Bureaus
WSPOS Executive Bureau
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Daisy Godts
Daisy Godts
Daisy Godts hails from Belgium. She is married to Stef Deboutte & has 2 daughters. Dr. Godts speaks 5 languages, namely Dutch, English, French, German & Spanish
EDUCATION
• 1973-1979: Koninklijk Atheneum, Diest, BE, L.S.O.: Latin-Sciences / Sciences-Mathematics: Magna
cum laude
• 1979-1980: Catholic University, Leuven, BE, Medical sciences
• 1980-1982: Dutch Academy for Orthoptics, Utrecht, NL, Orthoptics: Summa cum laude
• 1982-1984: Leidse Onderwijsinstellingen, Leiderdorp, NL, Technical Ophthalmic Assistant: Magnacum laude
• 1989-1990: Antwerp Language School, Antwerp, BE, French: Summa cum laude
• 1990-1991: Institute for modern languages, Antwerp, BE, Spanish: Cum laude
PROFESSIONAL ORGANISATIONS
• Belgian Orthoptic Association: Secretary (1982-1991), IOA-representative (1990- today), treasurer
(1991 -2004), vice president (2000-2004), president (2004- 2010), treasurer (2012-today),
• Donder’s Association for Strabismus: Treasurer / Congress organiser 1995-today
• International Orthoptic Association: Council member (1990- today), chairman “Membership Committee” (1991-today), President Congress Organising Committee IOA Congress 2008 (2004- 2008), member Congress Scientific Programme Committee IOA Congress 2016 (2012-2016)
• International Strabismological Association: member (1990-1998)
• European Strabismological Association: member (1992-today)
• Latin American Strabismological Association: member (2000-today)
• World Society of Paediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus: member (2012-today), scientific board member (2016-today)
WORK EXPERIENCE
• Antwerp University Hospital: Principal orthoptist (1993-today)
• Eye Clinic Antwerp: Chief orthoptist, contact lens specialist (1988-today)
• Eye Clinic Deurne: Chief orthoptist, Low vision therapist (1996-today)
• Eye Institute IOAM, Santa Cruz, Tenerife, Spain: Chief orthoptist (1990-today)
• Eye Institute dr Muiños, Los Llanos de Aridane, La Palma, Spain : Chief orthoptist (1990-toda
• Lievensberg Hospital, Bergen op Zoom, The Netherlands: Chief orthoptist (1992-1993)
TEACHING EXPERIENCE
• Dutch Academy for Orthoptics, Utrecht, The Netherlands: Clinical instructor for orthoptic students (1985-today)
• Higher Institute for Paramedical Professions, Gent: Professor ocular motility (1988-1996), Clinical instructor for orthoptic students (1988-2010)
• Antwerp University Hospital: Clinical instructor / lecturer for residents in ophthalmology (1993-today)
• Tel Aviv University, Israel: Orthoptic course for optometrists: lecturer (February 2012)
• Aravind Eye Care System, Madurai, India, Orthoptic and Pediatric Ophthalmology department:Lecturer/Clinical and practical lessons (November 2013, October 2015)
PARTICIPATION IN CHARITY ORGANISATIONS
• Medical and Surgical Care Mission: Casa de la Luz, Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic (May 2009, March 2010, May 2012, May 2014, May 2016)
• IOA Teaching volunteer, Madurai, India (November 2001, October 2015)
BELGIUM
David Granet
David Granet
David Granet is the Anne F. Ratner Professor of Ophthalmology & Pediatrics at the University of California, San Diego and is the Director of the UCSD/Abraham Ratner Children’s Eye Center at the Shiley Eye Institute. A graduate of the Yale University School of Medicine where he served as President of his class; Residency trained at New York University (NYU) followed by his fellowship at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia and the University of Pennsylvania Sheie Eye Institute.
Dr. Granet is the co-Founder and co-Director of the World Society of Paediatric Ophthalmology & Strabismus. He is the founder and director of the International PediatricOphthalmology Internet discussion group. He is the immediate Past Chair of the Executive Committee for the Section of Ophthalmology for the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP). The author of over 120 articles and book chapters Dr. Granet also is the co-editor of the new AAP book, “Challenging Cases in Pediatric Ophthalmology”.
His research has included the development of new approaches for strabismus surgery including delayed adjustable sutures, the approach to scarring, small deviations, Graves Disease and more. He has developed new methods for vision screening, studied the role vision plays in learning along with other new creative ideas.
Dr. Granet has received the Senior Achievement Award from the American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO) and the Senior Honor Award from the American Association of Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus (AAPOS). He is the director of an approved American Pediatric Ophthalmology & Strabismus Fellowship and has trained many international specialists from countries like India, the Phillipines, Egypt, Israel and Brazil. In addition to his research, teaching and clinical practice, Dr. Granet hosts the Emmy awardwinning medical television show “Health Matters”. He resides in San Diego with his wife, Lisa, his three children, Elijah, Isaiah and Ezra along with their dogs, Deli & Messie.
He has been voted into both Top Doctors and Best Doctors of America and into the first edition of the US News and World report, Best Doctors in the US including “Best of the Best” (top 1%)
USA
Dominique Bremond-Gignac
Dominique Bremond-Gignac
Dominique Bremond-Gignac is a Professor of Ophthalmology & Head of the Ophthalmology Department with a paediatric subspecialty at University Necker-Enfants malades Hospital and Paris V Rene Descartes University in Paris. She is also the Head of the Paris V Orthoptic Department which is affiliated to the CNRS FR3636 Research Unit, in binocular vision. She is the Chief of CLAIROP Research Clinical Center and of OPHTARA Rare Ocular Disease Reference Center. She is also involved in research at CNRS FR3636 Binocular Vision Research Unit, Paris V University.
Dr. Bremond-Gignac has been an Associate Professor of Anatomy at the Paris 7 University and at the Ophthalmology Department (Debre Pediatric Hospital) earlier on, following which she was then a Professor of Ophthalmology at the University Hospital of Amiens and Picardie Jules Verne University.
Her activity is distributed in clinical practice, teaching and research (eye development). Current practice includes paediatric anterior segment, strabismus and oculo-plastic surgery as she is also graduated in maxillo-facial surgery.
FRANCE
Ken Nischal
Ken Nischal
Dr. Kanwal Nischal, better known as Ken Nischal is the Division Chief, Pediatric Ophthalmology, Strabismus, and Adult Motility Professor of Ophthalmology at the University of Pittsburgh, School of Medicine. He is also the Vice Chair, Department of Ophthalmology in addition to being the Associate Director of International Business – Ophthalmology & the Director of the Pediatric Program Development at the UPMC Eye Center.
Dr. Nischal attended King’s College Hospital Medical School, University of London and completed his Ophthalmology residency at the Oxford Eye Hospital in the United Kingdom. He completed his fellowship at The Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto, and prior to joining Children’s in 2011, he was at Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children, London in the United Kingdom.
Dr. Nischal is a pioneer in Pediatric Anterior Segment disease and surgery. He has described innovative surgical techniques, disease classification and management algorithms. He is evidence based and protocol driven in terms of clinical practice, and uses clinical audit to define management outcomes.
UK/USA
Manca Tekavčič Pompe
Manca Tekavčič Pompe
Manca Tekavčič Pompe is paediatric ophthalmologist and anterior segment surgeon from Ljubljana, Slovenia. She works at the University Eye Clinic in Ljubljana and is Assistant Professor in
Ophthalmology at Medical Faculty, University of Ljubljana. Dr. Pompe is interested in clinical research in the field of paediatric ophthalmology, which includes anterior segment surgery, paediatric glaucoma, visual electrophysiology with its clinical application and colour vision.
SLOVENIA
Ramesh Kekunnaya
Ramesh Kekunnaya
Ramesh Kekunnaya has received his basic medical training from Karnatak Medical College, Hubli and specialized in ophthalmology from Government Medical College, Mysore, India in 1999. He
completed a comprehensive ophthalmology fellowship (with special focus on Strabismus and Neuroophthalmology) at the L. V. Prasad Eye Institute (LVPEI), Hyderabad followed by a Pediatric
Ophthalmology & Strabismus Fellowship (AAPOS accredited) at Jules Stein Eye Institute, University of California, Los Angeles, USA. He also had a short stint at the Moorfield’s Eye Hospital and the Great Ormond Street Hospital for children, London as a part of ICO fellowship.
Dr. Kekunnaya is currently the Head of Pediatric Ophthalmology, Strabismus and Neuroophthalmology at Child Sight Institute and Jasti V. Ramanamma Children’s Eye Care Center,
LVPEI, Hyderabad and Clinical Assistant Professor Case Western Reserve University Cleveland, Ohio. He is also in charge of the Paediatric Ophthalmology and strabimus fellowship program.
He is a member of the American Academy of Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus (AAPOS), World Society for Pediatric Ophthalmology & Strabismus (WSPOS) and American Academy
of Ophthalmology (AAO). He is an Executive Bureau member of WSPOS and a member of the Professional Education Committee of AAPOS.
Dr. Kekunnaya has presented at various international and national meetings. He was a recipient of the prestigious ‘Achievement award’ from AAO in 2012; in addition to receiving the ‘International Scholar Award’ from AAO in 2014 and the ‘HONOR AWARD’ from AAPOS in 2016. He has authored publications in various peer-reviewed journals and is a reviewer for Ophthalmology, British Journal of Ophthalmology, AJO, Eye, IJO, EJO, Strabismus and JAAPOS. He is also a ‘section editor’ for BJO. He is actively involved in teaching and research activities in the pediatric ophthalmology services. His clinical interests include strabismus, pediatric cataract, vision development, lazy eye and neuro-ophthalmological disorders.
INDIA
Richard W. Hertle
Richard W. Hertle
Richard Hertle is an investigator in the areas of nystagmus and eye movement disorder. His current titles include, Professor of Ophthalmology, Northeast Ohio Medical College, SUMMA Medical Center Department of Ophthalmology, Director, The Children’s Vision Center and Chief of Ophthalmology, Akron Children’s Hospital Medical Center, Akron, Ohio, USA. He has been a principal investigator on a number of NIH-funded research projects, including on-going studies on the treatment of strabismus, nystagmus and amblyopia.
An avid researcher and publisher, Dr. Hertle has over 220 refereed publications and almost as many abstracts, editorials, reviews and invited lectures. He currently serves as a reviewer for multiple journals and has been a recipient of over two million dollars of research funding.
USA
Rahul Bhola
Rahul Bhola
An international recognized expert in pediatric ophthalmology, Dr. Bhola has over 20 years’ experience specializing in the complete array of pediatric vision conditions and eye diseases.
