Eyes of tomorrow

The first European Master's degree in Clinical and Surgical Ophthalmology, a prestigious international project of advanced studies for ophthalmological professionals, was presented in Lugano (Switzerland) by the European School for Advanced Studies in Ophthalmology – ESASO, www.esaso.ch

In the presence of the Mayor of Lugano Giorgio Giudici and the President of the University of Lugano (USI) Piero Martinoli, the ESASO Foundation President Giuseppe Guarnaccia illustrated the characteristics of this innovative module, that is now being offered for the second time at the campus of Lugano University, with the participation of 82 young professionals from 12 different countries.

ESASO's objective is to offer the very best post-graduate training available in Europe in the ophthalmological field, through a teaching staff comprising 25 professors of international standing and active cooperation arrangements with a number of important treatment and research centres, including Barcelona, Munich, Vienna, Milan and Paris.

The programme was conceived in response to the unavailability in Europe of effective post-graduate teaching and training for young ophthalmologists and the opportunity that this offers for the creation of a programme satisfying the highest qualitative standards in this field.

As explained by Dr Guarnaccia, one of ESASO's founders: "The training of ophthalmologists is currently limited to the experience acquired within the individual universities. Our idea is to go beyond this limit through a diversified offering of modules — held in a single venue — taught by professors from many countries."

In addition to this, ESASO can count on a wealth of personal and organizational relationships within the sector at both the Swiss and Cantonal levels. As Dr Ottavio Bernasconi, Head of the Ophthalmology Department at the Regional Hospital of Bellinzona explained: "Since its foundation, ESASO has provided a constant flow of information to the Swiss Society of Ophthalmology (SSO), which in turn has generously granted its tangible support to ESASO. To seal what we hope will be a long-term cooperation relationship, the two societies have organized a joint symposium at the Annual Congress of the SSO, which took place 4 September in Lugano."

"We can conclude," said Dr Bernasconi, "that organized ophthalmology has not missed this opportunity to participate in a project aimed at facilitating the spread of quality ophthalmology in Europe."