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This volume of Documenta Ophthalmologica Proceedings Series collects the scientific papers presented at the 2nd International Symposium on Retinal Pigment Epithelium and the 4th Meeting of the European Macula Group held in Genoa, May 29-June 1, 1996. The Symposium on Retinal Pigment Epithelium was promoted by the University Eye Clinic of Genoa as the natural continuation of the first Symposium held with great success in Genoa in 1988. The previous Meetings of the European Macula Group were held in Coimbra (1988), Crete (1989) and Athens (1994). I was greatly pleased and honoured to host the fourth congress of this distinguished Society and I am grateful to Gabriel Coscas, Jose Cunha-Vaz and George Theodossiadis, found­ ers of the Society, for selecting Genoa on this occasion. The two meetings integrated well in an unicuum and brought together an exceptional number of outstanding retinal specialists coming from all over the world. All the aspects of the current research concerning retinal pigment epithelial and macular diseases were covered. Several interesting presentations regarded new techniques of retinal and choroidal imaging. A full session was dedicated to the latest advances in culture and transplantation of retinal pigment epithelial cells. Age-related macular degeneration was a major subject for discussion, including new approaches to treatment. This topic was high­ lighted by a mini-symposium on drusen, including a series of superb lectures on classification, clinicopathological studies, indocyanine green imaging, and laser treatment for prevention of choroidal neovascularization.

Numerous drugs administered either generally or locally have shown a cata­ ractogenic action. From a pathogenic point of view a di,stinction must be made between drugs which modify the transparency of the lens due to accumulation (mer­ curic,'silver, gold salts, etc.) from those influencing its metabolism. Among the latter, Triparanol, antimitotic drugs, various phenothiazinic derivates, corticosteroids and certain miotics cause the most significatn dam­ age. It is necessary to indicate the most frequent reports which evidence a relationship between a prolonged oestroprogestinic therapy and alterations of the lens transparency. The authors also indicate pathogenic mechanisms which probably cause iatrogenic cataracts. REFERENCES Apponi G., Rinaldi E. & De Simone S. Cataratta monolaterale dopo iniezione endo­ carotidea di 2-3-5 Trisetilenimmino 1-4 benzochinone (Trenimon Bayer). Ann. Ot­ tal. 90, 224, 1964. Baron J.B., Morel P., Rivollan Y. & Soulairac A.: Incidences ophtalmologiques du traitement prolonge par la chloropromazine associee ou non Ii des troubles cutanes. Agressiologie, 9, (2) 293, 1968. Bryk E.: Generalized argyrosis with involvement oflenses. Klin. Oczna 26,217,1956. Conel E.B. & Kelman C.D.: Ophthalmologic findings with oral contraceptives. Obstet. Gynec. 31,456, 1968. Conklin, Upton & Christenberry & MC.Donald: Citato da Duke-Elder. Radiat. Res. 19, 156,1963. Davidson S.I.: Reported adversa effects of oral contraceptives on the eye. Trans. Oph­ thai. Soc. U.K. 91,561,1971. De Long S.L.: Incidence and significance of chloropromazine-induced eye changes. Dis. Nerv. Syst. 29 (3), Suppl. 19, 1968.

The research workers at the Eye Clinic of the Medical Academy of Erfurt are proud of having been entrusted, for the second time, with the organization of the yearly ISCEV symposium. Twelve years ago the 6th Symposium was held in Erfurt. This time we turned to Reinhardsbrunn, an old castle situated in the vicinity of Erfurt on the fringes of the wonderful mountainscape of the Thuringian Forest. Reinhardsbrunn castle serves today as a holiday hotel and convention place. It seemed to us to be the right place for carrying on the discussions in a comfortable and informal way after the actual sessions were over. Comparing the scientific reports read at the 6th and 17th Symposium, both organized in Erfurt, one readily becomes aware of the impressive advances in our rapidly developing field of interest. The technical and, more specifically, the electronic advancements have been enormous, especially in the field of recording and processing the visually evoked cortical potentials·. Adually, the addition of this special field of study to our realm, led to the renaming of the Society some years ago. Moreover, it became more and more obvious that interdisciplinary cooperation between ophthalmologists, physiologists, physi­ cists, technologists and mathematicians is essential. This is also reflected in the composition of our membership.

The HF A is a computerized perimeter with a very comprehensive set of test point patterns, strategies and custom tests. The instrument employs several solutions which have proved useful in earlier computerized perimeters and several new concepts. The construction with stimulus generation through a projection system, input through a CRT, programmes stored in PROMs and a double disc drive for storage of test results makes it simple to adapt the instrument to future needs, whether these are new test algorithms or point patterns, different input or display screens or new statistical analysis programmes. All these changes could be made without modification of actual instrument hardware. REFERENCES 1. Dannheim, F. and Drance, S.M. Psycho visual disturbances in glaucoma. A study of temporal and spatial summation. Arch. Ophthalmol. 91: 463 -468 (1974). 2. Fankhauser, F. and Hiiberlin, H. Dynamic range and stray light. An estimate of the falsifying effect of stray light in perimetry. Documenta Ophthalmol. 50: 143-167 (1980). 3. Fankhauser, F., Hiiberlin, H. and Jenni, A. Octopus programs SAPRO and F. Two new principles for the analyses of the visual field. Graefes Arch. Klin. exp Ophthal­ mo1216: 155-165 (1981). 4. Gramer, E. and Krieglstein, G.K. Zur Spezifitiit der iiberschwelligen Computer­ perimetrie. Klin. Mbl. Augenheilk. 181; 373-375 (1982). 5. Gramer, E., Kontic, D. and Krieglstein, G.K. Die computerperimetrische Dar­ stellung glaukomatoser Gesichtsfelddefekte in Abhangigkeit von der Stimulus­ grosse. Ophthalmologica 183: 162-167 (1981).

