Art. 2 · Object
Why this society exists
The Society advances scientific understanding, clinical management, and awareness of the vitreous as a structure in its own right: its composition, biomechanics and ageing; its role in vitreoretinal disease; and its replacement.
R1 · Field of work
What the society covers
●Ultrastructure, composition and rheology of the vitreous
●Hyalocytes and the cell biology of the vitreous
●Vitreoschisis and vitreous cortex remnants (VCR)
●The vitreoretinal interface in health, ageing and disease
●The vitreous contribution to macular pathology, rhegmatogenous retinal detachment (RRD), and proliferative vitreoretinopathy (PVR)
●Vitreous opacities and their consequences and management
●Inflammatory and infectious disease of the vitreous
●Imaging and intraoperative visualisation of the vitreous
●Vitreous proteomics and biomarkers for retinal disease
●Surgical and enzymatic manipulation of the vitreous
●Intravitreal drug delivery and pharmacokinetics
●Vitreous substitutes, tamponades and replacement
●Terminology, classification and reporting standards
The list is not exhaustive. Changing it requires a four-fifths majority of the general assembly (art. 8.2).
R8 · Scientific sections
Three sections, one structure
Vitreous Biology and Structure
Ultrastructure, hyalocyte biology, ageing and molecular composition.
Vitreoretinal Interface and Surgery
Vitreoschisis, cortex remnants, PVR, retinal detachment and surgical management.
Vitreous Substitution and Tamponade
Substitutes, tamponade agents and the demands of vitreous replacement.
Each section nominates one officer, who joins the board once appointed by the general assembly (art. 4.2, R8.4). Six or more voting members may propose a further section within the field of work (R8.7).
R2 · Activities
What the society will do
R2.1
Public communication and outreach, including social media, to raise awareness of the field.
R2.2
Education and training, including courses held at meetings of other societies.
R2.3
Promotion of multicentre research, registries and shared protocols across member institutions.
R2.4
Publication of scientific information, independently or in partnership with an existing journal.
R2.5
A recurring scientific meeting, held at least once every two years.
First scientific meeting: to be scheduled once the founding board and the first membership circle are confirmed. During its first three cycles the meeting may be held as a satellite of an existing international congress; abstracts are reviewed anonymously by at least two reviewers (R13).
Art. 3 · Membership
Who the society is for
With voting rights
3.1 · R5.1
Members
Any physician, scientist or other professional with demonstrable involvement in the field of work. Written application with the recommendation of one existing member; the board decides.
R5.2
Members in training
Residents, fellows and doctoral candidates. Reduced dues.
R5.3
Emeritus members
Members who no longer practise or research full time and request this status.
Without voting rights
R5.4
Honorary members
Appointed by the general assembly on the board’s recommendation, for exceptional contribution to the field. Dues exempt.
R5.5 · R20.2
Company affiliates
Persons employed by commercial organisations active in the field of work. Admitted by a two-thirds vote of the board. Not on committees that decide on programme, education, publications or sponsorship.
R5.6
Patient representatives
Nominated by a recognised patient organisation and appointed by the board. Take part in consensus panels and in setting research priorities. Dues exempt.
R5.11
Donors
Persons and organisations that support the Society with a donation accepted by the board.
What membership offers
3.2 · 6.2
A vote in the general assembly, in person or electronically, also before the meeting, and eligibility for office.
R8.3 · R8.4
A home in one primary section, with a say in nominating its officer for the board.
R6.2
Reduced dues for members in training, for members working in low- and middle-income countries, and for long-standing members.
R7 · R15
A part in working groups, abstract review and consensus panels, with consensus documents published open access, naming every panel member and every disclosure.
R18
Your work on the Society’s channels: a video of up to ninety seconds or a carousel of five to eight images, in the Society’s template and credited to you, after review by the social media committee.
R5.7
Fellowship of the International Vitreous Society, an honorary designation for a substantial contribution to the Society.
Honorary members, company affiliates, patient representatives and donors may attend and speak at the general assembly, but do not vote and are not eligible for office. A member who becomes an honorary member remains a member (art. 3.2).
Governance
Founding board
Founding chair
Koen A. van Overdam
Erasmus MC, Rotterdam · Retina Operatiecentrum, Ede · Netherlands
Vitreoschisis, vitreous cortex remnants and proliferative vitreoretinopathy.
Founding board member
Roberto dell’Omo
University of Molise, Campobasso · Italy
The vitreoretinal interface and macular surgery, including lamellar macular holes and epiretinal proliferation.
Founding board member
Stefaniya Boneva
Eye Center, University of Freiburg · Germany
Hyalocyte biology and vitreous immunology; vitreous floaters.
Founding board member
André Schulz
Rostock University Medical Center · Germany
Hydrogel vitreous substitutes and intravitreal drug delivery.
The founding board of four will be completed to at least five members (art. 4.1, 10). The secretary and the treasurer will be named in the deed of incorporation.
How the Society is run
6 · R8.5
General assembly. The highest organ: all voting members, one vote each. Meets at least once a year, with electronic participation and voting. Appoints the board and adopts the accounts.
4 · R9
Board. Chair, secretary, treasurer, chair of education and programme, and the section officers, appointed by the general assembly for two years, without remuneration. No more than two board members may have their primary appointment in the same country, or work at the same institution.
R11
Scientific committee. Five to seven members, none of them on the board, at least two from a non-surgical discipline. Independent of the board on scientific content: sets the meeting programme, oversees abstract review and prepares consensus documents.
R29
Advisory Board. Founders who have left the board, and three to five appointed members of standing in the field. Advises the board, on request or on its own initiative.
To be constituted as a vereniging (a non-profit association) with full legal capacity under the law of the Netherlands, seat in Rotterdam. The articles of association and the rules of procedure will be published here once adopted, together with the composition of the board and committees and the entry in the Dutch trade register (R23.2).
Art. 5 · Independence
Independent of industry
5.1
No commercial party determines, restricts or reviews the scientific programme, the content of education, publications and consensus documents, or the choice of speakers and faculty.
5.2 · R20.3
Industry support is unrestricted as to content, laid down in a written agreement, without exclusivity within a product category, and disclosed, including in the programme. Sponsors have no say in who receives grants and awards.
R20.4
Sponsors receive only acknowledgement, exhibition space and a clearly identified industry session outside the scientific programme. Members’ and participants’ data are not provided to sponsors.
R20.6
Published here each year: who supported the Society, with amount or value and purpose, and the interests declared by the board and the scientific committee.
R19.2
No endorsements of commercial products or of the services of individual healthcare providers. Information on treatments states the level of scientific evidence.
Founding membership
The society is being founded now
The articles of association are being finalised for incorporation, and the founding board is being completed. If your work touches the vitreous, its interface with the retina, or its replacement, we would like to hear from you before the first general assembly, as a member, a member in training or a patient representative.
