Retinal Research in Latin America: How Did We Get Here?

Among the numerous contributions by the Pan-American Association of Ophthalmology (PAAO) to the improvement of ophthalmology in Latin America, it has played an invaluable role in the development of the retina and vitreous subspecialty in the region. The quality of the research published in Latin America demonstrates the development of the retina subspecialty at this region and also the worldwide collaboration pioneered by PAAO and the Pan-American Collaborative Retina Study Group (PACORES). We would suggest further academic relationship at the regional as well as international levels as well as funding research institutes to assist retinal researchers in the region since it is generally thought that there is frequently a lack of government funding at all levels, from patient education to support for health teams to tertiary health care centers.