The European Glaucoma Society is a society aiming to promote networking and knowledge exchange between glaucoma specialists from all Europe, as well as spreading scientific knowledge among ophthalmology professionals.
On June 19th, 20th, 21st and 22nd, the city of Prague (Czech Republic) hosted the 12th congress of the society, in which Dr Alfonso Antón Head of ICR Glaucoma Department, Dr. Olivia Pujol, ophthalmologist at ICR specializing in glaucoma and Dr Eleonora Ayala, also a glaucoma specialist at ICR, took part.
On this occasion, ICR members presented the results of three studies in which they are involved as researchers.
The first presentation delivered by Dr Antón on 22nd June showed partial results of a study in which Dr Marcos Muñoz, ophthalmologist at Institut Català de Retina, also took part. It was presented under the title Ex-PRESS glaucoma implant in comparison to deep non-penetrating sclerectomy in open angle glaucoma: a randomized prospective study. The aim of the study was to assess and compare the effectiveness and safety in a 12-month period of filtration surgery with Ex-Press implant, a type of surgery developed as an attempt to standardize glaucoma surgery technique and minimize complications while preserving effectiveness, and deep non-penetrating sclerectomy.
The second presentation, under the name Visual field (IVF) and relative risk of loss of quality of life, was delivered by Dr Olivia Pujol, who lead the study. Its aim was to assess the visual field values of patients suffering from different degrees of glaucoma according to geographic areas and compare them with those of healthy individuals in order to determine the scope of the disease effects on the loss of quality of life.
A third presentation, in close connection with the previous one, was delivered by Dr Ayala under the name Quality of life in glaucoma patients and healthy individuals with regards to severity of damages in each eye. The study assessed the quality of life of 212 patients suffering from different degrees of glaucoma in comparison with 147 healthy individuals, as well the relation between quality of life and the severity of the damages suffered in the eyes.
Moreover, Dr Antón, directed a course on June 21st under the name Visual field: basic concepts (devices, strategies and perimetries), where he also took part as a speaker, and discussed topics related to devices, strategies and the assessment of the evolution and perimetries.