in Berlin, will continue with the celebration of the 150^th inauguration of the German Ophthalmological Society in 2007 and end in 2010 with the 32nd International Congress (World Ophthalmology Congress) in Berlin.

The Klinische Monatsblätter für Augenheilkunde, the oldest continuously published ophthalmological journal in the world, and the first journal of the German Society of Ophthalmology with the founding members Albrecht von Graefe, Frans Cornelius Donders and Hermann von Helmholtz, has always been internationally oriented and thus provides a forum for the protagonists of international ophthalmology.

President Foerster looks forward to welcoming the 5000th member of the DOG during the meeting and to discuss the necessity for scientific variety and political unity.

President Gregor will introduce the Societas Ophthalmologica Europea (SOE) which was founded in 1956, outlining the priorities (SOE Congress, The Association of the European University Professors of Ophthalmology - EUPO, Educational Grants and European Leadership Development Programme) and the collaborating Pan-European partners (sub-speciality societies, European Association for Vision and Eye Research - EVER, European Board of Ophthalmology - EBO, and European Union of Medical Specialists - UEMS).

In the context of international ophthalmology, Prof. Dr. Dr. h. c. mult. G. O. H. Naumann, the acting Chairman of the International Council of Ophthalmology (ICO), will give an overview of the milestones of international ophthalmology as well as the current programmes, initiatives and services of the ICO and the currently active officers.

In addition, the statues of the International Federation of Ophthalmological Societies (IFOS), the regulations of the International Council of Ophthalmology and the regulations of the World Ophthalmology Congress will be published. The World Ophthalmology Congress will take place in Germany for the third time in 2010 in Berlin, after being held in Heidelberg in 1888 and in Munich in 1966.

Finally the regulations of the Awards of the International Council of Ophthalmology (ICO) will be outlined. Among them are some of the most prestigious awards that international ophthalmology can offer (Gonin Medal, Jule Francois Golden Medal, ICO Ophthalmic Pathology Award, Bietti Medal, Tadeusz Krwawicz Gold Medal).

The Chief Editors of the Klinische Monatsblätter für Augenheilkunde convey their best wishes for luck and success to all upcoming national and international meetings of ophthalmologists in Germany.

Prof. Dr. Gerhard Lang
Prof. Dr. Gabriele Lang
Chief Editors - Klinische Monatsblätter für Augenheilkunde
Augenklinik, Universitätsklinikum89075 Ulm