Dr. Bhola is board certified in ophthalmology with expertise in pediatric ophthalmology and adult strabismus.
Dr. Bhola completed his medical degree and ophthalmology residency from University of Delhi, India and a second residency in ophthalmology from University of Louisville, Kentucky where he served as chief resident.
Dr. Bhola was a visiting assistant professor and fellow in ophthalmology as Jules Stein Eye Institute, UCLA and completed an advanced clinical fellowship in pediatric ophthalmology at University of Iowa.
Dr. Bhola is currently the Chair of Ophthalmology at Children’s Hospital of Orange County and serves as the division chief of Pediatric Ophthalmology at CHOC Children’s Specialists and associate clinical professor at University of California, Irvine School of Medicine.
Dr. Bhola’s research interests are focused on diseases resulting in irreversible vision loss in pediatric population such as amblyopia, strabismus, retinopathy of prematurity and pediatric glaucoma.
He is currently involved in research projects on better understanding the pathogenesis and innovative treatment of Inherited Retinal Disorders and metabolic disorders with ocular involvement like Batten’s Disease.
USA
Seo Wei Leo
Seo Wei Leo
Dr. Seo Wei Leo graduated from medical school at the National University of Singapore with Gold Medal & Book Prize in Ophthalmology. After obtaining the Fellowship of Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh, she completed 2 intensive clinical fellowships in the USA. The first was an ACGME – accredited clinical fellowship at the University of Michigan Ann Arbor, Ann Arbor with Dr Monte A del Monte and Dr S Archer; followed by a stint with Dr Kenneth Wright in Los Angeles. She has since published numerous peer-reviewed articles and book chapters and she is also a reviewer for many journals including Survey of Ophthalmology, British Journal of Ophthalmology. She frequently presents or conducts instructional workshops and has performed live surgery at various international conferences. Prior to starting private practice in 2012, she was Head, Paediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus, National Healthcare Group Eye Institute and Clinical Lecturer, Faculty of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine. Accolades for her research work include The Eye Institute-Pfizer Research Prize for Best Original Paper in 2004 and the best of show at the 2010 Annual Meeting of the American Academy of Ophthalmology. Dr Leo Is currently board member, CIRB Centralised Institutional Research Board, Singhealth in Singapore. She is also in the Scientific Bureau of WSPOS and she remains as a committee member of the American Academy of Ophthalmology.
SINGAPORE
WSPOS Scientific Bureau
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Yair Morad - Chair
Yair Morad Co-Chair
Dr. Yair Morad is Head of the Assaf Harofeh Medical Center Pediatric Ophthalmology Service. He graduated medical school from Rapaport School of Medicine, Technion University, Haifa, Israel. He started a pediatric residency at the Schneider’s Children’s Hospital in Petach Tivka, but later decided to begin a residency in Ophthalmology in Assaf Herofeh Medical Center, Tel Aviv University. Dr. Morad served as the Head of the Israel Defense Forces Medical Research Unit and later completed a fellowship in pediatric ophthalmology at The Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto.
Dr. Morad is a professor of Ophthalmology in the Tel Aviv Sackler School of Medicine and the Head of the Tel Aviv University Certified Orthoptics Program. His interests include strabismus, childhood uveitis, genetic eye disorders in children, and child abuse. Dr. Morad is widely published in the pediatric ophthalmology peer-reviewed literature. He is a member of the Israeli Ophthalmological Association, former Head of the Israeli Association for Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus, and member of the American Association of Pediatrics Ophthalmology and Strabismus.
ISRAEL
Alejandro Luis Armesto
Alejandro Luis Armesto
-Chief of Strabismus and PO at the Hospital Aleman, Buenos Aires, Argentina
-ISA Meeting 2026, Organizer
-Former president, vicepresident, treasurer and secretary of the Argentine Council of Strabismus
-Former treasurer and Secretary of the Clade Congress 2008 and 2017 (Latin American Council of Strabismus)
-Ex fellow of Strabismus and PO at the Hospital de Clínicas, Buenos Aires University, Argentina
ARGENTINA
Adedayo Omobolanle Adio
Adedayo Omobolanle Adio
Dr. Adedayo Omobolanle Adio completed an ophthalmology residency in West Africa and National fellowships at the University College Hospital Ibadan, Nigeria followed by a paediatric ophthalmology fellowship at The Jasti V Ramanamma Children’s Eye care Centre, L. V. Prasad Eye Institute, Hyderabad, India. Dr. Adio is currently the Head of Paediatric Ophthalmology clinic, at the University of Port Harcourt teaching hospital, Port Harcourt, Rivers state, Nigeria as well as a Senior lecturer in the University of Port Harcourt, Nigeria. She is the recipient of the prestigious 2014 AAPOS / children eye foundation travel grant. She was a former Residency training director of Ophthalmology, University of Port Harcourt teaching hospital for many years and has been teaching and examining both final year medical students and residents in ophthalmology for up to 20 years.
As the former head of department of Ophthalmology, she was responsible for starting subspecialty units in the department. All the subspecialty consultants in the department were encouraged to undertake subspecialty training, thus making the department one of the most progressive teaching hospitals. Dr. Adio has played numerous roles in molding the profession and continues to do so in her additional role as the Secretary General of the Nigerian Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus Society (OSN NIPOSS) mentoring upcoming specialists in these area and other areas. Her chief areas of interest are Paediatric cataract, strabismus and targeted rehabilitation of the irreversibly blind. She is a volunteer ophthalmologist at the TLEC rehabilitation center for the Blind in Port Harcourt, Nigeria; where she teaches Braille and activities of daily living to these groups of people. She is perhaps the first ophthalmologist in Nigeria to set up such a center.
She is also the coordinator for the Prevention of Blindness committee in Rivers state where she lives. She is actively involved in organizing numerous medical and cataract surgical camps to aid the poor in the society. She has authored and co-authored over 50 peer-reviewed publications and continues to write articles for scientific journals. She is married and has three boys.
NIGERIA
Silvia Moguel Ancheita
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Silvia Moguel Ancheita
TBC
Mexico
Huban Atilla
Huban Atilla
Head of Ophthalmology Department, Ankara University, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Ophthalmology, Ankara Türkiye
Director of Pediatric Ophthalmology & Strabismus and Neuro-ophthalmology sections at Ankara.
University, Faculty of Medicine
EDUCATION
-1983-1989: School of Medicine, Hacettepe University Faculty of Medicine (English), Ankara
-1989 – 1994: Residency, Ankara University Faculty of Medicine Department of Ophthalmology,
Ankara, Turkey
-1992-1993 Fellowship, Washington University School of Medicine Pediatric Ophthalmology and
Strabismus (St. Louis, MO, USA
-2002-2008: Associate Professor, Ankara University Faculty of Medicine, Department of
Ophthalmology
-2008- : Professor, Ankara University Faculty of Medicine, Department of Ophthalmology
GENERAL INTEREST FUNCTIONS, MEMBERSHİP TO VARIOUS SOCIETIES
-Executive Board Member of European Board of Ophthalmology -2022
-Program Chair of Neuro-ophthalmology, Pediatric Ophthalmology, Strabismus Section of EVER –
2025-
– President of Turkish Ophthalmological Association – 2023-2025
– Executive Board Member of Middle East Ophthalmology Meetings -2025
-President of Strabismus Section of Turkish Ophthalmological Association 2020-2022
-Member of Turkish Ophthalmological Society Strabismus and Neuroophthalmology Subspecialty
groups
-Member of American Academy of Ophthalmology
-Member of American Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus Association
-Member of European Strabismological Association
-Member of European Pediatric Ophthalmology Society
-Section editor of Pediatric Ophthalmology in International Ophthalmology
-Editorial Board member of Strabismus Journal
AWARDS
-2019: American Academy of Ophthalmology Achievement Award
– 2021: Best poster 2 nd award at 55 th National Congress of Turkish Ophthalmological Association
-2025: Best poster 3rd award at 59th National Congress of Turkish Ophthalmological Association
Author of over 100 articles, about 10 book chapters
Research area is strabismus, low vision, congenital and infantile cataracts
TURKEY
Luis Cardenas
Luis Cardenas
MEXICO
Catherine Cassiman
Catherine Cassiman
BELGIUM
Goura Chattannaver
Goura Chattannaver
Goura Chattannavar completed her basic medical education from Bangalore Medical College and Research Institute, Bangalore followed by residency training in ophthalmology from L V Prasad Eye Institute, Hyderabad. During her long-term clinical fellowship in strabismus, pediatric and neuro-ophthalmology at LVPEI, Hyderabad, she acquired clinical and surgical skills in managing children with cataract, refractive error, amblyopia and also strabismus and neuro-ophthalmology conditions.
She completed her long-term fellowship in Ocular Genetics at University of Rochester Medical Centre, New York where she acquired clinical skills in evaluating ocular genetic disorders and their management. She has several publications to her name in peer-reviewed journals. She has a keen interest in clinical research in Pediatric Cataracts and Ocular Genetics.’
INDIA
Fay Charmaine Cruz
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Fay Charmaine Cruz
Dr. Fay Charmaine Sta. Ana Cruz is a pediatric ophthalmologist and strabismus specialist with over 15 years of experience in clinical care, training, and academic leadership.
She currently serves as Residency Training Officer at The Medical City, Fellowship Director for Pediatric Ophthalmology at the DOH Eye Center–East Avenue Medical Center, and Chair for Medical Education of the Philippine Board of Ophthalmology. A former President of the Philippine Society of Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus, she remains actively engaged in national ophthalmology organizations, with a strong focus on curriculum development, faculty development, and advancing pediatric ophthalmology education.
PHILLIPINES
Yee Fong Choong
Yee Fong Choong
Yee Fong Choong is the Medical Director of International Specialist Eye Centre (ISEC), Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. He has special interest in paediatric cataract and strabismus and is a founding member and a member of the scientific bureau of the World Society of Paediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus (WSPOS). Dr. Choong also has keen interest in adult refractive cataract surgery
MALAYSIA
Susan Cotter
Susan Cotter
Bio missing..
USA
Alejandra Daruich
Alejandra Daruich
She specializes in pediatric vitreoretinal surgery, with a focus on retinal diseases in children. Her clinical and research interests center on pediatric retinal disorders and the development of innovative therapies for retinal diseases. She is Co-Director of Continuing Medical Education at the Faculty of Medicine, Université Paris Cité. She is also a co-founding President of the French Society of Pediatric Retina.
