Riyadh, November 11, 2022, SPA – Prince Abdulaziz bin Ahmed bin Abdulaziz, President of the Saudi Ophthalmological Society (SOS), inaugurated yesterday the Saudi Ophthalmology Meeting 2022, and the 6th Red Sea International Ophthalmology Conference, which will last for 3 days, in Jeddah, organized by SOS in cooperation with the National Guard Health Affairs and King Khaled Eye Specialist Hospital, with the active participation of government institutions, universities, health, and military facilities, and private medical centers providing ophthalmology care and medicine in the region, as well as several international eye banks. The Conference Chairman Dr. Saeed Al-Ghamdi said in a speech that the rapid changes that the world is witnessing in light of the rapid medical progress impose great challenges on healthcare institutions, extending between the local reality and the trend towards global challenges, and their renewed horizons, adding that the conference aims to unify efforts among the ophthalmological care providers, in cooperation with specialized international experts, to come up with a scientific and academic model dedicated to the dissemination of education and training, in a wide range of specialties of ophthalmology and precision surgery. Meanwhile, the CEO of King Khaled Eye Specialist Hospital, Dr. Abdulaziz Al-Rajhi, reiterated that the conference is the result of hard work and great care from the Society’s representatives in the western region, and the support and cooperation of the participating parties, especially hospitals in Jeddah, highlighting that King Khaled Eye Specialist Hospital has contributed, since its establishment, to training 83% of ophthalmology consultants in the Kingdom and provides more than 95% of training seats for the subspecialty. In a speech he delivered at the event, Prince Abdulaziz bin Ahmed bin Abdulaziz thanked the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud and HRH the Crown Prince for the guidance and support they provide to medicine in general and to ophthalmology in particular. "This international conference keeps pace with recent developments in the various specialties of ophthalmology and optics, and has succeeded in attracting medical expertise from around the world, in addition to the participation of Saudi male and female doctors and optometrists who are known for their expertise and competence,” Prince Abdulaziz said. He added: "The Saudi Ophthalmological Society places “constant medical education" at the forefront of its goals, as it has organized 33 annual scientific conferences, mostly in Riyadh, in addition to the Red Sea Conference for six consecutive years, more than 100 scientific symposiums in various regions of the Kingdom, and more than 200 public symposiums to raise awareness of common eyes disorders and diseases and issued 23 booklets to spread health awareness of eye diseases in several editions. These publications are also unique educational references. The Saudi Journal of Ophthalmology has achieved a distinguished position as a refereed journal in ophthalmology concerned with publishing studies and scientific research to support the specialized researcher and to develop eye diseases research.” Prince Abdulaziz highlighted that SOS, during the last period, was keen to strengthen and extend bridges of cooperation between the Society and the Ministry of Health and the Food and Drug General Authority and establish a basis for mutual consultations, while serving patients, ophthalmologists, eye departments, and workers in the field of ophthalmology in the Kingdom. Prince Abdul Aziz bin Ahmed also inaugurated the medical exhibition for medical equipment and tools for ophthalmology and surgery, and toured the pavilions of several specialized international and national companies, showcasing the latest state-of-the-art devices and equipment. --SPA 19:15 LOCAL TIME 16:15 GMT 0015 www.spa.gov.sa/w1812130