ICO International Clinical Guidelines:

Introduction and News

Guidelines headlines:

• Clinical Guidelines in Other Languages
  
  
• New ICO Clinical Guideline for HIV/AIDS
  
  
• Guidelines now available as PDF files
  
  
• New ICO International Guideline on Trachoma

(Also see: More News of Guidelines)

Clinical Guidelines in Other Languages

The ICO International Guidelines are being translated into multiple languages. To download the current available Guidelines in languages other than English, see archive.icoph.org/guide/languages.html.

New ICO Clinical Guideline for HIV/AIDS

A new ICO Clinical Guideline on HIV/AIDS in the Eye is now available on the ICO Web site and can be downloaded from archive.icoph.org/pdf/ICOHIVAIDS.pdf (PDF - 500 KB).

"This new clinical guideline will be a terrific addition to the current ICO Guidelines, which serve as an outstanding resource for practical clinical information for the international ophthalmic community," said Richard L. Abbott, MD, ICO Director for Guidelines. "This new Guideline breaks ground as the first evidence-based clinical guideline published on HIV/AIDS in the eye."

"I would like to acknowledge the considerable cooperation and hard work of the authors: Nikolas J.S. London, MD; Rubens N. Belfort, Jr., MD, PhD; and Emmett T. Cunningham, Jr., MD, PhD, MPH; as well as the reviewers: Gary Holland, MD; Fernando Arevalo, MD; and Carlos Pavesio, FRCS," Dr. Abbott said.

The ICO Clinical Guidelines are designed to be translated and adapted by ophthalmologic societies to help ophthalmologists assess how they are treating patients. They are intended to serve a supportive and educational role and ultimately to improve the quality of eye care for patients.

Guidelines now available as PDF files

The International Council of Ophthalmology's other 20 International Clinical Guidelines can now all be downloaded as PDF files.

Download the complete set of 20 from archive.icoph.org/pdf/ICOClinicalGuidelines.pdf (348 KB).

To download individual Guidelines, see archive.icoph.org/guide/guidelist.html.

The Guidelines are designed to be translated and adapted by ophthalmologic societies to help ophthalmologists assess how they are treating patients. They are intended to serve a supportive and educational role and ultimately to improve the quality of eye care for patients.

New ICO International Guideline on Trachoma

A new ICO International Clinical Guideline on Trachoma has been added to the ICO Eye Site. The trachoma guideline can also be downloaded as a PDF file (100 KB).

The document was written by Tom Lietman, MD, from the Proctor Foundation in San Francisco, in consultation with Chan Dawson, MD, Hugh Taylor, MD, and others.

"We are aware that there may be disagreement with some of the recommendations, " commented ICO Guidelines Director Richard Abbott, MD. "Without evidence from clinical trials, we must rely on a consensus of expert opinion."

"It should be clear that any clinical guideline is directed towards populations of patients and may not specifically meet the needs of any individual patient," Dr. Abbott said. "In addition, even if followed exactly, clinical guidelines do not guarantee a successful outcome."

"Like our other 19 ICO International Clinical Guidelines, the trachoma Guideline is designed to be easy to read and to translate," Dr. Abbott said. "We hope that national ophthalmologic societies will adapt these guidelines for use by ophthalmologists in your countries."

Next: More News of the Guidelines

Also see: List of Guidelines in English