Veinticinco a？os de la Unidad de Neuro-oftalmología del Hospital Vargas de Caracas (1980-2005) Apuntes para una biografía

the systematic study of the conditions that affect the visual organ and its relations with the central nervous system began in this country with the neuro-ophthalmology unit of the vargas hospital in caracas, ascribed to the department of clinical medicine ？b？ of the ？josé maría vargas？ medical school, attached to the faculty of medicine of the central university of venezuela. founded in 1980 as a teaching clinic, the unit has stayed active for more than 25 years and is unique in its field. it has maintained its place based on four fundamental principles: assistance, education, clinical research and expansion. it treats patients from the vargas hospital and from other centers of the country, through an active external consultation scheme, free of charge, in which close to 16 follow-up patients and 4 first-time patients are tended to daily. subsequently, based on extensive clinical experience, the unit progressed into post-graduate education, receiving close to 40 residents from ophthalmology, neurology and neuro-pediatrics programs each year for short periods for direct and supervised teaching. additionally, especialists have been accepted for a one-year ？fellowship？ program in neuro-ophthalmology. thirty-two fellows (24 venezuelans and 8 foreigners) have graduated from this program: 26 ophthalmologists, 3 neurologists and 4 internists, many of which will assume taching duties in their own countries. over the years, based on a sample of treated patients, continued clinical research of neuro-ophthalmologic problems is undertaken, which has allowed the evaluation, unraveling and publishing of the regional differences of certain clinical conditions. subsequently, with the assistance of its personnel, the unit has expanded its influence to other hospitals as well as national and international institutions, running courses and lectures and conducting clinical exercises with patients.