FRANCE
Craig Donaldson
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Craig Donaldson
TBC
Australia
Vera Essuman
Vera Essuman
Vera Adobea Essuman is an Associate Professor of Ophthalmology and Head of the Ophthalmology Unit, Department of Surgery, University of Ghana Medical School, College of Health Sciences, University of Ghana. She is also the Head of the Paediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus Unit of the Lions International Eye Centre at Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital, Accra, Ghana. She is a fellow of the West African College of Surgeons (Ophthalmology), fellow of the Ghana College of Physicians & Surgeons (Ophthalmology) and alumnus of LV Prasad Eye Institute, Hyderabad, India (Paediatric Ophthalmology & Strabismus).
She is the first paediatric ophthalmologist to be trained and pioneer the paediatric ophthalmology specialty in Ghana since 2004. An Eye Health Hero (2018) of the International Agency for Prevention of Blindness.
She is presently leading a national effort to establish a comprehensive and sustainable national strategy for retinoblastoma in Ghana. She has played a pivotal role in establishing a paediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus fellowship in the Ghana College of Physicians and Surgeons, the first in the country, in collaboration with Kellogg Eye Center, University of Michigan, USA, with the first trainee enrolled in January 2020.
She played a leading role in the establishment of a model Child Friendly Eye Care Centre (CFECC) at the Lions International Eye Centre, Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital and the first paediatric ophthalmology satellite clinic in a semi- urban setting in Ghana. These projects were part of the Phase I & II of the WHO/Lions Club International/ Government of Ghana Project for the Elimination of Childhood Blindness in Ghana, a project funded by Lions Club International Sight First Foundation/ Government of Ghana with the World Health Organization as the Executing Agency.
She is a trainer for ophthalmology residents and other cadres of health workers in ophthalmology in Ghana as well as in West Africa.
Her research interests are in the areas of epidemiology and therapeutic interventions for major causes of childhood blindness, especially paediatric glaucoma, retinoblastoma, paediatric cataract and retinopathy of prematurity.
GHANA
Angela Fernandez
Angela Fernandez
Angela Maria Fernandez Delgado; MD Angela Fernandez is a Pediatric Ophthalmologist & Residency Program Professor since the past 20 years in the Military Hospital – Nueva Granada Military University, Bogota, Colombia. She is also the Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus Section Head at the Military Hospital in Bogota, Colombia. Dr. Delgado is a Professor in the Ophthalmology Department at the Military Hospital, Bogota Colombia. She is also an Assistant Professor at the Ophthalmology Department at the Santa Fe Foundation, Bogota, Colombia. Her main fields of interest are Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus.
Dr. Delgado acquired her MD degree from the Rosario University at Bogota, Colombia & her Ophthalmology degree from Barraquer Institute of America, Bogota, Colombia. She then went on to
pursue Pediatric Ophthalmology as a Sub-specialty at the New England Eye Center at the Tufts University, Boston, USA. She got her Oncological Ophthalmology degree from the National Cancer
Institute, Javeriana University, Bogota, Colombia Angela Delgado is the President Elect for the Colombian Ophthalmology Society for the 2017 – 2019 term. She is also the Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus Colombian Association (ACOPE) Past President. She was also the Past President of the Pediatric Ophthalmology Latin American Society (SOPLA). She is a Board Memberof the Pan-American Association of Ophtalmology (PAAO) & a Latin American Strabismus Council CLADE Member, in addition to being an American Association of Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus (AAPOS) Member. She is also a Member of the WSPOS Scientific Bureau since 2015.
COLOMBIA
Nicola Freeman
Nicola Freeman
Nicola Freeman works at the Paediatric Ophthalmology Service, Red Cross Children’s Hospital, Cape Town, South Africa. Her special interests include paediatric glaucoma, strabismus, cataract, ROP and Retinoblastoma. Dr. Freeman is currently the President of the South African Society of Paediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus (SASPOS).
SOUTH AFRICA
Meghal Gagrani
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Meghal Gagrani
TBC
USA
Rita Gama
Rita Gama
Rita Gama, MD is the head of Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus department of Hospital da Luz, Lisbon, Portugal.
She has her clinic, Gama Eye Care, in Lisbon and also teaches strabismus surgery in Hospital Beatriz Ângelo, Loures and Hospital de Vila Franca de Xira.
Finished her Ophthalmology Residency in Hospital de São José, Lisbon, in 2002.
Between 2010-2011 she joined as an observer to the Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus department of Moorfields Eye Hospital, in London; and Centro Médico Nacional 20 de Noviembre, in Mexico City, under the supervision of Dr Silvia Moguel.
Between 2011-2012 was the head of the Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus department of the Portuguese Society of Ophthalmology.
Is the author of two books: “Estrabismo para totós”,(Strabismus made ridiculously simple) (2012) and “ABC da diplopia” (ABC of diplopia) (2016) and has participated in several book chapters.
Completed “the diplôme d’universite- Imagerie et pathologie rétinienne by the Faculté de Médicine Paris- Diderot” in 2014-2015, dedicated to retinal pathology and imaging and published several articles about Optical Coherence Tomography in children’s optic disks.
Between 2009 and 2016 organized several courses dedicated to pediatric ophthalmology and strabismus and optical coherence tomography.
As a medium for communication in Medicine, between 2018-2019, Rita was the producer and host of a television show, “Histórias clínicas” (medical history) on a private television channel (Canal S+), on ophthalmology and other medical specialties.
PORTUGAL
Mauro Goldchmit
Mauro Goldchmit
Dr. Goldchmit is a Doctor of Medicine at the São Paulo Federal University at São Paulo, Brazil. He is also a Professor and Chief of the Strabismus Section at the CEMA Hospital at São Paulo, Brazil in addition to being an Executive-Director at the Strabos Institute in São Paulo, Brazil Mauro Goldchmit pursued his undergraduate education at the Santo Amaro Medical School, São
Paulo, Brazil form 1980-1986, followed by a Residency in Ophthalmology at Santa Casa de São Paulo at São Paulo, Brazil from 1987-1989. He then went on to do a Fellowship in Strabismus at the Santa Casa de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil in 1989, followed by Neuro-Ophthalmology Fellowship from São Paulo Federal University, São Paulo, Brazil in 1989. He subsequently went on to do a Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus Fellowship at the Smith-Kettlewell Eye Research Institute, San Francisco, USA in 1990.
Dr. Goldchmit got his Master Degree in Ophthalmology from the São Paulo Federal University, São Paulo, Brazil in 1992, following which he acquired his Doctors Degree in Ophthalmology from the São Paulo Federal University, São Paulo, Brazil in 1997.
He was the President of the Brazilian Strabismological Society from 1997 – 1999 & the President of the Latin American Council of Ophthalmology from 1998 – 2000.
BRAZIL
Darius Hildebrand
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Darius Hildebrand
TBC
Switzerland
Luisa Hopker
Seo Wei Leo
Luisa M. Hopker, MD, PhD, is a pediatric ophthalmologist and strabismus specialist based in Curitiba, Brazil. She completed her residency at Hospital de Clínicas–UFPR and her fellowship and PhD at the Federal University of São Paulo (UNIFESP), where she is currently a postdoctoral researcher. She also received advanced clinical and surgical training in pediatric ophthalmology and strabismus at UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, USA.
Dr. Hopker is a former President of the Brazilian Society of Pediatric Ophthalmology (SBOP) and served as President of the Brazilian Congress of Ophthalmology (CBO 2025), held in Curitiba. She is a preceptor for fellowship training in pediatric ophthalmology and strabismus at the Hospital de Olhos do Paraná.
Her academic and clinical interests include pediatric strabismus, amblyopia, myopia control, retinopathy of prematurity, and innovative strategies for pediatric vision screening in developing countries. She is actively involved in research, education, and international collaboration, and regularly participates as a speaker and faculty member at national and international ophthalmology meetings.
BRAZIL
Jitendra Jethani
Jitendra Jethani
Dr. Jitendra Jethani did his graduation from B. J. Medical College, Ahmedabad in 1999 and then did his DO (2001) following which he did his MS in Ophthalmology from M&J Regional Institute of Ophthalmology, Ahmedabad in 2002.
He did his DNB in 2003. He did his senior residency in strabismus at RIO, Ahmedabad(2003). He did his FNB (Fellow of National Board) (2 year fellowship) in Pediatric Ophthalmology at Aravind
Eye Hospital, Madurai and later joined the hospital as a Medical officer (2006). He did a short term fellowship in Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus from University of Wisconsin, Madison awarded by ICO (2007).
He worked as an Assistant Professor at RIO for 1 ½ years. He was awarded fellow of All India Collegium of Ophthalmology in Pediatric Ophthalmology & Squint (2011). He was Head, Pediatric
Ophthalmology and Strabismus at Dr. Thakorbhai. V. Patel Eye Institute from 2008-2016. He is currently Director of Baroda Children Eyecare and Squint Clinic, a state of art largest and most well equipped facility for exclusive pediatric ophthalmology in the state.
He was Scientific Committee Chairman of All Gujarat Ophthalmological Society (2009-2011). He was Executive member and Editor of Indian Journal of Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus. He was the secretary and President of Baroda Ophthalmic Society.
He has received 6 AIOS awards for original research and 3 state awards and was named Strabismologist of the Year by Strabismus and Pediatric Ophthalmology society of India. He received travel grant from AIOS in 2012. He received travel grant from AAPOS in 2016. He has received awards at the Think under the apple
tree thrice by AIOS. He has to his credit 67 scientific publications in peer reviewed indexed journals with 1100 citations. He has delivered 3 named lectures/ oration and has presented more than 250 scientific presentations.
INDIA
Krista Kelly
Krista Kelly
Dr. Krista Kelly is an Assistant Professor with the School of Optometry and Vision Science at the University of Waterloo.
She earned her PhD in psychology from York University’s Centre for Vision Research and completed a postdoctoral fellowship in pediatric vision at the Retina Foundation of the Southwest in Texas, where she latere served as director of th Vision and Neurodevelopment Lab. Dr. Kelly is interested in how the developing brain is affected by atypical experiences early in life, such as visual deprivation.
Her current research investigates the underlying causes of ocular motor dysfunction, slow reading, and motor impairments in children with common pediatric eye conditions, including amblyopia, strabismus, and cataract. Her research findings will guide the development of more effective screening and interventions to prevent or improve reading and motor issues in children with pediatric eye conditions.
