The 26th Congress of the Asia Pacific Academy of Ophthalmology (APAO) began last night with an evening of fabulous entertainment as well as recognition of the profession’s most exceptional contributors.
The official launch and awards ceremony was held at the Sydney Convention and Exhibition Centre in picturesque Darling Harbour.
Guest of honour, the Emeritus Professor Ron McCallum, AO and Senior Australian of the year in 2011, presented the opening address and Dr. Iain Dunlop, the traditional Welcome to Country speech which recognises the Gadigal people, the original owners of the land which Sydney now occupies.
During the evening, prestigious awards were presented to leaders in the field of ophthalmology, including Australian Professor Frank Martin who received the Jose Rizal Medal and Professor Charles McGhee, from New Zealand, who received the De Ocampo Lecture – the highest award for excellent academic achievements.
…prestigious awards were presented to leaders in the field of ophthalmology, including Australian Professor Frank Martin who received the Jose Rizal Medal and Professor Charles McGhee, from New Zealand, who received the De Ocampo Lecture – the highest award for excellent academic achievements
The Jose Rizal Medal is the Asia Pacific Academy of Ophthalmology’s most prestigious medal, presented to recognise excellence in ophthalmology within the Asia Pacific region.
Guests at the event were treated to an indigenous performance choreographed by Matthew Doyle and music performed by over 40 members of The New South Wales Doctors Orchestra, led by the award winning conductor David Banney. Also known as ‘Musicus Medicus’ the group was founded seven years ago to give members of the medical profession the opportunity to share their passion for music.
A highlight of the night was the haunting and soulful sounds of the harmonica played by the talented Dr. Frank Cheok, an ophthalmologist based at St Vincents Hospital in Sydney. His amazing rendition of Waltzing Matilda was sung by Dr. Annette Gebauer, an ophthalmologist and a mezzo-soprano with the West Australian Opera.
The finale of the night was left in the capable drumming hands of TaikOz, a high octane drumming group, accompanied by Rhythm on Tap, a hard hitting group of dancers with high energy rhythmic routines.
One of Sydney’s Biggest Eye Health Conferences
With 4,000 people from the international eye health and eye care profession attending the APAO 2011, this is one of the biggest eye health conferences ever held in Sydney.
Over the next four days, ophthalmologists, orthoptists, optometrists, ophthalmic nurses, other allied eye-health professionals and ophthalmic industry representatives will benefit from a comprehensive and robust scientific program that includes 235 symposia and courses as well as over 2,500 individual presentations, posters and videos.
Approximately 700 guest speakers including outstanding international names in ophthalmology, optometry, visual sciences, and blindness prevention, willd eliver cutting-edge courses and symposia on diagnosis, treatment and therapeutics. Particular emphasis will be placed on age-related macular degeneration.
“From contact lens and external eye, refractive surgery, to contemporary cataract surgery and the diagnosis and management of glaucoma and retinal diseases, every aspect of eye care will be covered,” said Professor Charles McGhee, Chairman of the Congress Scientific Program Committee.
A large clinical and applied laboratory research section will also run parallel to the clinical sessions for those who wish to see into the future of eye health.
