Villa Saroli, Viale Stefano Franscini, 9
PO BOX 1170 - CH-6901 Lugano, Switzerland
T +41 (0)91 921 11 54 | E info@esaso.org
Associated to logo USI

Modules overview

ESASO offers a vide rage of subspecialty modules targeted to both experience and less experiences ophthalmologists and residents. In addition, we welcome all eligible specialists working in healthcare or research that have interest in an educational background in ophthalmology.


Orbital, Lacrimal and Ophthalmic Plastic Surgery

Goals: this is a quite new and, for many ophthalmologists, unknown subspecialty, with a raising demand from patients. ESASO offers an academically strong program, in order to improve the ophthalmic plastic surgery field in the world.

Educational Content

Trainings in Oculoplastics are becoming more and more demanded. ESASO offers an academically strong programme with an intensive dissection practice. This module covers from the most basic concepts in anatomy and physiology, including the semiology aspects of the most common pathologies found in everyday practice, to all eyelid, lachrymal and orbital diseases. Participants will learn the way to approach each one to reach the proper diagnosis and offer the patients the best treatments. This course is designed for whoever is new to this field, but also for the experienced oculoplastic surgeons. The module is divided in theoretical and practical sessions. Morning lectures are given by well-known and experienced surgeons, while in the afternoon practical sessions the participants can practice on fresh frozen heads: after a detailed demonstration of different surgical techniques performed by one of the professors, the students, by pairs, practice under supervision and with the close support of all the involved teachers. This is a fruitful opportunity also to discuss new techniques, tricks and pitfalls in the field!



Cornea and Corneal Refractive Surgery

Goals: to review, with the most updated information, some key areas in the medical and surgical management of corneal diseases as well as the most recent advances in corneal refractive surgical techniques.

Educational Content

This programme’s goal is to review, with the most updated information, some key areas in the medical and surgical management of corneal diseases as well as the most recent advances in corneal refractive surgical techniques. The most useful and attractive “hot” topics in medical and surgical cornea as well as in corneal refractive surgery are discussed through theoretical updated exposition and practical clinical cases presentation. Participants can benefit from “hands-on” experience in the wetlabs. The course has a dynamic structure: topics may change from one edition to another, with special attention to future clinical and surgical research areas which are implemented in the newer ones.



Cataract and Intraocular Refractive Surgery

Goals: to review, with the most updated information, some key areas in the results and complications management of most cataract and intraocular refractive surgical techniques.

Educational Content

The programme’s goal is to review, with the most updated information, some key areas in the results and complications management of most cataract and intraocular refractive surgical techniques. The most useful and attractive “hot” topics in the modern techniques for phacoemulsification, as well as the classical ones such as extracapsular surgery and intraocular refractive surgical procedures are discussed through theoretical updated exposition and practical clinical cases presentation. Participants can benefit from “hands-on” experience in the wetlabs. The course has a dynamic structure: topics may change from one edition to another, with special attention to future clinical and surgical research areas which are implemented in the newer ones.



Medical Retina

Goals: to provide the method for the correct application of the guidelines for the diagnosis and treatment of retinal diseases, and the unique opportunity to take advantage of the extensive clinical experience made available by leading experts in the field.

Educational Content

This programme aims at providing the method for the correct application of the guidelines for the diagnosis and treatment of retinal diseases, and the unique opportunity to take advantage of the extensive clinical experience made available by leading experts in the field. Each day of the module offers a different topic with clinical cases illustrating the disease in all its clinical variables: how to provide a prognosis, how to choose the most suitable therapeutic approach, how to identify all types of response to treatment and its possible complications. Each module also offers a session on para surgical techniques (Laser, Intravitreal Injection Therapy, etc.) to present the treatment of retinal diseases, as well as imaging sessions with technical explanation of clinical engineers about the correct use and potential of the most up-to- date instrumentation.



Surgical Retina

Goals: to identify the surgical indications and to train the participant to face the surgical pathologies of simple or high complexity in a correct and rational manner.

A particular module aiming to help the surgeon to highlight the essential elements to read the specific characteristics of a surgical pathology, to choose the most suitable surgical approach, to foresee and face possible difficulties and complications and to manage the response to treatment.

Educational Content

this programme helps to identify the surgical indications and to train the participant to face the surgical pathologies of simple or high complexity in a correct and rational manner. This particular module aim to help the surgeon to highlight the essential elements to read the specific characteristics of a surgical pathology, to choose the most suitable surgical approach, to foresee and face possible difficulties and complications and to manage the response to treatment. Different daily topics discussed and segmented into didactics and videos. The Surgical Retina module offers an intensive wetlab practice where participants can improve the management of manual skills in the vitreous-retinal space and learn how to execute real vitreo-retinal surgery techniques.



Refractive Surgery

Goals: to acquire fundamental and basic knowledge on the major types of refractive surgical procedures, either based on laser corneal surgery or intraocular refractive surgery.

Educational Content

Ophthalmologists approaching to refractive surgery generally seek for solid education in patients’ inclusion and exclusion criteria, preferable therapeutic options among the available refractive surgical techniques for each type of refractive error and particularly for each specific clinical case. They also demand for a comprehensive knowledge in the field of diagnostic tests to be performed prior to surgery, their role in guiding surgical decision making and type of intervention choice, as well as post-operative follow-up and complications management. This course will give to the attendees fundamental and basic knowledge on the major types of refractive surgical procedures, either based on laser corneal surgery or intraocular refractive surgery. A clinical guide to the preoperative examination and patient’s characteristics indicating the feasible and preferable surgical options will be presented with evidence-based methodology. The description of the practical steps of the various excimer laser and femtosecond laser based corneal refractive techniques will be given with



Scleral Fixation

Goals: to acquire the knowledge on which technique to use and how deliver those IOL based on the patients features.

Educational Content

Eyes that lack sufficient capsular support for intraocular lens (IOL) placement present a unique surgical challenge. Options for IOL placement include anterior chamber intraocular lenses (ACIOLs), iris-fixated posterior chamber intraocular lenses (PCIOLs), and scleral-fixated intraocular lenses (SFIOLs). Being able to assess which one to choose and how to deliver it are needed step for dealing with those patients. The main educational outcome for all participants in this course is to acquire the knowledge on which technique to use and how deliver those IOL based on the patients features. The course consists in both theoretical and practical sessions.



Glaucoma

Goals: To review and discuss with the participants the diagnosis as well as the medical, laser and surgical management of glaucoma, with a focus on the well-being of individual patients.

Participants are expected to increase their knowledge, enhance their clinical judgement and improve their surgical skills.

Educational Content

This course is designed to review and discuss with the participants the diagnosis as well as the medical, laser and surgical management of glaucoma, with a focus on the well-being of individual patients. Participants are expected to increase their knowledge, enhance their clinical judgement, and improve their surgical skills. Internationally recognized experts with a proven record of a teaching background will share their knowledge, following a dynamic module structure based on practical and theoretical teaching. This module has registered great popularity for the last 15 years and we trust that it will continue to do so. The main topics covered within this programme are: disease definition, diagnostic techniques, epidemiology, quality of life, medical treatment, laser treatment, surgery for glaucoma, genetics, research opportunities, cataract surgery in glaucoma, trabeculectomy, resource optimization, prevention, management of complications of any type of treatment as well as evidence-based management.