The XIVth Republican Conference «The Actual Issues of Ophthalmology»

On the 10th – 11th December, 2021, there had been held the XIVth Republican Conference with international participation “The Actual Issues of Ophthalmology”. The Conference was devoted to the issues related to the use of new methods and innovative technologies in the treatment and diagnosis of diseases of the organs of vision and the organization of ophthalmic care in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic.

On the first day of the conference, more than 50 reports were presented by ophthalmologists from the Republic of Belarus, Kazakhstan, Russia, Ukraine, Uzbekistan, as well as Italy, Poland and Germany.

The conference was opened by A.A.Shcherbinsky, head of the Chief Department of Organization of Medical Care of the Ministry of Health of the Republic of Belarus. The first report was given by V. A. Reituzov (Military Medical Academy named after S. M. Kirov of the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation (St. Petersburg, Russia) with an extremely interesting speech dedicated to V. V. Volkov and his contribution to the development of ophthalmology either in Russia or Belarus. The long-term relationship and cooperation between the departments of ophthalmology of BelMAPE and Military Medical Academy was emphasized.

The first scientific section was devoted to functional diagnostics. A large number of reports focused on optical coherence tomography with the function of angiography, a relatively new research method that opens up new horizons in the diagnostics of retinal diseases. Ophthalmologists from Russia, Belarus and Uzbekistan discussed the experience and prospects of angio-OCT and diagnostics of yeball lesions at COVID-19 infection.
The section "Complicated cases in cataract surgery" was opened by the report of R. Guthoff, in which he shared his experience in the treatment of pediatric cataracts in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, after which ophthalmic surgeons exchanged experience in the treatment of patients with complicated cataracts.

In the section "Onco-ophthalmology" two reports given by S. V. Sahakyan (Helmholtz Moscow Research Institute of Eye Diseases) aroused great interest. The numerous questions from domestic ophthalmologists allowed us to gain new experience and knowledge.

In the section devoted to diseases of the cornea and the surface of the eye, 4 reports prepared by specialists of the Department of Ophthalmology of BelMAPE were presented at once. In addition to the speeches of the ophthalmologists of the Republic of Belarus, it is worth noting the lecture given by D. Yu. Maichuk (MNTK "Eye Microsurgery" named after academician S. N. Fedorov" (Moscow, Russia), in which the modern approach to the treatment of fungal keratitis had been systematized.

In the last two sections, chaired by head of the Department of Ophthalmology of BelMAPE, Doctor of Medical Sciences, professor T. A. Imshenetskaya, devoted to the surgical and therapeutic treatment of diseases of the posterior segment, the speakers talked about current trends and various approaches to the treatment of such complex and disabling diseases as retinal detachment and diabetic retinopathy. Doctors from Belarus, near and far abroad countries discussed their personal and world experience in the treatment of these diseases in the format of a lively discussion.

On the second day of the conference, on the 11th of December, 2021, 5 sections were held: orbital pathology, cataract surgery, glaucoma, pediatric ophthalmology and differential diagnosis and clinical cases.

Key lectures in various areas of ophthalmology were given by:

D. V. Davydov — “Correction of exophthalmos in patients with endocrine ophthalmopathy”, Peoples' Friendship University of Russia (Moscow, Russia);

S. K. Scholz — “(Un)preventable errors in biometrics” and “Advantages and new features of the modern international Internet database “IOLCon” for updated and optimized IOL constants”, Institute for Experimental Ophthalmology, Saarland University (Homburg / Saarland, Germany);

A. V. Kuroyedov — “Resistance factors in primary open-angle glaucoma. The results of a combined multicenter study of a group of young scientists "Scientific avant-garde", conducted in 2021", KU TsVKG im. P. V. Mandryka of the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation (Moscow, Russia);

F. Meyer-Gibbons – “Management of glaucoma in pandemics: an overview” Rapperswil Eye Center (Rapperswil, Switzerland);

A. Grzybowski – “Control of Myopia: Update 2021” University of Warmia and Mazury in Olsztyn (Olsztyn, Poland);

A. A. Vydrina — “Dosing of the degree of anterior transposition of the inferior oblique muscle in the surgical treatment of its hyperfunction”, FGAU “NMIC “IRTC “Eye Microsurgery” named after A.I. acad. S. N. Fedorov” of the Ministry of Health of Russia, Kaluga branch (Kaluga, Russia).