CANADA
Lionel Kowal
Lionel Kowal
Lionel Kowal studied Medicine at the University of Melbourne, and trained in Ophthalmology at the Royal Victorian Eye and Ear Hospital (RVEEH) in Melbourne. He developed a fascination for
strabismus during his training and followed this with a Fellowship at Wills where he was inspired by Joe Calhoun, Bob Reinecke and its rich intellectual climate. He took over the Motility clinic at RVEEH in 1992 from John Norton Taylor; the Ocular Motility Clinic at RVEEH is the largest dedicated strabismus clinic in an academic hospital in Australia and educates local and international residents and Fellows.
Lionel’s interests and publications include visual problems after head injury, the interaction between strabismus and refractive surgery, the assessment and treatment of infantile nystagmus, the
management of complex strabismus, the popularisation of new surgical techniques (e.g. pulley sutures, orbital fixation of extra ocular muscles) and amblyopia treatment options.
He has been a visiting professor and Keynote Speaker at many meetings, including the 2nd Barcelona meeting of WSPOS
AUSTRALIA
Connie Lai
Connie Lai
HONG KONG
Jagrut Lallu
Jagrut Lallu
Jagrut graduated with Honours and a host of undergraduate awards from the University of Auckland in 2009; that same year he began working for Rose Optometry – Home of the Rose K lens, in Hamilton, New Zealand. He has a special interest in irregular cornea, disease and orthokeratology, including Hyperopic, astigmatic and myopia control Ortho-K.
He has relished in learning the art of contact lens fitting from his colleague Paul Rose. In late 2009 he set up the first myopia control clinic in New Zealand devoted to evidence-based methods for management. He has become an owner of Rose Optometry and Innovatus Technology which provides services to practitioners and manufacturers for rigid contact lens design through corneal tomography and topography.
In 2017 he received a Master’s degree with Honours for speciality contact lenses and orthokeratology from the University of Auckland. Specific areas of interest include keratoconus and orthokeratology. He has co-authored a textbook entry for a chapter on corneal topography and has created online virtual learning modules with Deakin University.
He is a clinical Senior Lecturer at the Deakin School of Optometry and is currently publishing on a variety of topics related to Orthokeratology, dry eye, red light therapy and machine learning. In 2023 Jagrut established the New Zealand Eye Research Centre and is the Ambassador for Myopia for both the World Council of Optometry (Asia Pacific) and International Myopia Institute (New Zealand)
New Zealand
Sanna Leinonen
Sanna Leinonen
Sanna Leinonen is a uveitis and glaucoma consultant at Tampere University Hospital, in Finland, where she combines clinical expertise with a strong commitment to clinical research and mentorship. At the Faculty of Medicine of Tampere University, she serves as both an educator and a research mentor, guiding the next generation of ophthalmologists and clinician‑scientists. Her work is shaped by a longstanding interest in pediatric uveitis, rooted in her PhD research on JIA‑associated uveitis, and she continues to advance care and understanding in this challenging subspecialty.
FINLAND
Junhong Li
Junhong Li
Junhong Li is a Professor and Senior Consultant of Shanxi Province Eye Hospital, Shanxi Medical University, China. She is the Medical Director of Shanxi Province Eye Hospital.
Dr. Li has been trained in the pediatric ophthalmology department of Boston Children Hospital, Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children and Singapore National Eye Center. She has a
special interest in strabismus, paediatric cataract and ptosis.
She is a member of the scientific bureau of the World Society of Paediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus (WSPOS) and a Committee Member of Ophthalmology Branch of the Chinese
Medical Association (CMA).
CHINA
Rozalina Loebis
Rozalina Loebis
Indonesia
Jyoti Matalia
Jyoti Matalia
She underwent fellowship training in her speciality at L.V. Prasad Eye Institute, Hyderabad, India and completed her ICO fellowship at the Wilmer Eye Institute, John Hopkins Hospital, USA. She is a Volunteer Faculty of ORBIS International to teach and train ophthalmologists in developing countries.
She was in charge of postgraduate training at her institute and runs fellowship programs in Pediatric ophthalmology, Strabismus & Neuro-ophthalmology, and has trained more than 45 fellows to date.
She has more than 70 publications in peer-reviewed national and international journals & 10 book chapters to her credit. She has presented more than 350 lectures at conferences in India and abroad, apart from virtually delivering over 50 lectures in webinars. She has won 20 awards at several national and international conferences, like AAO, ESCRS, AIOS, and WSPOS.
INDIA
Heba Metwally
Heba Metwally
– The head of Memorial Institute Kids Eye Hospital ( MIKE ), Egypt.
– Head of pediatric ophthalmology & strabismus department in memorial institute for ophthalmic research , MIOR Egypt.
– Consultant pediatric ophthalmology , pediatric cataract and adult strabismus.
– Associate Professor of ophthalmology , MIOR
– Board member of the Egyptian Strabismological Society ( ESS )
– Board member of the Middle East Academy for ophthalmology meetings ( MEOM)
Interested in adult and pediatric strabismus , pediatric cataract . nystagmus and pediatric neuro-ophthalmology
EGYPT
Daniel Mojon
Daniel Mojon
Daniel Mojon is the Director of the Airport Medical Center Eye Clinic, Zürich Airport, Switzerland. He also has a Private Practice in Heiden and St. Gallen, Switzerland. He is also Professor of
Ophthalmology at the University of Bern, Switzerland in addition to being a Consultant at the Kepler University Eye Clinic, Linz, Austria.
Dr. Mojon Graduated from the University of Bern, Switzerland in 1988, following which he pursued an MD Thesis in 1990. He then did his Residency in Ophthalmology, University Eye Clinc Bern,
Switzerland from 1992 – 1994. In 1994 Dr. Mojon pursued a Fellowship in Clinical NeuroOphthalmology and Molecular Genetics at the Columbia Presbyterian Medical Center, New York. He then became Head of the Glaucoma Unit and Dept. of Strabismology and NeuroOphthalmology, University Eye Clinc Bern, Switzerland in 1996. He held office till 1999, following which he became the Head Dept. of Strabismology and Neuro-Ophthalmology, Kantonsspital St. Gallen, Switzerland from 1999 – 2012.
SWITZERLAND
Annegret Dahlmann-Noor
Annegret Dahlmann-Noor
Annegret Dahlmann-Noor is a professor for children’s eye health at University College
London.
She is interested in finding out more about the eye health in children and young people, so clinicians can plan services better, and so that future research projects meet the needs of young people. At the moment, little is known about how the environment affects the development of eyes and vision, and this project will help us prepare a much larger, UK- wide study.
UK
Preeti Patil
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Preeti Patil
TBC
USA
Jose Fernando Perez Perez
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Jose Fernando Perez Perez
TBC
Mexico
Zahra Rashid
Zahra Rashid
She has practised for 25 years and has established a hospital-based clinic that provides specialised optometry services, including paediatric contact lenses, orthoptics, low vision, and scleral contact lenses. She is passionate about preventing the development of keratoconus and halting its progression.
KENYA
Ali Abdul Razzaq
Ali Abdul Razzaq
Dr. Ali Abdul Razzaq Mahmood Al-Mafrachi is a senior ophthalmic surgeon for 20 years with an extensive academic and scientific career in pediatric ophthalmology and strabismus for more than 15 years. Since 2022, he has been practicing in Dubai, currently as a Pediatric Ophthalmology Consultant at Dr. Sulaiman Al-Habib Hospital and Medical Center. He holds FRCS (Ophth) Glasgow, FIBMS (Ophth) and DiSSO-ESASO.
Dr. Al-Mafrachi has made major academic contributions as an Arab and Iraqi Board trainer, supervisor, and examiner, and previously led key departments at Ibn Al-Haitham Teaching Eye Hospital in Baghdad / Iraq. He pioneered national programs for Retinopathy of Prematurity and Retinoblastoma in Iraq and remains an active international speaker and researcher with multiple peer-reviewed publications and book chapters in pediatric ophthalmology.
UAE
Matthieu Robert
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Matthieu Robert
TBC
France
Alexia Romanelli
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Alexia Romanelli
TBC
Bolivia
Julia Rossetto
Julia Rossetto
Julia Rossetto is former President of the Brazilian Society of Pediatric Ophthalmology (SBOP)
Professor of Postgraduate Studies at IPPMG/UFRJ
Specialist in Strabismus and Pediatric Ophthalmology – UNIFESP
Specialist in Ocular and Palpebral Plastic Surgery – UNIFESP
P in Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences – UNIFESP
Fellowship in Strabismus and Pediatric Ophthalmology – Bascom Palmer Eye Institute – USA
BRAZIL
Carla Saavedra
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Carla Saavedra
TBC
Bolivia
Daniel Salchow
Daniel Salchow
Daniel Salchow is Professor of Ophthalmology & is the Director of the section for Pediatric Ophthalmology, Strabismus and Neuroophthalmology at the Department of Ophthalmology,
Charité-University Medicine Berlin, Germany. He cares for children with all types of vision and eye problems. Dr. Salchow received his M.D. degree from the University of Lübeck Medical School in Germany and trained at Lenox Hill Hospital, New York City (internship), the Edward S. Harkness Eye Institute, Columbia University, New York (residency), and Children’s National Medical Center, Washington, DC (fellowship). From 2007 – 2012, Dr. Salchow was the director of pediatric ophthalmology and strabismus service at the Department of Ophthalmology of Yale University in New Haven, CT.
Dr. Salchow is a board-certified ophthalmologist in the USA and Germany. His areas of special clinical interest and expertise include cataracts in children (including complex cases such as
dislocated lenses in Marfan syndrome) and the correction of strabismus in children and adults. His research focuses on the use of optical coherence tomography (OCT) for children’s eye problems, the treatment of strabismus and the prophylaxis of after-cataract in children.
Dr. Salchow has published numerous scientific articles, several book chapters, an onlinechapter on strabismus and has given many invited lectures internationally. He received the “Excellence in Teaching Award” of the Yale Ophthalmology Residency program in 2009.
GERMANY
Rohit Saxena
Rohit Saxena
He is founder and general secretary of Indian Neuro-Ophthalmology Society. He serves as the member secretary of the AIIMS Institutional Ethics Committee and as a subject expert committee member in Ophthalmology for the Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI), where he contributes to the approval and regulatory oversight of ophthalmic drugs and devices In India.
INDIA
Massimiliano Serafino
Massimiliano Serafino
r Massimiliano Serafino, also known as Max, is the Head of Ophthalmology Unit at Giannina Gaslini Institute – Children’s Hospital in Genoa, Italy. He teaches Strabismus at Ophthalmology Residency at University of Milan.
Dr Serafino completed his Ophthalmology residency at San Paolo Hospital in Milan, Italy. He completed his fellowship in Pediatric Ophthalmology and Adult Strabismus in 2002 at Storm Eye Institute in Charleston, South Carolina, USA and his observership in Genetics and Pediatric Glaucoma in 2012 at Wills Eye Hospital in Philadelphia, USA.
