PRESIDENTIAL ADDRESS The Mediterranean Society <strong>of</strong> Ophthalmology has always been a meeting point for eminent ophthalmologists with different backgrounds and diverse historical and cultural roots. In <strong>the</strong> spirit <strong>of</strong> friendship and collaboration that is traditional in this Society, I am pleased and honored to welcome all <strong>of</strong> you – speakers and participants alike – to <strong>the</strong> historical city <strong>of</strong> Rome, which has been famed for centuries as a cross-roads for different civilizations and cultures. The topics we will be analyzing during this meeting are related to <strong>the</strong> principal causes <strong>of</strong> blindness and low vision in <strong>the</strong> world, and while <strong>the</strong> presentations we will be hearing will undoubtedly increase our knowledge, our hope is that <strong>the</strong>y will also allow us to provide our patients with better, more effective healthcare, including <strong>the</strong> human support that is such an integral part <strong>of</strong> healing. My special thanks to <strong>the</strong> speakers who have so generously agreed to share <strong>the</strong>ir experiences with us. Some have travelled long distances to be with us today. We are also grateful for <strong>the</strong> generosity <strong>of</strong> our sponsors, who – in spite <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> difficult times – have contributed so generously toward <strong>the</strong> realization <strong>of</strong> this Congress. With spring in <strong>the</strong> air, Rome is at its loveliest, and I hope all <strong>of</strong> you will enjoy your stays here in <strong>the</strong> heart <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Eternal City. With best wishes, Pr<strong>of</strong>. Luciano Cerulli 1
MEDITERRANEAN SOCIETY OF OPHTHALMOLOGY PROGRAM THURSDAY 12 TH APRIL 2007 Main Room 15,00 – 17,00 Meeting <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Board - Mediterranean Society <strong>of</strong> Ophthalmology 17,00 – 18,00 Opening ceremony 18,00 – 18,30 AWARD LECTURE – Uveitis in <strong>the</strong> Mediterranean area: Behçet’s Disease L. Atmaca (Turkey) 18,30 – 19,00 AWARD LECTURE – Recent <strong>the</strong>rapeutic strategies and follow up for exudative acquired macular degeneration G. Coscas (France) 19,00 Visit to “Capitolini” Museum 20,00 Welcome cocktail at <strong>the</strong> “Caffarelli” Terrace FRIDAY 13 TH APRIL 2007 Main Room 08,30 – 09,30 GLAUCOMA: UPDATE ON THERAPY Moderators: M.G. Bucci, D. Ben Ezra 08,30 – 08,45 Medical Treatment: <strong>the</strong> issues from <strong>the</strong> European Glaucoma Society C. Sborgia (Italy) 08,45 – 09,00 Modern Aqueous Shunt Implantation – Future Challenges K. Barton (U.K.) 09,00 – 09,10 Selective laser trabeculoplasty G.L. Scuderi (Italy) 09,10 – 09,20 Improving results <strong>of</strong> glaucoma surgery R. Carassa (Italy) 09,20 – 09,30 Management <strong>of</strong> failing blebs after filtering surgery A. Ouertani (Tunisia) 09,30 – 10,30 GLAUCOMA: UPDATE ON DIAGNOSIS Moderators: A. Ouertani, C. Sborgia 09,30 – 09,45 Glaucoma risk factors documented in clinical trials G. Manni (Italy) 09,45 – 10,00 Early diagnosis in glaucoma K. Andac (Turkey) 10,00 – 10,15 Monitoring glaucoma progression P. Brusini (Italy) 10,15 – 10,30 Pediatric cataract and glaucoma D. Ben Ezra (Israel) 10,30 – 11,00 COFFEE BREAK 11,00 – 12,15 NEUROPROTECTION: THE MECHANISMS OF NEURONAL DAMAGE IN GLAUCOMA Scientifically supported by <strong>the</strong> Neuroprotection