Join us for our next webinar in our EyeNovation: International Webinar Series for Ophthalmic Expertise! 

“Unveiling the pachychoroid disease spectrum: a deep dive into central serous chorioretinopathy and polypoidal choroidal vasculopathy”, presented by Dr. Angie H.C. Fong, University of Hong Kong school of Clinical Medicine. 

This engaging session exploring the evolving understanding of the pachychoroid disease spectrum (PDS) with a focus on central serous chorioretinopathy (CSCR) and polypoidal choroidal vasculopathy (PCV). This webinar will provide an in-depth review of pathogenesis, recent clinical trials, and emerging management strategies. Participants will also gain insights into the incidence and risk factors for PDS progression based on natural observation studies. This webinar will take place on Tuesday, March 25th from 7:00 – 8:00 PM ET.

Dr. Fong joined the Department of Ophthalmology, School of Clinical Medicine in February 2023 as Clinical Associate Professor of Practice. She leads the vitreoretinal service at the Queen Mary Hospital & Grantham Hospital where she is an honorary consultant. She is also an honorary consultant of the United Christian Hospital.  Dr. Fong graduated from the University of Hong Kong with distinction in medicine & was the recipient of the Medic ’67 Gold Medal in Clinical Medicine for being top of her class. She completed her Masters in Public Health degree from the School of Public Health in HKU with distinction & is an HKAM accredited specialist in Ophthalmology. Having been awarded the Ho Hung Chiu Medical Education Foundation Scholarship, she went on to further her training in both surgical & medical retina under Prof. Peter Stalmans in Belgium & the Will’s eye hospital in the US. Her research interests include vitreoretinal surgeries, retinal imaging, macular & choroidal diseases, artificial intelligence & translational care. She was awarded 2 patents for her work on AI in OCT imaging in age related macular degeneration. She has 50+ publications in international peer reviewed journals & has co-authored a textbook in OCT imaging in central serous chorioretinopathy. She participates in major clinical trials with international sites in both the HKU & CUHK clinical trials centres.

Learning objectives
At the end of this session, participants will be able to:

• Assess the evolution and current understanding of the pathogenesis of pachychoroid disease spectrum (PDS) disorders. 
• Integrate the diagnosis and management of central serous chorioretinopathy (CSCR) and polypoidal choroidal vasculopathy (PCV) by analyzing recent clinical trials and management strategies. 
• Describe the incidence and risk factors for PDS progression in a natural observation study.  

If you missed this webinar, not to worry! The recording is available below:

This webinar took place on January 23, at 7:00 PM EST. If you missed it, not to worry! A recording is now available at the bottom of this page.

Hear from speakers on key topics, including: Advocacy in Eye Health Barriers, Corneal Donation, Ergonomics and Injury Prevention, Ethical Considerations in Ophthalmology, and Annual Meeting Updates: 2025 AI Stream Preview.

After this session, participants will:

• Understand how COS is advocating for policy changes at the government level to improve eye care accessibility and quality. 
• Be more aware of the latest information on ergonomics and injury prevention and how the profession is affected by injury. Present the latest updates on funding opportunities to CMA and outputs related to project development. 
• Know more of the status of the COS Annual Meeting in 2025 and provide information about our new stream on Artificial Intelligence. 
• Understand the importance of ethics in our profession and learn about the virtues exemplified by the ethical physician. 

Join Dr. Nina Ahuja, Chair of the Council on Advocacy for the Canadian Ophthalmological Society, as she explores the multifaceted role of advocacy in ophthalmology. Discover how advocacy shapes clinical practice, drives research, raises public awareness, and influences health policy. Learn actionable strategies to amplify our collective voice, inspire meaningful change, and ensure a future of eye care defined by inclusivity, innovation, and excellence.

*Elisabeth Fowler covers this topic in our French Forum on January 29.

Dr. Adam Muzychuk shares exciting updates on the planning process and highlights of what to expect at the 2025 COS Annual Meeting in Vancouver. As the COS Annual Meeting Chair and a new member of the COS Board, Dr. Muzychuk discusses how the event is shaping up to be an extraordinary experience for Canadian ophthalmologists, featuring world-renowned experts across every subspecialty.

*Dr. Mona Dagher covers this topic in our French Forum on January 29.

Dr. Samir Jabbour delves into current guidelines on corneal donation and their impact on the Canadian eye banking system. His presentation will address the specific limitations faced by corneal donors from the MSM community and explore future opportunities to improve these regulations.

Dr. Chryssa McAlister runs a diverse comprehensive ophthalmology practice with an academic focus on bioethics and organizes the biennial Macrae Bioethics and Professionalism Course for senior ophthalmology residents. McAlister is a frequent speaker at conferences on topics of bioethics in ophthalmology and medical education. Her presentation will highlight how to cultivate virtues in a business model of ophthalmology. 

Dr. R. Rishi Gupta is on a mission to educate every Canadian Ophthalmologist on injury prevention and ergonomics. His presentation will highlight the strong collaboration and efforts of the newly established COS working group, and their lofty goals for the years to come. Not to worry – we’ve got your back!