He was European Board Ophthalmology examinator in May 2019.
Dr Serafino has authored publications in various peer-reviewed journals and published many book chapters in the field of pediatric ophthalmology and strabismus. He also has many abstracts, reviews and invited lectures at various international and national meetings. He currently serves as a reviewer for multiple journals.
Now, he lives in Genoa with his wife Monica and his two lovely dogs.
Dr. Delgado acquired her MD degree from the Rosario University at Bogota, Colombia & her Ophthalmology degree from Barraquer Institute of America, Bogota, Colombia. She then went on to
pursue Pediatric Ophthalmology as a Sub-specialty at the New England Eye Center at the Tufts University, Boston, USA. She got her Oncological Ophthalmology degree from the National Cancer
Institute, Javeriana University, Bogota, Colombia Angela Delgado is the President Elect for the Colombian Ophthalmology Society for the 2017 – 2019 term. She is also the Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus Colombian Association (ACOPE) Past President. She was also the Past President of the Pediatric Ophthalmology Latin American Society (SOPLA). She is a Board Memberof the Pan-American Association of Ophtalmology (PAAO) & a Latin American Strabismus Council CLADE Member, in addition to being an American Association of Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus (AAPOS) Member. She is also a Member of the WSPOS Scientific Bureau since 2015.
ITALY
Gorka Sesma
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Gorka Sesma
TBC
SAUDI ARABIA
Jenil Sheth
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Jenil Sheth
TBC
India
Sarah Sitati
Sarah Sitati
Following her training in Ophthalmology in Kenya, she pursued subspecialty training in Paediatric ophthalmology and strabismus, equipping her with advanced skills in the diagnosis, surgical management, and long-term care of childhood eye diseases. Over the course of her career, Dr. Sitati has been actively involved in strengthening paediatric eye care services regionally. She has contributed to the development of care pathways for children with conditions such as retinopathy of prematurity, congenital
KENYA
Yi Ning Strube
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Yi Ning Strube
TBC
Canada
Jaspreet Sukjija
Jaspreet Sukjija
Dr Jaspreet Sukhija is Professor of Pediatric Ophthalmology,
Strabismus, and Neuro-Ophthalmology with over 18 years of
experience at Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and
Research, Chandigarh, India, which is one of the country’s largest
tertiary care centres. He has presented and won accolades for his
research in Pediatric Ophthalmology at both national and
international meetings and has been invited as a speaker and guest
faculty at various conferences. He has published more than 150
articles in reputed indexed journals and holds an H-index of 22. He
has improvised the techniques for cataract surgery in children in
simple and complex cases. His other areas of interest include myopia
in children, complex strabismus, and imaging in pediatric cataract.
Additionally, he serves as an editorial board member of international
and national journals, and is a member of international and national
scientific committees. He enjoys listening to music in his free time
and tries not to miss his badminton game.
INDIA
Chimozi Tembo
Chimozi Tembo
ZAMBIA
Shailja Tibrewal
Shailja Tibrewal
INDIA
Virginia (Ginny) Utz
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Virginia (Ginny) Utz
TBC
USA
Federico Velez
Federico Velez
Dr. Federico G. Velez is the Leonard Apt Endowed Chair in Pediatric Ophthalmology, Professor
of Clinical Ophthalmology in the Division of Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus, Department of Ophthalmology, Stein Eye Institute and Doheny Eye Institute at the David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA).
Dr. Velez serves as Executive Secretary of the Latin American Council of Strabismus CLADE,
Medical Editor of the World Society of Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus Newsletter, and
Chair of the Colombian Society of Ophthalmology Abroad Members Committee. He is
Associate Editor of the European Journal of Ophthalmology and formerly served as Associate
Editor for the Journal of the American Association for Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus (AAPOS).
His professional leadership includes roles as Chair of the Pediatric Ophthalmology and
Strabismus Subcommittee for the American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO) Annual
Meeting Program Committee, and membership on multiple AAO and AAPOS committees
focused on adult strabismus, education, and clinical guidelines.
At UCLA, Dr. Velez chairs the Pathway to Vision Science and Ophthalmology Award
Committee and serves on both the Residency Selection Committee and the Pediatric
Ophthalmology Fellowship Selection Committee.
Dr. Velez has delivered more than 500 national and international lectures, including seven
named lectures and over 50 keynote presentations. He has published more than 250 scientific
publications, including 140 peer-reviewed articles, 12 book chapters, and 130 abstracts. His
research encompasses a wide range of topics, including the mechanisms and treatment of
strabismus, amblyopia therapies, thyroid eye disease, artificial muscle stimulation,
the application of plasma rich in growth factor (PRGF) to reduce ocular fibrosis, and corneal
sensitivity in pediatric populations.
Dr. Velez has pioneered several surgical techniques for managing complex strabismus,
including paralytic, traumatic, and secondary to ocular procedures, and has contributed to the development of surgical guidelines for these challenging conditions. His contributions to education and ophthalmology have been recognized with numerous honors, including the UCLA Jules Stein Eye Institute Best Teacher Award, AAO and AAPOS Achievement and Senior Achievement Awards, and the Journal of AAPOS Outstanding Peer Reviewer Award.
USA
Dongsheng Yang
Dongsheng Yang
Dr. Yang received his Master degree in Ophthalmology at Qingdao Medical university and his PhD on ocular motility at Institute of Physiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences. He did his post-doc research on ocular motility at National Eye Institute of NIH in USA.
He continued his research on ocular motor disorders at Ohio state University, University of Pittsburgh, and Northeast Ohio medical university. Now he practices as a pediatric ophthalmologist in Aier eye hospital group which has more than 800 hospitals and eye clinics over the world. He focuses on the treatment and research of nystagmus, strabismus and vision rehabilitation for children. He is the director of Aier vision rehabilitation institute and vice dean of Aier children’s eye center.
CHINA
Muhammad Younis
Muhammad Younis
Muhammad Younis is a graduate of the American University of Beirut (AUB) where he received his BS in biology followed by his MD in 1989. He then completed his residency in ophthalmology at the same institution. He pursued a two year fellowship training In Pediatric Ophthalmology and Adult Strabismus at the Moorfields Eye Hospital and Hospital for Sick Children, University College London, England. He also underwent a rotation in an academic post as a Specialist senior registrar at the Saint James University Hospital and Leeds General Infirmary, North England for more than two years. Dr. Younis returned to Beirut, Lebanon in 1998. In addition to his private practice, he is currently Cochair of the Eye department at Rafic Hariri University Hospital and head of Pediatric Ophthalmology & Strabismus service and director of the teaching program. He is also a Consultant Ophthalmic Surgeon at the eye department, American University of Beirut, Medical Center and the eye department at University Medical Center, Rizk Hospital, Lebanese American University where he is involved in teaching residents and medical students with special interest in Pediatric Ophthalmology & Strabismus.
Muhammad is the Past President of the Lebanese Ophthalmological Society (2009-2011) and has been a National Board Member of Middle East African Council of Ophthalmology (MEACO) from
2006-2011. He is a fellow of the American College of Surgeons (ACS) where he is currently general secretary of the Lebanese Chapter. He is a member in good standing of the International Strabismological Association (ISA) since 1998, a member of the American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO), a member of the American Association of Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus (AAPOS) and a Iinternational Board Member of the ISPOC. He is a member of the Scientific Committee of the World Society of Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus (WSPOS) since 2010.
Dr. Younis has organized and actively participated (as invited speaker) in many national, regional and international scientific meetings. He has authored many publications in various peer-reviewed journals and he is also a reviewer for the European Journal of Ophthalmology. He is actively involved in teaching & has a clinical interest in the field of strabismus and Botulinum
toxin, pediatric cataracts, amblyopia treatment and vision screening.
LEBANON
WSPOS Ethics Bureau
Click image to view bio/details
Alex Levin
Chair
Alen Levin
Dr. Alex V. Levin; MD, MHSc, FAAP, FAAO, FRCSC completed a pediatric residency at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia and an ophthalmology residency at Wills Eye Hospital in
Philadelphia, followed by a pediatric ophthalmology fellowship at The Hospital for Sick Children. He is currently the Chief of Pediatric Ophthalmology and Ocular Genetics, Robison D. Harley, MD Endowed Chair in Pediatric Ophthalmology and Ocular Genetics, at Wills Eye Institute in Philadelphia. He completed his MHSc in Bioethics at the University of Toronto Joint Centre for Bioethics and was the Director of Postgraduate Bioethics Education at the University of Toronto for many years. He has been teaching bioethics for over 20 years and was one of the organizers, along with Dr. George Spaeth, of perhaps the first ophthalmology resident ethics course in North America in the 1980’s. He co-directs the Halifax Symposium on Ophthalmology Ethics. His areas of bioethics interest include child abuse research ethics, interactions with medical industry, surgical innovation, medical error disclosure, and the role of trainees in patient care.
USA
Adedayo Omobolanle Adio
Dr. Adedayo Omobolanle
Dr. Adedayo Omobolanle Adio completed an ophthalmology residency in West Africa and National fellowships at the University College Hospital Ibadan, Nigeria followed by a paediatric ophthalmology fellowship at The Jasti V Ramanamma Children’s Eye care Centre, L. V. Prasad Eye Institute, Hyderabad, India. Dr. Adio is currently the Head of Paediatric Ophthalmology clinic, at the University of Port Harcourt teaching hospital, Port Harcourt, Rivers state, Nigeria as well as a Senior lecturer in the University of Port Harcourt, Nigeria. She is the recipient of the prestigious 2014 AAPOS / children eye foundation travel grant. She was a former Residency training director of Ophthalmology, University of Port Harcourt teaching hospital for many years and has been teaching and examining both final year medical students and residents in ophthalmology for up to 20 years.
As the former head of department of Ophthalmology, she was responsible for starting subspecialty units in the department. All the subspecialty consultants in the department were encouraged to undertake subspecialty training, thus making the department one of the most progressive teaching hospitals. Dr. Adio has played numerous roles in molding the profession and continues to do so in her additional role as the Secretary General of the Nigerian Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus Society (OSN NIPOSS) mentoring upcoming specialists in these area and other areas. Her chief areas of interest are Paediatric cataract, strabismus and targeted rehabilitation of the irreversibly blind. She is a volunteer ophthalmologist at the TLEC rehabilitation center for the Blind in Port Harcourt, Nigeria; where she teaches Braille and activities of daily living to these groups of people. She is perhaps the first ophthalmologist in Nigeria to set up such a center.
