Doctors spoke about the successes and difficulties in the fight against glaucoma

The jubilee, XX annual Congress of the Russian Glaucoma Society (RGS) with international participation was held under the motto “Two Captains”, which was a tribute of deepest respect to the main luminaries of modern Russian glaucomatology – Professors Evgeny Alekseevich Egorov (RGS President) and Valery Petrovich Erichev (RGS Vice President ). Doctors, scientists, the best industry experts from all over the country, as well as from Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan and Tajikistan, gathered to exchange experiences and learn new methods of dealing with the ancient enemy of humanity, which steals the sight of the population, remaining one of the main reasons for the spread blindness all over the world.

Every year the status of the event becomes more and more significant. A welcome letter to the organizers was sent by Russian President Vladimir Putin. This year, the congress was also supported by Federation Council Chairman Valentina Matviyenko and State Duma deputies.

A welcome letter from Vladimir Putin was read to the participants of the congress by one of its permanent leaders, the head of the ophthalmological center of the Central Military Clinical Hospital (TsVKG) named after I.I. P.V. Mandryka of the Ministry of Defense of Russia, Professor of the Department of Ophthalmology named after. Academician A.P. Nesterov of the Medical Faculty of the Russian National Research Medical University. N.I. Pirogov of the Ministry of Health of Russia Alexander Kuroyedov. In a letter, the president called the congress “an authoritative platform for professional communication, exchange of experience and best practices” and noted the important role of the Russian Geographical Society in the prevention and treatment of such a serious and dangerous disease as glaucoma.

Valentina Matvienko conveyed her warmest wishes and gratitude to the participants of the congress for the return of vision to patients. And Senator of the Federation Council Vladimir Krugly called the congress unique: “It is held by a unique glaucoma society, which for 20 years has been telling the whole country, all citizens, all doctors and officials that glaucoma is dangerous, it’s scary, and it needs constant attention. Through the efforts of the Russian Geographical Society, the most up-to-date clinical recommendations appear in the country, the most advanced scientific research on glaucoma is instantly translated, published and brought to a wide range of doctors.”

In a welcoming address to the forum participants, Dmitry Khubezov, Chairman of the State Duma Committee on Health Protection, emphasized that the preservation of vision is the most important task of national healthcare, and it is very important that the Russian Geographical Society is doing a great educational job, introducing a large number of doctors to the latest advances in the diagnosis and treatment of various ophthalmic pathologies.

As the head of the Central Military Clinical Hospital named after. P.V. Mandryka, Major General of the Medical Service Pavel Krainyukov, the congress grew out of a scientific conference for military hospitals and polyclinics, which was held in 2003 at the Central Exhibition Center and which was attended by only 113 doctors and scientists. In 2022, more than 600 people came to the congress, and another 2.5 thousand connected to its work online.

Glaucoma is one of the most severe pathologies in ophthalmology, which also gives the largest number of cases of visual impairment. This diagnosis was made by at least 1.2 million Russians, and about the same number do not know about it.

Head of the Russian Geographical Society, Head of the Department of Ophthalmology. Academician A.P. Nesterov of the Medical Faculty of the Russian National Research Medical University. N.I. Pirogov of the Ministry of Health of Russia Evgeny Egorov said that ophthalmologists do not get tired of fighting this “silent thief of sight”, although a complete victory over him has not yet come. However, enthusiasts are doing everything to bring it closer: last year alone, the Russian Geographical Society conducted seven studies in the field of studying the problems of glaucoma, which concerned conservative therapy and surgical approaches in the treatment of the disease, as well as the features of its diagnosis and monitoring. And the work will continue next year. “Our society is working hard to inform doctors about the latest news in the field of glaucoma treatment,” says Professor Egorov.

Chairman of the Society of Ophthalmologists of Russia, Corresponding Member of the Russian Academy of Sciences Boris Malyugin called glaucoma an ancient problem, the relevance of which does not fade: “Every year new methods of treatment appear. As a surgeon, I see a transformation in the treatment of glaucoma, which is gradually shifting into the field of surgery, and this is encouraging. Yes, while the disease is incurable, but this does not mean that we cannot treat it. I am sure that in the near future we will defeat glaucoma.”

The organizers of the congress approach its organization creatively: every year they shoot a video dedicated to the fight against glaucoma. This time it was performed based on the book “Two Captains”. It says that former boys, who dreamed of becoming sea captains in their childhood, have now become professors who seek treasures, make discoveries and fight every day for the eyesight of their patients, moving science and humanity forward. They are ready to “fight and seek, find and do not agree to give up” in front of the main enemy of vision – glaucoma. And it was in these heroes that colleagues recognized the legendary professors …

…For two days, the speakers shared their experience in implementing new techniques that help in the fight against the disease. For example, Professor Natalya Kurysheva devoted her report to the prevention of disease progression as the basis for managing a patient with glaucoma. In recent years, major breakthroughs in diagnosis and treatment have reduced the number of patients with visual loss to about 13.5%, down from 25.8% in the 1980s, she says. Glaucomologists today focus on patients with rapid progression of the disease (about 15%). Professor Kurysheva suggests that the criterion for effective treatment of glaucoma is not the level of intraocular pressure, but the rate of progression of the disease, which is recorded by various studies and tests: such patients require more aggressive treatment.

Ophthalmic surgeon, professor Vladimir Nikolaenko spoke about the experience of surgical treatment of patients with glaucoma in the city multidisciplinary hospital No. 2 of St. Petersburg. Today it is considered “heavy artillery” and is used mainly when conservative and laser therapy have ceased to bring an effect. At the same time, according to Nikolaenko, the success of the operation is determined not by the skill of the surgeon, but by the previously prescribed therapy, which should preserve the ocular surface. A case study of 500 patients showed that the earlier eye pressure-reducing surgery is performed after the start of conservative treatment, the higher the chances of success. This conclusion is also confirmed by foreign experience: in countries where such interventions are performed after 7 years from the start of therapy, advanced stages are recorded in 60% of patients, and in countries where after 3 years – in 38%.

Professor Alexander Kuroyedov spoke about new methods of minimally invasive glaucoma surgery, which can become the “platinum standard” for the treatment of the disease. Some of these operations were developed in the last century, but today they are being actively modernized and they see a great future behind them.

Traditionally, the 13th Academician Nesterov Medal of Honor was awarded at the congress. Director of the Ufa Research Institute of Eye Diseases of the Ministry of Health of Russia, Professor M.M. Bikbov received it for a series of population studies on ophthalmological problems in Russia by studying the prevalence of causes and determining methods for diagnosing and treating eye diseases.

About 70 extremely useful speeches were made at the congress. However, this is only a small part of what ophthalmologists can and want to tell the professional community. This means that new, unforgettable and very useful meetings will take place in December 2023!