Call for abstracts

Abstract guidelines have been revised. Please review carefully.

The Canadian Opthalmological Society (COS) is accepting abstracts for the following subspecialty sessions:

  • Cataract surgery*
  • International and public health ophthalmology
  • Pediatric ophthalmology and strabismus
  • Cornea, external disease & refractive surgery
  • Glaucoma
  • Uveitis
  • Neuro-ophthalmology
  • Retina*
  • Oculoplastic & reconstructive surgery
  • Vision rehabilitation
  • Ophthalmic pathology (case reports only)

NOTE: An abstract is not required for a case presentation at the Canadian Ophthalmic Pathology Society meeting. Submission of case presentations can be made by email to Dr. Godfrey Heathcote [email protected] before February 27, 2012.

Format

Paper: 7-minute oral presentation
Poster: printed presentation

*Note the following exceptions for some topic areas:

  • Cataract: paper presentations may be 3 or 7 minutes, at the discretion of the session chair. 3-minute presentations should include 1 slide each for introduction and conclusion; 2-5 slides for method and results
  • Retina: paper presentations will be 5 minutes
  • COS award

    Excellence in Ophthalmic Research: for residents, fellows or medical students conducting original, innovative research at a Canadian university. You must apply for this award at time of abstract submission and be the primary author of this work.

    Paper presentations: First place: $3000; Second place: $2000; Third place: $1000.

    Poster presentations: First place: $1000; Second place: $750; Third place: $500. Posters will be judged on the following criteria: communicability, scientific communication and scientific merit/value. Authors must be present at their posters when requested.

    Other awards

    The Ron Jans Clinical Cornea Award: for residents, fellows or medical students conducting original, innovative clinical research at a Canadian university, in the areas of cornea, external disease or refractive surgery. You must apply for this award at the time of abstract submission, be the primary author of this work, and have contributed at least 50% of the development of this study.

    The CGS Stephen Drance Award for Excellence in Research: for residents, fellows or medical students conducting research in glaucoma. The award, consisting of a cash prize in the amount of $3.000, and a certificate, will be presented to the best poster/free paper presentation performed by a trainee during the COS Annual Meeting. You must be the primary author of this work.

    Abstract guidelines

    • All primary (submitting) authors must be members of COS. Your 2012 membership dues must be paid. (Medical students are exempt)
    • COS encourages submission of original, innovative work. Any work that has previously been published or is accepted for publication will not be accepted. However, you may submit previously presented work to the subspecialty meetings. Acceptance of previously presented work is at the discretion of the subspecialty chair.
    • Abstracts may be submitted only once.
    • You may submit a maximum of 2 abstracts as first author. There is no limit on number of abstracts as a co-author.
    • Abstracts must be submitted using the online abstract submission process. Abstracts will not be accepted by email or other methods.
    • The submitting author must be the presenter. The submitting author will automatically be the contact author and will be listed as the presenter.
    • All authors must be listed in the order they should appear on the abstract in print. Failure to properly order the authors will result in their being incorrectly listed when/if the abstract is published.
    • Abstracts should be written and submitted by physicians or allied health professionals. Abstracts written or submitted by industry personnel will not be accepted.
    • Abstracts must be maximum 400 words or 2950 characters in length.
    • All authors of an abstract must disclose any and all financial interests. The submitting authors must provide financial disclosure for all authors over the previous 2 years. See Financial disclosure criteria for more details.
    • All necessary permissions must be obtained before submitting an abstract. COS assumes no responsibility for the publication of any submitted material.
    • You may choose your presentation format preference; however, all accepted abstracts are assigned to a paper or poster presentation at the discretion of the reviewing committee. If your format choice is not granted, you may withdraw your abstract.
    • By submitting an abstract, you agree to present it at the meeting and pay any and all applicable fees.
    • The body of your abstract should include study details under the 5 main headings: purpose, study design, methods, results and conclusions. Abstracts with undetermined results will not be accepted.