She is also the coordinator for the Prevention of Blindness committee in Rivers state where she lives. She is actively involved in organizing numerous medical and cataract surgical camps to aid the poor in the society. She has authored and co-authored over 50 peer-reviewed publications and continues to write articles for scientific journals. She is married and has three boys.
NIGERIA
Glen Gole
Glen Gole
Dr. Glen A Gole, MBBS, MD (res), FRANZCO Dr. Gole is Director of Ophthalmology at Queensland Children’s Hospital, Brisbane, Australia where he is also Professor of Ophthalmology in the Discipline of Paediatrics and Child Health of the University of Queensland. He completed Medical School at the University of NSW in Sydney in 1972 and trained in Ophthalmology under Professor Fred Hollows at the Prince of Wales Hospital in Sydney from 1975-9. His research MD on oxygen-induced retinopathy in animal models was awarded in 1989. He completed a Paediatric Ophthalmology Fellowship at the University of Iowa in the USA in 1984 and was on the staff of Children’s Hospital of Philadephia in 1989. He has practiced in Brisbane, Australia since 1990. His research interests include retinopathy of prematurity, strabismus surgery and animal models of glaucoma. He has published over 100 papers and several book chapters.
AUSTRALIA
Daniela-Eleonora Cioplean
Daniela-Eleonora Cioplean
Place of work and job title: Ophthalmology Clinic Oftapro, Bucharest, Romania Ophthalmologist,
MD; Head of Strabismus and Pediatric Ophthalmology Department since 1998
Birth date: 18.04.1964
Birth place: Dej, Cluj County, Romania
Studies: The University of Medicine and Pharmacy “Iuliu Hatieganu”, Cluj-Napoca, Romania
Year of Graduation: 1988
Ophthalmologist since 1994
Statement of expertise : Over 20 years of professional experience in Strabismus and General Pediatric Ophthalmology, Surgical : more than 7000 surgeries mostly strabismus; 25 published papers; Partner and Mentor in Cyber-Sight programme since 2000; Former President and CoFounder of Romanian Society of Strabismus and Pediatric Ophthalmology; Member of : ESA (European Strabismological Association), ISA (International Strabismological Associaton), AAPOS (American Association of Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus); Current Editor of ESA; Representative of Romanian Society of Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus in ICPOS (International Council of Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus); Other activities: speaker, course coordinator, chair, local organizer in important meetings such as: ESA Meetings, ISA Meetings, WOC, WCPOS, AAPOS, SOE and National Meetings.
ROMANIA
Clement Tham
Clement Tham
Dr. Clement C. Y. Tham
Institution/Organization: The Chinese University of Hong Kong Clement C.Y. Tham is Chairman and S.H. Ho Professor of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences at The Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK), and Honorary Chief-of-Service of Hong Kong Eye Hospital. Prof. Tham is the Secretary-General of Asia-Pacific Academy of Ophthalmology (APAO), and the Vice President of the Asia-Pacific Glaucoma Society (APGS). He is a Member of the Board of Directors of the International Council of Ophthalmology (ICO), and a Member of the Global Advisors Committee of the American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO). Prof. Tham was the Congress President and Chair of the Organizing Committee of the 2nd Asia-Pacific Glaucoma Congress (APGC) 2014 in Hong Kong, and the Chair of the Scientific Program Committees of the 27th APAO Congress 2012 Busan, the 28th APAO Congress 2013 Hyderabad, the Inaugural Asia-Pacific Glaucoma Congress 2012 Bali, the World Ophthalmology Congress 2016 in Mexico, and the World Ophthalmology Congress 2018 in Barcelona. He is the Congress Vice President the 21st Congress of The Chinese Ophthalmological Society (21st CCOS) 2016 in Suzhou. Prof. Tham was awarded the inaugural Nakajima Award by the APAO, and the Ten Outstanding Young Persons Award in Hong Kong, in 2005. He received the APAO Outstanding Service in Prevention of Blindness Award in 2011, and the APAO Distinguished Service Award in 2013. Prof. Tham presented the Holmes Award Lecture and the De Ocampo Award Lecture at the APAO Congresses in 2013 and 2015, respectively.
HONG KONG
Mohamad Jaafar
Mohamad Jaafar
Dr. Mohamad S. Jaafar completed his BS, MD and ophthalmology residency at the American University of Beirut, Lebanon. He then pursued fellowships in Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus at Boston Children’s Hospital and Baylor College of Medicine. In 1983, he established the Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus Service at the King Khaled Eye Specialist Hospital in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, and joined Children’s National Health System, Washington, DC, in 1986. Dr Jaafar is currently Professor of Ophthalmology and Pediatrics at the George Washington University and the Weinstein Professor of Ophthalmology and Chief of Ophthalmology at Children’s National. Dr Jaafar is a member of the Board of Directors of the Children’s Eye Foundation, the American Association for Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus, the Prevention of Blindness Society and the Aid Association for the Blind of the District of Columbia, and of numerous other national and international professional societies. He published on various topics and is the recipient of numerous prestigious professional and teaching awards.
USA
Arif Khan
Arif Khan
Dr. Arif O. Khan MD is Section Head of Pediatric Ophthalmology, Director of the Center for Genetic Eye Disease, and Professor of Ophthalmology at the Eye Institute of Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi. Prior to joining Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi, Dr. Khan served as Senior Academic Consultant in the Division of Pediatric Ophthalmology at King Khaled Eye Specialist Hospital from 2007-2015. He was also Senior Scientist, Department of Genetics, at King Faisal Specialist Hospital & Research Center, during the same time period. Dr. Khan completed his residency in Ophthalmology at the
Mount Sinai Medical Center in New York City and his fellowship in Pediatric Ophthalmology & Strabismus at Children’s Hospital Medical Center in Cincinnati, Ohio.
Before he and his family moved to the Middle East in 2002, he had been in private practice on Long Island, New York.
Dr. Khan’s clinical and research interests are the management and genetics of ocular developmental disorders and strabismus. He is a frequent presenter at international ophthalmology meetings, having given more than 250 invited presentations. He authored over 270 scientific publications, with his most notable contributions being in phenotype-genotype correlations.
Dr. Khan has served on the Editorial Board of the journal Ophthalmic Genetics since 2009. In addition, he has served on the Editorial Board of the Journal of AAPOS from 2010-2014 and has been Associate Editor of the journal since 2014. Dr. Khan received the American Academy of Ophthalmology Honor award in 2011 and the AAPOS Honor award in 2015. He was elected to the American Ophthalmological Society in 2015. Dr. Khan is International Consultant for the American Academy of Ophthalmology Basic and Clinical Science Series Part 6 (Pediatric Ophthalmology and
Strabismus) for the period 2015-2018.
ABU DHABI
Hana Leiba
Hana Leiba
Dr. Hana Leiba Dr. Hana Leiba, MD; is the Head of the department of Opthalmology at the Kaplan Medical Center, Rehovot, which is affiliated to the Hebrew University at Jerusalem, Israel. Dr. Leiba was born and raised in Israel. She graduated medical school in the Hebrew University in Jerusalem. After a residency in Ophthalmology at the Kaplan Medical Center, that is affiliated to the Hebrew University she was a fellow in pediatric ophthalmology and neuro-ophthalmology at Bascom Palmer Eye Institute in Miami USA. Dr. Leiba is currently a professor in the Hebrew University, the head of the ophthalmology department in the faculty of medicine and the head of the department of Ophthalmology at the Kaplan Medical Center in Rehovot, Israel. For the last 7 years she has served as the head of the monitoring committee for clinical research in our hospital.
ISRAEL
Mario Zanolli
Mario Zanolli
Dr. Mario Zanolli is a staff member of Clínica Alemana de Santiago and Hospital de niños Roberto del Río in Chile. Dr. Zanolli graduated medical school from Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, and completed an ophthalmic pediatric residency at Fundación Oftalmológica Los Andes. He completed an ocular genetics fellowship program at Wills Eye Hospital. Dr. Zanolli is interested in genetic eye disorders in adults and children, retinopathy of prematurity, retinoblastoma, childhood cataract, childhood glaucoma, childhood uveitis, ethics and literature. Dr. Zanolli has published several articles in the ophthalmic pediatric peer-reviewed journals.
CHILE
Meenakshi Swaminathan
Meenakshi Swaminathan
Dr. Meenakshi Swaminathan did her residency from the PGIMER, Chandigarh and the University of Louisville, Kentucky. She did her fellowship in Pediatric Ophthalmology at the University of Iowa. She works at Sankara Nethralaya, Chennai, India, which is a tertiary care teaching hospital which trains residents and fellows. She is also the Director of Academics for over a decade. She has been working with the ICO in conducting several Teachers in Ophthalmology programs both in India and other countries.
INDIA
Wagih Aclimandos
Wagih Aclimandos
Dr. Wagih Aclimandos Dr. Wagih Aclimandos; MB, BCh, FRCS, FRCOphth, DO, FEBO; completed his medical training in Egypt and his Ophthalmology training in the UK. He was a Resident at the Moorfields Eye Hospital from 1985 to 1989 and a Joint Senior Registrar at Moorfields, Queen Square and King’s College from 1987 to 1992. Since 1992, he has been a Consultant Ophthalmic Surgeon and Lead Clinician for Paediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus at King’s College, London.
Dr. Aclimandos is the past President of the Royal Society of Medicine (Ophthalmic section). He is actively involved with training and exams in the UK and in Europe. He was the President of the European Board of Ophthalmology (2010/11).
UK
WSPOS Connectivity Bureau
Click image to view bio/details
Amgad A. Eldib
Amgad A. Eldib
I am originally from Egypt but grew up in and travelled to several parts of the world with my father including the United States of America, Israel, Zambia, and Egypt. My Primary education was mostly evenly distributed between Israel, USA, and Egypt. My IGCSE was completed in the International School of Lusaka, Zambia.
I Studied Medicine and graduated from the School of Medicine, Cairo University, Cairo, Egypt. This is the largest and the most prestigious University in Egypt. I graduated in the top 5% of my class in 2010. I then joined the Research Institute of Ophthalmology in Cairo, Egypt, where I completed my ophthalmology residency training in 2014. During that same time, I also received my master’s degree in Ophthalmology from Al-Azhar University in Cairo, Egypt.
My interest in paediatric Ophthalmology started during my residency and joined the fellowship program at the Research Institute of Ophthalmology after spending a period of time as a Senior Registrar at the same Institute. I eventually left Egypt in 2018 after completing my USMLE examination and moved with my wife and children to the United States.
