The 11th International Congress of Ocular Oncology (ICOO 2004) hosted by LV Prasad Eye Institute (a WHO Collaborating Centre) at Hyderabad has begun today. It is the first time this 5-day event is taking place in India at this magnitude. The previous Congress was held at Amsterdam in the Netherlands.

Ocular Oncology is a unique subspecialty involving a diverse, yet focused group of clinicians and researchers interested in the cancers of the eye and adnexa. The group comprises of ophthalmologists, medical oncologists, paediatric oncologists, radiation oncologists, radiation physicists, radiologists, pathologists, pharmacotherapists, molecular biologists, and geneticists among others.

The 2004 meeting is being held under the aegis of UICC (International Union Against Cancer), OOTF-EORTC (European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer), ESOPRS (European Society of Ophthalmic Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery), EVER (European Association for Vision and Eye Research), ISOP (International Society of Ophthalmic Pathology), ISOO (International Society of Ocular Oncology). Over 500 delegates are attending the congress from more than 45 countries. Around 180 delegates are from overseas and 320 are from various parts of the country.

In India, though some facilities exist, the cost of treatment is prohibitive and thus most of the families abandon their children affected by advanced eye cancers to fate and to a painful death.