Source: Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center of Sun Yat-sen University 

Edited by: Liu Nian 

From November 4 to November 6, the 2016 International Retina Conference hosted by Guangdong Medical Association and organized by Guangdong Ophthalmological Society affiliated to Guangdong Medical Association and Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center affiliated to Sun Yat-sen University (ZOC) was held in Huadu District of Guangzhou. 

38 renowned experts on ocular fundus disease and over 100 ophthalmologic scholars from eight countries and regions were invited to the conference. Through academic lectures, cases discussions, live surgery and other forms, participants of the conference probed into various new theories and techniques related to macular diseases, choroid structure, OCT angiography, precise treatment, retinal neoplasms, retinal vascular lesions, diabetic retinopathy, retinal surgery and other issues. It was indeed a feast of advanced technological and theoretical study of ocular fundus diseases. 

On the evening of November 4, the International Retina Conference ZOC 2016 was officially inaugurated. The conference was hosted by Prof. Xiaofeng Lin, Deputy Director of ZOC. Professor Yizhi Liu, Director of ZOC, and Jay Stewart, Professor of Ophthalmology at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) and Chief of Ophthalmology at San Francisco General Hospital gave speeches successively. 

On the morning of May 5, two professors of ophthalmology, Professor Phipil J. Rosenfeld from the Bascom Palmer Eye Institute and Professor Srini Vas R. Sadda from the Doheny Eye Institute - made reports on OCT Angiography and Widefield OCT Imaging of Macular Diseases, and Unlocking the Secrets of the Choroid. Subsequently, Professor Xiaoxin Li, Chairperson of the Conference and Professor for the Eye Center and Eye Institute of Peking University People’s Hospital, made a keynote speech on “OCTA: A replacement of ICGA in nAMD?” to introduce her team’s research results. She pointed out that “PCV is probably a manifestation of some certain natural course of CNV, growing between Bruch’s membrane and RPE.” Professor Russell Foster from Oxford University, UK, elaborated on melanopsinsignalling to the molecular clockwork, referring to three regulatory pathways in the stress response of the endoplasmic reticulum (ER): unfolded proteins in high concentration - unfolded protein responses prolonging ER stress - programmed cell death (apoptosis). Youxin Chen, member of the standing committee of the Ophthalmological Society, and Professor of Ophthalmology of Peking Union Medical College Hospital, gave a presentation on the yellow pigment in epiretinal membrane and lamellar macular hole – clinical features and histopathology correlation. Michael Foerster, Professor of ophthalmology in Germany, presented the progress in the treatment of intraocular tumors: retinoblastoma, uveal melanoma and hemangioma, and their team’s research results on proton beam radiotherapy for choroidal hemangioma. 

Then they began to discuss the cases. In this part, experts from eight Chinese and foreign hospitals were invited to present the case history and carry out discussion. Participating institutes included: The Second Xiangya Hospital of Central South University; Beijing Tongren Hospital, Capital Medical University; Eye & ENT Hospital of Fudan University; Shanghai General Hospital; West China Hospital, Sichuan University; Moorfields Eye Hospital, UK and Doheny Eye Institute, USA. Simultaneous interpretation was arranged to enable participants to fully participate and discuss actively in this session. 

On November 6, four top ophthalmologists carried out live eye surgeries consecutively with great precision and subtlety. They are Rajvardhan Azad, Former President of Asia-Pacific Association of Ophthalmology and Indian ophthalmologist; Robert Bhisitkul, Professor at San Francisco General Hospital; Jay Stewart, Professor and Chief of Ophthalmology at San Francisco General Hospital; Sui Chien Wong, Doctor at Moorfield Eye Hospital, UK. After completing the operations, they all interacted with the observing experts on the surgical methods and skills. The superb techniques of the doctors provide examples for the implementation of similar surgeries. After the successful conclusion of the session, the closing ceremony was held by Professor Chenjin Jin of ZOC. 

The conference provided a high-level international academic exchange platform for doctors of ocular fundus diseases from home and abroad through various forms including academic lectures, case discussions and live surgery. The experts were also able to discuss and forecast new technologies, theories and prospect in this field.