In 2018, I started my journey in the United States as a Paediatric Ophthalmology fellow, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia. This was then followed by another fellowship year spent in the Paediatric ophthalmology department at the UPMC Children’s hospital of Pittsburgh lead by Dr. Kanwal Nischal “Dr. Ken Nischal”. During my year there I also completed my Fellowship of the Royal College of Surgeons (FRCS – Glasgow).
In August of 2020, I was very fortunate to join the UPMC Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh Paediatric Ophthalmology division as a faculty member. I am currently an Assistant professor and subspecialized in Paediatric Glaucoma in addition to general paediatric ophthalmology.
USA
Asimina Mataftsi
Asimina Mataftsi
Asimina is an associate professor in Paediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus in Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Greece.
She was born and raised in Thessaloniki and trained in Ophthalmology at Jules Gonin Eye Hospital in Lausanne, Switzerland, and at the Surrey rotation, London, U.K. She completed her PhD in Lausanne University and Master’s diploma in Strabismus at Nantes University, France. She undertook fellowships at St Helier’s University Hospital and at Great Ormond Street Hospital in London. After these amazing training experiences, she went back to Thessaloniki to work at Aristotle University as part of faculty. She is based at a busy tertiary hospital where she runs a general paediatric ophthalmology clinic, operates on cataracts, takes care of preterm infants and performs treatment for ROP for all northern Greece. She is passionate about training juniors and learning through teaching, implementing change for public health, and conducting research that may make a difference.
GREECE
Claudia Polo
Claudia Polo
Claudia is a specialist in Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus from Buenos Aires Argentina.
She started her training in 1996, at Hospital P. Piñero in the ophthalmology residency, under the command of her mentor, Dr. Nélida Melek, who inspired her to increase her knowledge of Strabismus in children and adults.
She then pursued a fellowship in children’s ophthalmology and ROP at the Hospital Pediatric Juan P. Garrahan.
Claudia completed her training with a career as a University Specialist in Ophthalmology at the University of Salvador and a career in Children’s Ophthalmology at the Argentine Catholic University.
She is currently working at an ROP reference in the neonatology sector of the P. Piñero Hospital where she is in charge of the control of premature and high-risk newborns.
Claudia also works in a private practice where she is working the clinical and surgical part of her specialty.
For 5 years she has been a co-director of the Annual Strabismus Course, an advanced course for ophthalmologists.
Claudia is interested in promoting and protecting children’s visual health and stimulating the learning of ophthalmologists interested in Strabismus, a challenging subspecialty.
ARGENTINA
Fatema Rajab
Fatema Rajab
Dr Fatema M. Bin Rajab is from Bahrain. She graduated from the School of Medicine at the Arabian Gulf University among the top ten. During medical school she was an active member of IFMSA (International Federation of Medical Student Association) and was the first National Officer on Research Exchange for the IFMSA in her country. She was also an active educator of Worldwide Junior Achievement (JA) – INJAZ Bahrain.
She completed her ophthalmology residency in the largest ophthalmic unit in the country at Salmaniya Medical Complex and gained the Arab Board in Ophthalmology.
She did her fellowship in Pediatric ophthalmology, Strabismus and Neuro-ophthalmology at LV Prasad Eye Institute in Hyderabad – India in the year 2019-2020.
At current she is a Pediatric Ophthalmologist based in Bahrain. She is also at current a major participant in ROP screening in the country. She is very passionate about teaching, so she is now a member of residents training committee, and a tutor in family master program at Arabian Gulf University.
Her areas of specialty interest include complex strabismus and anterior segment disease.
UK
Ian Clark
Ian Clark
I studied medicine in the UK at Cambridge University then went on to complete my ophthalmology training in and around Birmingham. After a fellowship in paediatric ophthalmology and strabismus in the Birmingham Children’s Hospital, I travelled to the Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto, Canada, to complete a second fellowship in the same field.
I returned to Canada to take a faculty position as an Assistant Professor at the University of Manitoba working in the Winnipeg Children’s Hospital. Shortly after arriving I was appointed as the Program Director of our reinvigorated ophthalmology residency program. The program has gone from strength to strength and I have enjoyed the challenges and joys of that role for 12 years. I have been actively involved in specialty medical education at the national level at the Royal College of Physician and Surgeons of Canada where I currently chair the Program Director’s group.
I have always been a huge advocate and supporter of orthoptics. I have been honoured to serve in many roles on the American Orthoptic Council and the Canadian Orthoptic Council, including as an examiner and COC President and Secretary Treasurer.
CANADA
Kateryna Fedchuk
Kateryna Fedchuk
Kateryna is a pediatric ophthalmologist (certified as a high category specialist) from Kyiv Ukraine.
She was born in a beautiful town of Ternopil. Is a graduate of Ternopil State Medical University.
Kateryna had her internship in National Medical Academy of Postgraduate Education in Kyiv.
She works as a pediatric ophthalmologist in National Children Specialized Hospital “Okhmatdyt”, Kyiv, Ukraine since 2007.
Her main topics of interest are ROP, pediatric retina, NLDO, strabismus, refractive errors.
Dr. Fedchuk dedicates a lot of afford for ROP, has taught ROP specialists, fights for prophylaxis, operates on more than 100 ROP surgeries annually & has done over 1000 cases.
Kateryna was lucky to have Dr. Lurii Barinov as a mentor.
She has undergone observerships at LVPEI, Hyderabad, India (Dr. Subhadra Jalali), Ospedale Luigi Sacco, Milan, Italy (Prof. Giovanni Staurenghi) & Ospedale Niguarda Ca’ Granda, Milan, Italy (Dr.Elena Piozzi).
Kateryna is in love with learning, teaching and fighting for better vision.
UKRAINE
Kianti Raisa Darusman
Kianti Raisa Darusman
Kianti graduated general ophthalmology training in 2008 from University of Indonesia
She then underwent a 1-year clinical fellowship in Paediatric Ophthalmology & Strabismus, National University Hospital, Singapore under Dr. Inez Wong and Dr. Sonal Farzavandi (2010-2011)
Kianti set up a Paediatric Ophthalmology-based clinic and ROP screening in a private general hospital in suburban area in South Tangerang, Greater Jakarta, Indonesia since 2011
She graduated with a Masters in Medical Science in Vision and Strabismus from University of Sheffield, UK in 2018 through a distance-learning program to support her clinical knowledge in a country where the orthoptist profession was unheard of.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Kianti set up a drive-thru eye screening examination for children aged 4 – 17 in a parking space in the hospital she works at, using a portable Snellen chart and portable autorefractor.
Her main interests are ROP screening, paediatric eye screening, myopia prevention and progression intervention (mostly because these are the cases she sees the most).
INDONESIA
Maria Concepcion Guirao Navarro
Maria Concepcion Guirao Navarro
Education:
Ophthalmology Residency Training Programme | Clinica Universidad De Navarra. Spain
Subspecialty Fellowship Training With Emphasis On Paediatric Glaucoma | Oxford University Hospital
Phd | Universidad De Navarra (Completion Date Feb 2021)
Masters | Universidad De Alcalá. Madrid.
Master And Bachelor Degree In Medicine | Universidad Complutense De Madrid.
Teaching Experience:
University Lecturer | Universidad De Navarra
Co-Supervisor Of Undergraduate Students Degree Thesis | Universidad De Navarra
Co-Founder Of “International Ophthalmology Exchange Of Ideas Teaching”
Research:
Co-Leading Research Projects | Oxford University Hospital
Sub investigator In 20+ Clinical Trials | Universidad De Navarra | Oxford University Hospital
Author Of Articles And Book Chapters
Speaker In 20+ Congresses (National And International)
SPAIN
Parth Shah
Parth Shah
Dr. Parth Shah is an ophthalmologist based in Sydney, Australia and is a Fellow of the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Ophthalmologists.
He has specialised expertise in adult cataract surgery, complex strabismus and paediatric eye disorders.
Dr. Shah completed prestigious surgical fellowships in the U.K. (Birmingham, Cheltenham & Oxford) and the U.S.A. (Pittsburgh).
He has worked with world leading ophthalmologists and refined his surgical skills using new techniques and cutting-edge technology.
Over the course of his career, Dr. Shah has received numerous awards and scholarships, published widely in peer-reviewed literature and has been invited to deliver lectures at international ophthalmology meetings.
Dr. Shah is passionate about medical education and has been involved in teaching throughout his professional life.
He is a Clinical Lecturer at The University of Sydney and teaches eye surgery at several public hospitals including Prince of Wales Hospital, Sydney Children’s Hospital Randwick & The Sutherland Hospital.
Visit https://www.drparthshah.com.au for more
AUSTRALIA
Savleen Kaur
Savleen Kaur
She is currently working as an Assistant professor in the Department of Ophthalmology (Advanced Eye Centre), Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER) Chandigarh, India.
She completed her training in Ophthalmology from University of Delhi in 2011 and her senior residency from PGIMER Chandigarh, India with more than 8 years of teaching experience.
She is an ICO Fellow, she was a visiting fellow at the Jules Stein Eye Institute, University of California, as well as Fellow All India Collegium of Ophthalmology with specialization in Pediatric Ophthalmology and strabismus
She has over 70 indexed papers in per reviewed journals to her credit with over 30 invited speaker sessions in national and international congresses
Her key areas of interest include strabismus surgery, imaging in Strabismus, refractive errors in ROP and ocular genetics.
She has several national awards to her credit and is a forerunner of resident and youth activities for promoting pediatric ophthalmology as a career.
INDIA
WSPOS Global Consult Bureau
Click image to view bio/details
Kimberley Tan
Chair Global Consult Bureau
Kimberley Tan
Dr. Kimberley Tan; BSc (Med), MBBS, FRANZCO trained in Ophthalmology at the Royal Victorian Eye and Ear Hospital,
Melbourne. He then undertook fellowships in Cheltenham, UK & at the British Columbia Children’s Hospital,
Vancouver. He has been the Head of the Department of Ophthalmology at the Sydney Children’s Hospital since 2009
and runs the Neuro-ophthalmology and Adult Strabismus clinic at Royal North Shore Hospital, Sydney. He is a Senior
Lecturer at both the University of New South Wales and the University of Sydney. He has been a RANZCO appointed
Board examiner in Paediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus since 2010.
AUSTRALIA
Fernando Prieto-Diaz
Strabismus Section Head
Fernando Prieto-Diaz
Dr. Fernando Prieto-Diaz is the Director Medico del Intituto Oftalmológico Prieto-Diaz, La Plata- Argentina; Secretario
General del Consejo Latinoamericano de Estrabismo-CLADE (2003-2010); Presidente del Centro Argentino de
Estrabismo (2004-2006); Editor Jefe de REOP – Revista de Estrabismo & Oftalmología Pediátrica (Desde 2014).
