IMPACT OF IACLE IN INDIA

This letter of appreciation was received from the Lotus School of Optometry which was started by Mr. Balliwala, (thought to be the Father of Optometry in India):

"Greetings from all of us at Lotus College of Optometry! Lotus College of Optometry is a resource center for IACLE with three of our faculty who are members of IACLE, two of which are Fellows of IACLE.

The faculty and students of our institution strongly believe that by having the IACLE resources and following the IACLE curriculum has made the contact lens module on par to international standards at our College. Besides the teaching aids and resources, other IACLE activities like Industry Day and, Student Trial Examinations with continuing education for faculty keep us updated with the current trends.

As you are aware the Lotus College of Optometry has been recently accredited with an ISO certification. The Quality Policy of the institution and its objectives are aimed towards achieving high standards and working towards continual improvement in process of imparting Optometric education. Being an IACLE Resource Center helped us to prove that the contact lens curriculum we follow is identical to most leading institutions across the world and the performance of the students on the Student Trial Exams has been drawn as one of our objectives of the Quality Policy.

On behalf of the faculty and management we wish to thank IACLE for helping us achieve high standards. We also look for their continuing support in our future endeavors to upgrade our curriculum and meet the objectives of our Quality policy."

Yours truly,
Prema K Chande
Principal, Lotus College of Optometry

WEB RESOURCES FROM IACLE DIRECTOR OF EDUCATION

TOPIC: KERATOCONUS

Every contact lens practitioner and educator knows that keratoconus can bea challenging condition, both to diagnose and manage. There are a few websites on keratoconus that provide useful information, and these can be especially helpful when discussing the condition and its management options with patients.

http://www.nkcf.org
National Keratoconus Foundation (USA)

http://www.allaboutvision.com/conditions/keratoconus.htm
All about vision - keratoconus

http://www.optometry.ohio-state.edu/CLEK/
The Collaborative Longitudinal Evaluation of Keratoconus (CLEK) study

http://www.opt.indiana.edu/lowther/keratoconus.htm
School of Optometry, Indiana University (Keratoconus homepage)

http://www.emedicine.com/oph/topic104.htm
eMedicine - Keratoconus

We invite all members to share with us their keratoconus case studies, as well as any tips they might have for diagnosis and management of this condition. Please send to s.cronje@iacle.org

OF INTEREST TO IACLE MEMBERS - RESEARCH GRANTS AVAILABLE
American Optometric Foundation -Vistakon Research Grants
Two awards: One for $25,000 and the other for $10,000
Submit all application materials to AOF by September 1st, 2005.

Funds support research conducted for a period of one year. Recipients must submit a report of their research findings to AOF at the end of the award period and will be encouraged to submit a manuscript to Optometry and Vision Science.

Click link here for more information
http://www.aaopt.org/aof/scholarship/grants/index.asp

NEW LATIN AMERICAN REGIONAL COORDINATOR

IACLE is pleased to announce that Sergio Garcia of Bogota Colombia has accepted the part-time position of Regional Coordinator for Latin America.

Sergio became a member of IACLE in 1994 and a Fellow of IACLE (FIACLE) in 1998. He has been a contact lens educator in both optometry and ophthalmology programs in Colombia for more than 20 years. He started his own contact lens laboratory and has a successful optometric practice in Bogota, where he treats specialty patients. He is well known throughout the region and is regularly invited to lecture at conferences and meetings.

Please join us in welcoming Sergio to the IACLE team.

LATIN AMERICAN REGIONAL COORDINATOR JOINS INSTITUTE FOR EYE RESEARCH TEAM IN SYDNEY

Percy Lazon de la Jara is in the final stages of completing his PhD after dedicating the past decade to IACLE as Latin American Regional Coordinator. We are happy to announce that Percy has decided to join the team in Sydney to further his educational efforts and gain experience from the opportunities offered by the Institute for Eye Research. While IACLE will miss his enthusiasm, influence and excellent work, we congratulate Percy on his personal achievements and educational growth.

IACLE was an unknown in the Latin American Region when Percy joined the team but he quickly became the face of IACLE to the professional contact lens community in Latin America. Percy demonstrated the passion and enthusiasm a newly established organization needed for a manager in the field to grow and develop the reputation of IACLE. Percy's dedication, as Latin American Coordinator for IACLE, has enormously benefited and developed contact lens education in Latin America and IACLE couldn't be prouder of his accomplishments.

IACLE would like to thank the industry sponsors who support global contact lens education
CIBA Vision
Johnson & Johnson Vision Care Inc.
Bausch & Lomb
AMO
Ocular Science Inc., A CooperVision Company
Alcon Laboratories
CooperVision Inc.
Menicon Europe