The XVlIIth ISCEV symposium was organized by the Netherlands Ophthal­ mic Research Institute and took place May 18-22, 1980, at the Wilhelmina Gasthuis in Amsterdam. The invited speakers and the theme "Electrophysio­ logy and pathology of the visual pathways" were selected by a programme committee consisting of G.H.M. van lith, D. van Norren, L.H. van der Tweel and H. Spekreijse. The success of a symposium depends not only on the topics selected but also on the clarity and qUality of the presentations. In this respect it is a pleasure to acknowledge the four invited speakers for their clear and comprehensive presentations of recent research results. My co-editor, P. Apkarian, and I wish to thank all participants for timely submission of the manuscripts and for prompt response to inquiries regarding editorial matters. Mr. Peters of Junk Publishers should be acknowleged for observing publication deadlines, thus ensuring that the proceedings will reach all participants prior to the next ISCEV meeting.

Forty-eight eyes with massive periretinal proliferation were examined with ultrasonography. In addition to the triangular retinal detachment T-sign was indicative of severe MPP. And irregular thickening and bending of the retina were observed on ultrasonography in eyes with MPP. The detached retina was immobile in all eyes. Preoperative ultrasonographic findings did not prove the value on the assessment of operative prognosis. REFERENCES Bronson, N.R. & Turner, F.T. A simple B-scan uitrasonoscope. Arch. Ophthalmol. 90: 237 (1973). Coleman, D.J., Koning, W.F. & Katz L.: A Hand-Operated ultrasound scan system for ophthalmic evaluation, Am. J. Ophthalmol. 68: 258 (1969). Fuller. D.G., Laqua, H. & Machemer, R. Ultrasonographic diagnosis of massive periretinal proliferation in eyes with opaque media (triangular retinal detachment). Am. J. Ophthalmol. 83: 460 (1977). Laqua, H. & Machemer, R. Glial cell proliferation in retinal detachment (massive periretinal proliferation). Am. 1. Ophthalmol. 80: 1 (1975). Laqua, H. & Machemer R. Oinical-pathological correlation in Massive periretinal proliferation. Am. J. Ophthalmol. 80: 912 (1975). Machemer, R. & Laqua, H. Pigment epithelial proliferation in retinal detachment (massive periretinal proliferation). Am. J. Ophthalmol. 80: 1 (1975). Machemer, R. & Laqua, H. A logical approach to the treatment of massive periretinal proliferation. Ophthalmology 85: 584 (1978). Machemer, R. Van Horn, D. & Aaberg, T.M. Pigment epithelial proliferation in human retinal detachment with massive periretinal proliferation, Machemer, R. Pathogenesis and classification of massive periretinal proliferation. Br. J. Ophthalmol. 62: 737 (1978).

Considering the high incidence of myopia - and its inherent morbidit- it may wonder that the item is dealt with only sporadically in recent literature, and almost never at international conferences. However, there was a First International Conference on Myopia in New York 1964, and the Second was held in Yokohama 1978, affiliated to the XXIII World Congress of Ophthalmology. Here it was attempted to set out­ lines for future myopia research, and, as a practical implicaton, the arrange­ ment of the Third International Conference on Myopia was entrusted to Danish ophthalmolOgists. This conference took place in Copenhagen, August 24-27, 1980. To make the scope the widest possible, the conference was, as was the pre­ decessing in Japan, open not only to ophthalmologists, but 'to all being active in the various aspects of myopia research'. The conference report gives a picture of the Copenhagen meeting. Furthermore, a platform or current status of myopia research has hereby been established. The editors have made it their main task to arrange the papers, and to bring them in a form suited for print, while criticism by editorial referees has been considered inappropriate. The papers give an impression of the ambiguity still prevailing in the field, and although 't,rends' are obvious, a fmal consensus of Conference was not arrived at. To document this state of affairs, however, is considered a useful task.

This volume contains the proceedings of a work­ shop entitled "Physiological and Pathological Aspects of Eye Movements" held at the Pont d'Oye Castle, Habay-Ia-Neuve, Belgium, March 27-30 1982. The meeting was sponsored by the European Communi­ ties. It brought together specialists of oculomotricity mainly from Europe but also from North-America. With such actions, the Communities want to encourage inter­ national and multidisciplinary contacts between re­ searchers of a particular field. Oculomotor neuroscien­ tists, for quite a long time, have developed such con­ tacts. This cooperation - this is not so common in biological research - embodies various approaches, from basic mechanisms to behavioral studies, but also this applied science that medicine is or should be. Many basic discoveries about eye movement mechanisms, made with the help of human of animal subjects, have found rapid medical applications in neurology, neuro­ ophthalmology or otolaryngology. This is illustrated in this book by the fact that results obtained on rats or cats are interspersed with reports of clinical in­ vestigations. The workshop was mainly focused onto three themes: (a) eye and head movements in man, (b) visuo-vestibular interaction and (c) eye-head coordination. In each theme, one or more "review" papers were included. In addition, most of the oral presentations or posters on display mainly contained unpublished material.