2018 IEOC/TONOVET Equine Ophthalmology Symposium
Reykjavik, Iceland
June 7-9, 2018
 

Reykjavik, Iceland
June 7-9, 2018
Radisson Blu Saga Hotel

The 2018 IEOC/TonoVet Symposium in Reykjavik, Iceland was our largest conference yet. With 117 attendees and 2 sponsors, this was our largest member attended meeting. Many of the attendees complimented on the location and educational lectures this year.

The digital proceedings of the meeting abstracts are available here as well for current members.

State of the Art Speakers
Help us welcome Drs. Eric Ledbetter and Rebecca Bellone, as our esteemed State of the Art Speakers. Their titles and/or topics are listed below, along with brief biographical information. We will continue to build this information on the website as we receive it.

Speakers Sponsored by:

Dr. Eric Ledbetter, DVM, DACVO
Title: "Advanced Imaging of the Equine Eye"

Imaging techniques available for use in equine ophthalmology are expanding at a rapid pace. Utilization of these newer imaging modalities permits the observation of anatomical and physiologic changes associated with equine ocular disorders in a manner that was not previously possible. These techniques can also contribute to the diagnosis and treatment of several clinically-important equine ocular diseases. Advanced imaging technologies currently in clinical use for the equine eye, including in vivo confocal microscopy and optical coherence tomography, will be reviewed. Ocular imaging modalities still under development for horses will also be discussed.

Bio: Dr. Ledbetter is a diplomate of the American College of Veterinary Ophthalmologists and an Associate Professor of Ophthalmology at the Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine. After graduating from the University of Missouri College of Veterinary Medicine, he completed a small animal medicine and surgery internship at Texas A&M University College of Veterinary Medicine and a comparative ophthalmology residency at Cornell University, where he joined the faculty in 2006.

Dr. Ledbetter’s research interests include in vivo ocular imaging techniques, ocular infectious disease, and corneal disease. In addition to research and teaching endeavors, Dr. Ledbetter provides clinical ophthalmology services within Cornell University’s Companion Animal and Equine & Farm Animal Hospitals.
 

Dr. Rebecca Bellone, Ph.D.
Titles: "Seeing Equine Ocular Disorders thru a DNA Lens: Utilizing DNA Testing to Inform Clinical Management Decisions"

Advances in equine genetics and collaborative transdisciplinary research has enabled a better understanding of the etiology of some inherited ocular disorder. Results from genetic testing can assist in clinical management and identify horses with or at risk for multiple congenital ocular anomalies, congenital stationary night blindness, ocular squamous cell carcinoma, and equine recurrent uveitis. In addition, genetic testing can inform breeding decisions to aid in lowering the incidence of disease.  This presentation will review equine ocular genetic disorders for which DNA diagnostic tests exist.

"Seeing Equine Ocular Disorders thru a DNA Lens: Genetic Studies Underway"
Several ocular disorders are believed to have a genetic basis. An increased understanding of the equine genome and the continued development of tools in which to study inherited disorders will enable a deeper understanding of the biochemical pathways that lead to these disorders. In some cases, unraveling functional mechanisms could lead to earlier detection and more effective treatments. Genetic studies are underway to identify additional genetic risk factors involved in ocular squamous cell carcinoma across breeds, equine recurrent uveitis in Appaloosas and related breeds, and bilateral corneal stroma loss and distichiasis in Friesian horses.  This presentation will focus on the latest findings in these on-going studies.

Bio: Dr. Rebecca Bellone earned her Ph.D. in Equine Genetics from the University of Kentucky in 2001.  She has led an equine genetics research program involving both undergraduate and graduate students investigating the genetics of pigmentation and ocular disorders and the connection between the two.  Her research team has collaboratively discovered causative mutations for both congenital stationary night blindness and ocular squamous cell carcinoma in horses.  She was on faculty at the University of Tampa (FL) (2002-2014) where she was the recipient of several outstanding scholar awards. In 2014, she joined the faculty in the Department of Population Health and Reproduction at the School of Veterinary Medicine at the University of California, Davis and currently serves as the Director of the Veterinary Genetics Laboratory, a unit of the School, with an international reputation as experts in veterinary genetic testing.