Interdisciplinary Group Moderators: G. Bagetta, N.N. Osborne 11,00 – 11,15 Retinal ischemia induces retinal ganglion cell (RGC) loss and alters retrograde and orthograde axonal transport in surviving RGCs: neuroprotective effects <strong>of</strong> alpha-2 adrenergic agonists M. Vidal Sanz (Spain) 11,15 – 11,30 Oxidative stress and retinal ganglion cell death in glaucoma N.N. Osborne (UK) 11,30 – 11,45 The role <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> excitotoxic cascade M.F. Cordeiro (UK) 11,45 – 12,00 The role <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> immune system M. Schwartz (Israel) 12,00 – 12,15 Involvment <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> endocannabinoid system in retinal ganglion cell death: implications for neuroprotection in glaucoma C. Nucci (Italy) FRIDAY 13 TH APRIL 2007 Main Room 12,20 – 13,00 NEUROPROTECTION: THE AVAILABLE TREATMENT Scientifically supported by <strong>the</strong> Neuroprotection Interdisciplinary Group Moderators: G. Carella, M.F. Cordeiro 12,20 – 12,30 Citicoline V. Parisi (Italy) 12,30 – 12,40 Memantine S. Gandolfi (Italy) 12,40 – 12,50 Neurochemical and neuropathological features <strong>of</strong> retinal excitotoxicity associated with experimental glaucoma is minimized by Coenzyme Q10 R. Russo (Italy) 12,50 – 13,00 Epigallocatechin gallate M. Vetrugno (Italy) 13,00 – 13,30 Discussion 13,30 – 14,30 LUNCH 14,30 – 16,00 UPDATE ON TREATMENT OF DIABETIC RETINOPATHY AND VENOUS OCCLUSIVE DISEASE Moderators: G. Coscas, B. Lumbroso 14,30 – 14,40 Is laser treatment <strong>of</strong> diabetic macular oedema still indicated R. Brancato (Italy) 14,40 – 14,50 Combined <strong>the</strong>rapy: laser and IVTA in CSME L. Atmaca (Turkey) 14,50 – 15,00 Intra-vitreal steroids in <strong>the</strong> treatment <strong>of</strong> diabetic retinopathy : only a symptomatic <strong>the</strong>rapy 15,00 – 15,10 Juxtascleral posterior infusion <strong>of</strong> a modified formulation <strong>of</strong> triamcinolone acetonide for <strong>the</strong> treatment <strong>of</strong> diabetic macular oedema J. Jonas (Germany) P. Lanzetta (Italy) 15,10 – 15,20 VEGF inhibitors in <strong>the</strong> treatment <strong>of</strong> CSME U. Introini (Italy) 15,20 – 15,30 Combined <strong>the</strong>rapy: laser and IVTA in PDR F. Bandello (Italy) 15,30 – 15,40 VEGF inhibitors in <strong>the</strong> treatment <strong>of</strong> PDR A. Pece (Italy) 15,40 – 15,50 VEGF inhibitors in <strong>the</strong> <strong>the</strong>rapy <strong>of</strong> macular oedema secondary to venous occlusive disease. 15,50 – 16,00 May IVTA enhance <strong>the</strong> outcome <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> surgical treatment <strong>of</strong> diffuse DME 16,00 – 16,30 COFFEE BREAK G. Staurenghi (Italy) G. Lesnoni; L. Colecchia (Italy) 16,30 – 17,40 UPDATE ON PHARMACOLOGICAL THERAPY <strong>of</strong> Macular Diseases / CNV / Chronic Epi<strong>the</strong>liopathy / Inflammatory disease (I) Moderators: J. Jonas, F. Bandello 16,30 – 16,40 The actual role <strong>of</strong> PDT-V in <strong>the</strong> treatment <strong>of</strong> WET AMD M. Varano (Italy) 16,40 – 16,50 Pegaptanib (Macugen) in <strong>the</strong> treatment <strong>of</strong> WET AMD U. Introini (Italy) 16,50 – 17,00 Ranibizumab (Lucentis) in <strong>the</strong> treatment <strong>of</strong> WET AMD U. Menchini (Italy) 17,00 – 17,10 Is <strong>the</strong>re room for Bevacizumab (Avastin) in <strong>the</strong> treatment <strong>of</strong> Wet AMD A. Giovannini (Italy) 2 3