Erratum

We apologise for a spelling error in the EXCHANGE section of Volume 18 Issue 56. The author of the article “A low-cost, slit lamp-based video-photodocumentation system” is Syed Amjad Rizvi, not Syed Amjad Nizvi as published in the paper version. - Editor

Obituary

We have been very sad to hear of the untimely death of Dr Vijay Mehra. He was a member of the first class of diploma students at the International Centre for Eye Health in 1981, just after Professor Barrie Jones had started the new department. He was the first alumnus to become active in population-based research and he was responsible, in collaboration with Dr Darwin Minassian and Dr Angela Reidy, for some landmark observations on cataract aetiology and incidence. We send our deep sympathy to his family and everyone in India who was associated with Dr Vijay Mehra.

- Professor Gordon J Johnson, Director of ICEH 1986-2002

Courses and conferences

6th International Glaucoma Symposium (I.G.S)

March 28-31, 2007. Venue: Athens, Greece. Information: Symposium Organisers, Kenes International - Global Congress Organizers and Association Management Services, 17 Rue du Cendrier, PO Box 1726, CH-1211 Geneva 1, Switzerland. Tel: (+41) 22 908 0488, Fax: (+41) 22 732 2850. Email: glaucoma@kenes.com. Website: www.kenes.com/glaucoma

Planning for VISION 2020 short course

July 3-7, 2006. Venue: London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London. Cost: £630. Information: Adrienne.Burrough@Lshtm.ac.uk or shortcourses@lshtm.ac.uk

Certificate course in Community Eye Health

October 16 - December 8, 2006. Venue: Kilimanjaro Centre for Community Ophthalmology. Course aims and objectives: To equip eye health professionals with the skills necessary to develop, implement, and manage a VISION 2020 programme. The eight-week course will focus on disease control, planning, human resource development, management, bridging strategies, and budgeting. The course is suitable for ophthalmologists, project managers, or other eye care professionals who are responsible for developing and implementing district VISION 2020 plans. Information and admission procedures: Dr Paul Courtright - Email: pcourtright@kcco.net

New resources available

Marsden J (editor). Ophthalmic Care. A new comprehensive textbook written by an international panel of ophthalmic nurses and other contributors. Wiley, 2006. Available from the International Resource Centre, ICEH. Discount price: UK £25 plus post and packaging (for developing countries only). Enquiries - Email: sue.stevens@Lshtm.ac.uk

Kanski J J. Clinical Ophthalmology - a synopsis. Butterworth Heinemann, 2004. Available from the International Resource Centre, ICEH. Discount price: UK £30 plus post and packaging (for developing countries only). Enquiries - Email: sue.stevens@Lshtm.ac.uk

Article competition

Thank you to readers who submitted an article for the article competition. The final selection of articles will take place at the next editorial meeting in April.

MSc Community Eye Health

Dates: 25th September 2006 - 14th September 2007
Cost: £13,750 (Overseas) or £4,370 (Home)
Venue: The London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine

The MSc in Community Eye Health is designed to equip eye care professionals and planners with the knowledge and skills to reduce blindness and visual disability. Training in community eye health extends the training in clinical ophthalmology applied to individual patients, to a consideration of the eye health of whole populations - how these can be assessed, resourced and evaluated.

The course is designed in keeping with the aims, priorities and strategies of VISION 2020. VISION 2020 is a World Health Organisation programme designed to eliminate avoidable and treatable blindness, globally, by 2020. Applicants are expected to be health care professionals involved in eye care and have relevant work experience.

Course duration is one year (full-time) but it is available on a part-time basis over two years.

Application forms are available from the Registry, 50 Bedford Square, London WC1B 3DP, UK. Telephone: +44 (0)20 7299 4646 fax: +44(0)20 7323 0638, e-mail: registry@lshtm.ac.uk or MScCEH@lshtm.ac.uk. Website: www.lshtm.ac.uk/prospectus/masters/msceh.html

Please quote ref: JCEH.