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Show NEURO- OPHTHALMOLOGY AT LARGE 7th Meeting of the European Neuro- Ophthalmology Society ( EUNOS), Moscow, Russia, June 26- 29, 2005 The seventh biennial meeting of the European Neuro- Ophthalmology Society ( EUNOS) met in Moscow, Russia, on June 26- 29, 2005. Hosted by Professor Natalia Eliseeva and Dr. Natalia Serova, with the able assistance of Dr. Natalia Pestovskaya (" The Three Natashas," as they came to be known) of the famed Burdenko Neurosurgical Institute, the meeting was a wonderful amalgam of keynote lectures, free papers, posters, and exciting discussions. There were 250 attendees, about half from Russia and former Soviet Union countries, the remainder from Europe and the United States. The proceedings were beamed by satellite throughout the former Soviet Union so that physicians who could not be present were able to enjoy the meeting. FIG. 1. The Burdenko Neurosurgical Institute, Moscow, the site of the 7th European Neuro- Ophthalmology Society ( EUNOS) meeting. There were 11 separate sessions, including neurophysiology, optic pathway lesions, the optic nerve, eye movements, the pupil, intracranial pressure, imaging ( ultrasound Heidelberg Retinal Tomography, and Optical Coherence Tomography [ OCT]), cranio- orbital trauma and tumors, and vascular lesions. Although English was the official language of the meeting, there was simultaneous translation for Russian- speaking attendees. Keynote lectures were delivered by Mikhail Ostrovsky ( Moscow, Russia), ( the effects of light on retinal degeneration), Angelica Shamshinova ( Moscow, Russia) ( electrophysiology of the visual system), Christopher Kennard ( London, United Kingdom) ( saccade generation), Helmut Wilhelm ( Tuebingen, Germany) ( the pupil and vision), Emmanuel Cabanis ( Paris, France) ( new neuro-imaging techniques with special reference to diffusion tensor and functional MR imaging), Sergey Eoltchiyan ( Moscow, FIG. 2. Neil Miller, MD ( Baltimore, MD), Christopher Kennard ( London, UK), and Andrew Lee, MD ( Iowa City, IA) discuss a presentation. J Neuro- Ophthalmol, Vol. 25, No. 4, 2005 331 J Neuro- Ophthalmol, Vol. 25, No. 4, 2005 Miller FIG. 3. Alfred Huber ( Zurich, Switzerland) addresses the participants. Russia) ( diagnosis and treatment of cranio- orbital injuries), and Vasily Cherekaev ( Moscow, Russia) ( skull base tumors involving the orbit and paranasal sinuses), as well as Kathleen B. Digre, MD ( Salt Lake City, UT) ( idiopathic intracranial hypertension), Mark J. Kupersmith, MD ( arteriovenous shunts of the cavernous sinus), Andrew Lee, MD ( Iowa City, LA) ( lesions affecting the optic tract), and Neil R. Miller, MD ( Baltimore, MD) ( optic nerve sheath meningiomas). Free paper highlights included an update on the efficacy of ventriculoperitoneal shunting by Gunnel Bynke ( Goteborg, Sweden), a treatise on the anatomy of the subarachnoid space and its influence on papilledema by Hans- Peter Killer ( Aarau, Switzerland), an update from Susanne Trauzettel- Klosinski ( Tuebingen, Germany) on visual resto- FIC. 4. Tulay Kansu ( Ankara, Turkey) discusses a presentation with Christopher Kennard. ration therapy, a presentation by Gordon Plant ( London, United Kingdom) on the OCT findings in patients with recovered optic neuritis, and a review of the results of the extremely controversial electrical stimulation therapy for traumatic optic neuropathy by L. Linnik ( Moscow, Russia). Other excellent papers included one on the pathology and appropriate classification of the Sturge- Weber syndrome by Cameron F. Parsa, MD ( Baltimore, MD), a discussion of the FIG. 5. Alfred Huber, his wife Elizabeth, Natalia Eleeseva ( Moscow, Russia) ( the meeting's organizer and host), William F. Hoyt, MD ( San Francisco, CA), and Susanne Trauzettel- Klosinski ( Tuebingen, Germany) pause during a break in the meeting. 332 © 2005 Lippincott Williams & Wilkins Neuro- Ophthalmology at Large J Neuro- Ophthalmol, Vol. 25, No. 4, 2005 FIG. 6. The audience listens to a concert at the farewell party in the Pushkin State Museum. visual field blocking phenomenon in patients with chiasmal syndromes by Hans Fledelius ( Copenhagen, Denmark), and a review of the findings in patients with NF- 2 and optic nerve sheath meningiomas by Klara Landau ( Zurich, Switzerland). There was also an excellent social program, beginning with a bus tour of Moscow to open the meeting on Sunday, June 26. The tour included stops at the Kremlin, Red Square, and various historical monuments. A lovely welcome reception at the Burdenko Institute that evening afforded the attendees the opportunity to get to know one another over wine, cheese, and canapes. On Tuesday, June 28, many attendees took in a performance of Don Quixote at the world-renowned Bolshoi theater, which is about to close for several years of renovation. A wonderful farewell party was held at the State Museum of A. S. Pushkin, Russia's renowned writer, on Wednesday, June 29. The evening featured beautiful music, superb food and a chance to discuss the week's activities with colleagues from around the world. The meeting was one of the most successful and entertaining in the history of EUNOS. Kudos to The Three Natashas for a tremendous experience, Professor Alexander Konovalov and the staff of the Burdenko Neurosurgical Institute for providing the perfect venue, and a special thanks to William F. Hoyt, MD ( San Francisco, CA) for opening up this area of the world much as he has other areas throughout his illustrious career! The next EUNOS meeting will be held on May 26- 29, 2007 in Istanbul, Turkey and will be hosted by Pinar Aydin ( Ankara, Turkey). Neil R. Miller, MD Wilmer Eye Institute Baltimore, Maryland |