EyeWorld Asia-Pacific March 2013 Issue

March 2013 55 EWAP NEWS & OPINION MEETING REPORTER Live reports from the 28th APAO Congress I n addition to its mind- bogglingly comprehensive scientific program, the 28th Asia-Pacific Academy of Ophthalmology (APAO) Congress held in conjunction with the 71st Annual Conference of the All India Ophthalmological Society (AIOS) featured socially relevant sessions, human interest stories, and an exploration of trends in information technology. India president speaks at Opening Ceremony With India President Pranab Shri Mukherjee and other attendee dignitaries lighting a lamp in an official ceremony to kick off the 28th APAO Congress, the meeting got off to a start with a well-attended Opening Ceremony that showcased the richness of Indian culture and history. “Ophthalmologists have a special and important status in society,” said President Mukherjee. “You are the ones who, by being doctors, are a critical human organ that is necessary for the conduct of human affairs and pursuit of quality of life. According to the ancient Indian scriptures, the eye is the most important of senses in our body.” President Mukherjee was the Chief Guest at the Opening Ceremony, where he listened as ICO, AAO, SAO and other organization officials, including AIOS President Rajvardhan Azad, MD , India, and Frank J. Martin, MD , Australia, discussed the future of ophthalmology and its need to address the rising tide of blindness around the world. President Mukherjee launched the digital inauguration of the meeting, a festival of lights and colorful videos, with traditional Indian music highlighting the meeting location in Hyderabad. Dr. Martin, outgoing president of the APAO, said this year’s Congress should be an excellent place for attendees to learn. “We come together at this Congress from diverse nations with different beliefs. We have one thing in common—the preservation of vision and the prevention of blindness,” said Dr. Martin. The Opening Ceremony saw the awarding of two medals, three lecture prizes, and three awards. Women face challenges in ophthalmology From gender disparities in healthcare delivery to potential obstacles in a career in ophthalmology, women continue to encounter challenges in the medical specialty, four women said at the 28th APAO Congress. “The only way to change this is to work together and to hold each other close, men and women, to make change over the long term,” said Lynn Gordon, MD , Calif., USA, at the “APAO Women in Ophthalmology” symposium. She discussed unconscious bias and schema and how it impacts perceptions, including in the hiring of a man or a woman. Pearl Tamesis-Villalon, MD , Philippines, discussed mentoring; Ava Hossain, MD , Bangladesh, and president of the SAARC Academy of Ophthalmology, discussed gender disparities in ophthalmology healthcare delivery; and Anita Panda, MD , Delhi, India, and incoming president of the AIOS, discussed potential obstacles in a woman’s career. Personal story Dr. Hossain told the story of the beginning of her career in Bangladesh. She said that in 1979, she wanted to enroll in a residency training program in ophthalmology. “I went to my professor’s office and told him what I would like to do,” she said. “He told me, being a women, is it possible to be able to take care of everything [involved in such a program]? So I decided to do a fellowship privately first.” She said that her story is different from a man’s only because of her gender, but the situation in her country is changing—in 1985, there were no women ophthalmologists, and by 2012, there were 100. The country still has a long way to go in gender equality in the medical profession, she said, but times have changed since her professor questioned her abilities in embarking on her chosen medical career path. “Most of all practicing eye surgeons are still male. But this will change, as in every successive year, female ophthalmologists are increasing, especially as the older male surgeons are gradually retiring,” said Dr. Hossain. Advances needed However, women in ophthalmology still have some way to go, she said. She cited a U.S. report that said that white female ophthalmologists’ mean annual income was 20% lower than white males. She sought to explain this disparity in terms of how women’s personal lives can impact their careers. “Women ophthalmologists devote a substantial amount of their career path time to families and parenting. Some also work part time while raising a family. It is about seeking balance between career and family [for women ophthalmologists],” Dr. Hossain said. Prevalence of blindness is also high among women, with women accounting for more than 64.5% of all visually impaired people worldwide—the blind women to men ratio is 1.43:1. “In low- and middle-income countries, men had 1.71 times more cataract surgery than women. [A 2009 study] estimates that severe visual impairment could be reduced by more than 10% if women were to receive surgery at the same rate as men,” according to Dr. Hossain. The women agreed that access to healthcare is limited to women and that sociocultural influences can have a major impact on women both receiving and giving care. More affordable AMD treatment needed With nearly 80% of Indians unable to afford age-related macular degeneration treatment, including those who are health beneficiaries/ government employees, a more affordable approach to care is needed, said AIOS President Rajvardhan Azad, MD , India. “The need of the hour is by EyeWorld Staff continued on page 56