Global perspective on research

The annual conference of the Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology (ARVO) took place earlier this month in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. As the major conference for researchers in vision science it provides the main platform for the initial presentation of much ground-breaking research which eventually filters down to impact on the way we practise.

Where many international conferences, such as those of the American Academies, concentrate on matters clinical, the scope of ARVO is much broader and has over 11,000 members from research units in over 70 countries. This year's event included upwards of 6,000 paper and poster presentations, as well as associated events and exhibitions representing a record number of 132 organisations.