    COS scientific program criteria

    Ethical approval
    Studies should follow the principles outlined in the Declaration of Helsinki and/or the research protocol should be reviewed and approved by an appropriate independent ethics committee or institutional review board.

    Financial disclosure
    COS is an accredited Continuing Professional Development provider of the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada. COS must disclose to the program audience any real or apparent financial interests over the previous 2 years relevant to the content of your presentation(s) in order to ensure balance, independence, objectivity, and scientific rigor in all accredited educational activities. Declaration of financial interest is not intended to restrict your presentation but to inform the audience that this relationship exists.

    All presenters at the meeting MUST disclose any significant financial interest or other relationship over the previous 2 years with the manufacturer(s) of any commercial product(s) and / or provider(s) of any commercial services.

    A financial interest is any relationship in which you may benefit by receiving: salary, travel benefits, intellectual property rights, royalties, honoraria, stocks, stock options, consulting fees, speaking fees, membership fees, or any other financial benefit. Financial relationships pertain equally to your immediate family (i.e. spouse/partner or dependent child).

    Abstract review

    Abstracts will be adjudicated according to the subspecialty session selected. Abstracts are reviewed by the COS Council on Continuing Professional Development. All abstracts are considered equally for selection, and the quality of the abstract is the single most important factor in the Committee's decision. Abstracts are chosen on the basis of originality, clinical relevance, comprehensiveness, solid scientific practice, ability to stimulate discussion and/or address an educational need. Abstracts that do not adhere to the abstract submission guidelines will not be accepted. See Rejection criteria for details.

    Keys to successful abstract submission

    Your abstract is more likely to be accepted if:

    • You have followed all the abstract guidelines; you have read and understood COS Scientific Program Criteria including the Rejection criteria.
    • You have listed all co-authors, and declared all financial interests.
    • You have submitted your abstract to the appropriate subspecialty session.
    • You have included a short descriptive title and have avoided gratuitous statements and irrelevant information.
    • The body of your abstract includes study details under the headings: purpose, study design, methods, results and conclusions. Abstracts with "results pending" or "conclusions to be discussed" will not be accepted. Information about sample size, study duration, follow-up, techniques used, etc. has been included. See Rejection criteria.
    • Your abstract should be clear, concise and free of errors.

    Rejection criteria
    Abstracts are reviewed according to the submission guidelines and assigned a corresponding score. Abstracts receiving a score below the cutoff point will not be accepted.

    Abstracts will be rejected if:

    • There is lack of full financial disclosure or there is concern about an apparent conflict of interest regarding commercial relationships.
    • The abstract appears to be primarily commercial in nature or appears to have been prepared by an industry representative.
    • There are ethical concerns in the area of animal or human subject research.
    • The abstract concerns previously published material.
    • The abstract adds little to the body of knowledge, does not present new information that advances the field of ophthalmology, or is similar to abstracts submitted by the same authors.
    • The study was poorly designed or conducted; the sample size is insufficient; it contains no data; the methods used could not have led to results indicated; results do not support the conclusions, etc.
    • The abstract reports on a clinical trial that was not registered.

    Presenting author

    The submitting author must be present at the meeting to deliver the presentation. If the submitting author is unavailable, a co-author may present with COS approval.

    If the submitting author is a medical student, we require a senior author to be present and prepared to support the work of the presenting author.

    If the submitting author is a resident or fellow, we strongly recommend that a senior author be present and prepared to support the work of the presenting author.

    Abstract withdrawal

    Notice of withdrawal must be received by April 14, 2012. Please send written notice of withdrawal to:

    Inika Anderson
    Manager, Continuing Professional Development, COS
    Email: [email protected]
    610-1525 Carling Ave
    Ottawa ON   K1Z 8R9

    If you fail to notify COS of withdrawal or if you fail to present, you will be ineligible to submit for the following year’s meeting.

    2012 Call for Abstracts
    has now been closed.
    Notifications of acceptance will be sent out by email the week of February 10, 2012.