Dear Colleague,

It is our pleasure to announce the 8th International Symposium on Ocular Pharmacology and
Therapeutics (ISOPT) in Rome, Italy. This biennial Symposium follows the path of seven previous
meetings that have become a tradition in the education and update activities in ophthalmic
therapeutic modalities.

The increased activity in ophthalmic research is reflected in the long list of clinical studies in their
various stages: nearly 300 studies of various aspects of glaucoma and close to 250 studies on ocular
surface, cornea and dry eye. Searching the web for retina clinical studies yields about 250 studies, about 190 studies are listed for macular edema and approximately 70 studies for AMD. This clinical bustle heralds the changes that we will soon see in the practice of ophthalmology.

The landscape of ocular therapeutics cannot be fully portrayed without bringing up innovations in ocular drug delivery such as slow release devices implanted in the eye. ISOPT 2009 will accordingly bring to focus the latest novelties in medical devices.

ISOPT 8th will allow participants to have a glimpse to the near future with critical look at the current best practices available to our patients today we have to provide the best practices possible to our patients today. ISOPT program is geared to provide a continuum, spreading from basic development of therapeutic
concepts to their utilization as drugs and technologies in clinical reality.
Considerations common to drug development will be discussed with the main players in the
field i.e. researchers based in the academia, clinical investigators, regulatory affairs and the industry
professionals. Topics on drug development process of mutual interest such as the evolution of endpoints and ethical considerations will be raised in round table discussions. ISOPT provides meeting
point for regulatory officials and industry liaisons and clinicians to informally exchange views not
being committed to any specific product.
Keeping to our tradition we will be creating a comfortable atmosphere for discussions and updates.
The current meeting venue, the Rome Cavalieri Hilton, offers magnificent options for any sort of
formal and informal meetings that will complement ISOPT main hall activities.
As always, ISOPT organizing committee is committed to bring the most acclaimed speakers to
provide the most recent updates of ocular therapeutics, medications and disease management.

We welcome you to join us in Rome for the concluding major ophthalmic meeting of 2009.

Ron Neumann, MD		Sara Krupsky, MD
	Symposium Chairpersons