ARGENTINA
Paolo Nucci
Non-Strabismus Section Head
Paolo Nucci
Dr. Paolo Nucci; MD, FEBO completed his medical education at the University of Naples in 1983. He then went on to
pursue a Residency Program at the University of Milan in 1988 followed by a Fellowship in Pediatric Ophthalmology &
Strabismus at the University of Chicago in 1989. He is currently a Professor at the University of Milan & is the Chairman of the University Eye Clinic at the San Giuseppe Hospital. He is also the Associate Editor of the European Journal of Ophthalmology and International Ophthalmology in addition to being a former member of the Editorial board of Ophthalmic Genetics.
Dr. Nucci is a reviewer of the Archives of Ophthalmology, Ophthalmology, American Journal of
Ophthalmology, Journal of Cataract & Refractive Surgery, Ophthalmology, JAAPOS, Graefe Archives & International
Ophthalmology. He has given Lectures in several Universities in Europe, USA and Asia, in addition to authoring 11
Books and 130 papers that have been reported in PubMed. He is the Senior Author of more than 70 publications. He
is the President of the Italian Society of Pediatric Ophthalmology and a former member of the Scientific Bureau of the WSPOS
ITALY
Ramesh Kekunnaya
Strabismus Section Leader
Ramesh Kekunnaya
Ramesh Kekunnaya has received his basic medical training from Karnatak Medical College, Hubli and specialized in ophthalmology from Government Medical College, Mysore, India in 1999. He
completed a comprehensive ophthalmology fellowship (with special focus on Strabismus and Neuroophthalmology) at the L. V. Prasad Eye Institute (LVPEI), Hyderabad followed by a Pediatric
Ophthalmology & Strabismus Fellowship (AAPOS accredited) at Jules Stein Eye Institute, University of California, Los Angeles, USA. He also had a short stint at the Moorfield’s Eye Hospital and the Great Ormond Street Hospital for children, London as a part of ICO fellowship.
Dr. Kekunnaya is currently the Head of Pediatric Ophthalmology, Strabismus and Neuroophthalmology at Child Sight Institute and Jasti V. Ramanamma Children’s Eye Care Center,
LVPEI, Hyderabad and Clinical Assistant Professor Case Western Reserve University Cleveland, Ohio. He is also in charge of the Paediatric Ophthalmology and strabimus fellowship program.
He is a member of the American Academy of Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus (AAPOS), World Society for Pediatric Ophthalmology & Strabismus (WSPOS) and American Academy
of Ophthalmology (AAO). He is an Executive Bureau member of WSPOS and a member of the Professional Education Committee of AAPOS.
Dr. Kekunnaya has presented at various international and national meetings. He was a recipient of the prestigious ‘Achievement award’ from AAO in 2012; in addition to receiving the ‘International Scholar Award’ from AAO in 2014 and the ‘HONOR AWARD’ from AAPOS in 2016. He has authored publications in various peer-reviewed journals and is a reviewer for Ophthalmology, British Journal of Ophthalmology, AJO, Eye, IJO, EJO, Strabismus and JAAPOS. He is also a ‘section editor’ for BJO. He is actively involved in teaching and research activities in the pediatric ophthalmology services. His clinical interests include strabismus, pediatric cataract, vision development, lazy eye and neuro-ophthalmological disorders.
INDIA
Monte Del Monte
Strabismus Section Leader
Monte Del Monte
Dr. Monte Del Monte received his medical degree from John’s Hopkins University in 1974. He completed a residency
in Pediatrics at the Harvard Boston Children’s Hospital Medical Center and a residency in Ophthalmology at the Johns Hopkins Wilmer Eye Institute.
He also completed a postdoctoral fellowship training in pediatric ophthalmology and strabismus at the National Children’s Hospital Medical Center in Washington D.C. Dr. Del Monte has presented 45 invited, guest, keynote and named lectures and published over 100 scientific papers in peer-reviewed journals.
He has been the director of the Pediatric Ophthalmology Fellowship training program at the University of Michigan for the past 30 years He is currently Director of Pediatric Ophthalmology and Adult Strabismus, Skillman Professor of Pediatric Ophthalmology and Professor of Pediatrics and Communicable Diseases at the University of Michigan, in
addition to being the Director of Ophthalmology at the Mott Children’s Hospital.
USA
B. Venkateshwar Rao
Strabismus Section Leader
B. Venkateshwar Rao
Dr. Venkateshwar Rao pursued his Ophthalmology training at the R.P. Center, All India Institute of Medical Sciences
(AIIMS), New Delhi; following which he underwent a fellowship in Strabismus and Neuro-Ophthalmology under Prof.
Prem Prakash from the same institute. He then went on to do a 2nd Fellowship in Pediatric Ophthalmology &
Strabismus under the tutelage of Prof. Eugene Helveston from the Indiana University Medical Center, Indianapolis,
USA. Dr. Rao is a specialist in Pediatric Strabismus, Adult Strabismus and Neuro-Ophthalmology. In addition to his
fellowship training, he also visited various Hospitals in the USA. He served as Head of the Pediatric Ophthalmology, Strabismus and Neuro-Ophthalmology service at L. V. Prasad Eye Institute, Hyderabad, India right from the unit’s inception in January 1998 & was with L. V. Prasad Eye Institute till February 2006.
With his vast clinical and academic experience, Dr. Rao started Shreya Eye Care Center in March 2006 with a mission of providing quality care with compassion in the field of Strabismus, Pediatric eye problems and Neuro-Ophthalmology & is presently the Director of the same. He is a present and past member of several prestigious international organizations including AAO, AAPOS, ISA, AIOS, SPOSI, WSPOS & APAO. Dr. Rao has lectured at various Universities in India, USA, Indonesia, Sri Lanka & Bangladesh, covering several topics of Strabismus, Amblyopia, Congenital Cataract and Neuro-Ophthalmology in addition to having published articles in peer reviewed international journals and presented at various international meetings such as AAO, AAPOS, ESA, ISA, WSPOS, APAO & IOA.
INDIA
E. Cumhur Sener
Strabismus Section Leader
E. Cumhur Sener
Dr. Cumhur Sener Graduated from the Hacettepe University Medical School, and finished the residency at the
Hacettepe University Department of Ophthalmology in Ankara, Turkey. His Postgraduate research was (a) in vision
research at the Netherlands Ophthalmic Research Institute with Henk Spekreijse at Amsterdam, the Netherlands and
(b) in strabismus at the Wilmer Institute with David Guyton at Baltimore, USA. He worked at the Hacettepe University Department of Ophthalmology from 1991 – 2014. He volunteered as a visiting faculty in the ORBIS project at Chennai, India in 2002, and also multiple times at Baku, Azerbeijan from 2008 – 2013. He is currently engaged in private practice in Ankara, Turkey. His main fields of interest are Adult and Pediatric Strabismus and Pediatric Ophthalmology.
TURKEY
Saverio Luccarelli
Non-Strabismus Section Leader
Saverio Luccarelli
Dr. Saverio Luccarelli, MD; is an Ophthalmologist in Milan, Italy, and obtained his medical degree and residency at the University of Milan. He completed his training at the Agarwal Eye Hospital in Chennai, India, and in the Cornea Clinic of Professor Busin in Forlì, Italy. He is the Head of the Cornea Service of San Giuseppe University Hospital in Milan.
His field of interest is corneal diseases, with a special focus on pediatric cases and novel lamellar keratoplasty tecniques. His skills are focused in the diagnosis and surgical treatment of complex eye diseases requiring corneal and antherior segment surgery, refractive surgery, complex cataract cases and lens implantation challenges. He actively works in the Ophthalmology Residency program, with mentoring and training of young surgeons.
ITALY
Alki Liasis
Non-Strabismus Section Leader
Alki Liasis
Professor Alki Liasis PhD, is a consultant clinical scientist in visual electrophysiology. He started his career at the National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery. His background is in medical biophysics, neurophysiology as well as visual electrophysiology. He has undertaking an extensive programme of research through his career investigating the normal visual function and consequences of neurological pathology on the visual pathways in childhood.
Countless publications have come from this work and had a direct impact on the management of these children. After 20 years at the Tony Kriss visual electrophysiology unit at Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children London, he recently took up a chair at Children’s Hospital Pittsburgh as a Professor of visual electrophysiology.
CYPRUS
Matteo Sacchi
Non-Strabismus Section Leader
Matteo Sacchi
Dr. Matteo Sacchi, MD; trained in Ophthalmology at the University of Milan, and completed his residency at Strong
Memorial Hospital, Rochester, and at the Bascom Palmer Eye Institute, Miami. He currently serves as Head of
Glaucoma Service in University Eye Clinic, San Giuseppe Hospital, University of Milan. He has been involved in
several glaucoma and paediatric ophthalmology clinical trials as PI and sub Inv & is the author of peer-reviewed
papers and co-author of the “Childhood Glaucoma”, World Glaucoma Association, 2013. Dr. Sacchi is a reviewer of
European Journal of Ophthalmology, Medicine & the International Journal of Clinical Ophthalmology and Visual
Sciences. His clinical and surgical areas of interest are glaucoma imaging and glaucoma surgery, including shunt and
MIGS.
ITALY
WSPOS’s International Education Program Coordinator
Click image to view bio/details
Dr. Regitze Bangsgaard
Dr. Regitze Bangsgaard
Dr. Regitze Bangsgaard is a highly regarded paediatric ophthalmologist with expertise in a wide range of childhood eye disorders. Her clinical and research interests span Retinopathy of Prematurity (ROP), Paediatric Neuro-Ophthalmology, Uveitis, and Congenital Cataracts, making her a key figure in advancing paediatric eye care.
With a commitment to early diagnosis and intervention, Dr. Bangsgaard specializes in managing complex paediatric eye conditions, ensuring optimal visual outcomes for children. Her work in ROP focuses on screening and treatment strategies for premature infants at risk of vision impairment, while her expertise in paediatric neuro-ophthalmology allows her to address conditions affecting the visual pathways and neurological aspects of vision in children.
Dr. Bangsgaard has for many years been involved in the management of uveitis, a challenging inflammatory eye disease that can lead to serious complications in young patients. Additionally, she has significant experience in treating congenital cataracts, helping restore sight and improve visual development in affected infants and children.
She will now be representing WSPOS as the International Education Programme Coordinator, furthering the organization’s mission to enhance global education and collaboration in pediatric ophthalmology.