*Dr. Cyril Archambault covers this topic in our French Forum on January 29.

Our COS President, Dr. Mona Dagher, will be moderating the session.

The Eye Physicians and Surgeons Association of Alberta is proud to announce that the 2025 Scientific Meeting and AGM is scheduled to take place from February 7th to February 8th, 2025 in Banff, Alberta.

From this program, learners are expected to:

• Discuss modern approaches to diabetic retinopathy;
• Build knowledge of contemporary neuro-ophthalmic diagnoses;
• Evaluate approaches to glaucoma care;
• Build knowledge of clinical presentations and risk factors for visual loss due to systemic medications;
• Update knowledge on novel research being performed by resident physicians in Alberta.

The 2025 Eye Physicians and Surgeons of Alberta Annual Scientific Meeting is an Accredited Group Learning Activity (Section 1), as defined by the Maintenance of Certification Program of The Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada and was approved by the Canadian Ophthalmological Society. Physicians may claim a maximum of 5.5 hours.

More program details are included in the PDF below. For more information on registration, click HERE.

The Providence Health Department of Ophthalmology is pleased to announce that they will be hosting an in-person event called: Whistler Cataract and Retina Update: Innovations and Insights.

This one day event will bring together specialists for a day of learning with a focus on the integration of advanced IOL technologies in retina care to enhance surgical and patient outcomes.

When: Friday, February 28, 2025

Time: 8AM-4PM

Conference Location
Nita Lake Lodge
2131 Lake Placid Rd
Whistler, BC V8E 0B2
Directions/Map

Registration to this event includes: Course materials, welcome breakfast, lunch, refreshments and more!

Interested in registering? Click HERE for more information!

The University of Alberta and ACUPO are eager to present: Tuesdays with the Titans: Ophthalmology Update and Review Lecture Series. This is a series of webinars that will be hosted on Tuesday evenings from 5:30 – 7:30 PM, MST. Learners are expected to:

• Apply the latest updates in comprehensive ophthalmology
• Review the 10 ophthalmic subspecialties prior to OKAP and the Royal College written exams.

The schedule is as follows:

These webinars are eligible for MOC Section 1 Credits. Please contact [email protected] for registration information.

The Australian and New Zealand Glaucoma Society will be hosting their 2025 ANZGS Congress, which will be held in Perth from 14 – 16 February 2025.

The congress will include the highly popular and somewhat unpredictable interactive panel and case presentations, the ACB Molteno Off-Piste Lecture, and numerous keynote presentations from the glaucoma field, along with ample opportunities for submitted papers. Their keynote presenters include:

• Professor Norbert Pfeiffer (Lowe Lecture)
• Professor Steven Tingay (ACB Molteno Lecture)
• Professor Keith Martin (Gillies Lecture)

Registration is open now! The deadline to register for this event is February 7th, 2025. Virtual and in-person registration is available. For more details on registering, click HERE.

We are thrilled to announce the next webinar in our “EyeNovation: International Webinar Series for Ophthalmic Expertise” series, “The Light Adjustable Lens: Impressions after 500 and my 2 eyes,” presented by esteemed ophthalmologist Dr. Samir Melki from Harvard Medical School. This webinar took place on October 30th, from 7:00 PM – 8:00 PM ET.

Dr. Melki, an associate professor of ophthalmology at Harvard Medical School, has an impressive background, including completing a fellowship in Cornea and Refractive Surgery at the Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary, an MD PhD from Vanderbilt University, and an Ophthalmology residency at Georgetown University. He is the founder of Boston Vision, an academically-oriented practice, and has published 4 textbooks and 57 articles in respected peer-reviewed scientific journals.

In this webinar, Dr. Melki shared his LAL experience with the first 500 eyes, discussing the technology, process, and outcomes. Attendees will gain insights into:

• The process of the LAL;
• Comparison of the visual outcomes of the LAL and other IOLs;
• Patient satisfaction after LAL implantation.

Dr. Melki also discussed the success rate of monovision after LAL, the percentage of patients requesting a change in refractive aim, and his personal experience with LAL and LAL plus from a surgeon’s perspective.

You can watch the recording below:

Missed this webinar? Stay tuned for future webinars in the EyeNovation series, as we continue to bring you the latest advancements and expert perspectives in ophthalmology. Together, we can improve patient care and push the boundaries of what is possible in this dynamic field.

Report Card: The Post-Pandemic State of Vision Health in Canada

Date: Wednesday, October 30, 2024
Time: 10 am – 2 pm  
Location: Toronto Reference Library 
789 Yonge Street, Toronto, Ontario, M4W 2G8
Bram & Bluma Appel Salon (2nd floor)

This conference will present results from the newly-released Report Card Part 2, undertaken by the Canadian Council of the Blind (CCB) and Fighting Blindness Canada (FBC), which is a follow-up to the Report Card Part 1, released in October 2022. 

The report provides an update on the current state of vision health in Canada and what we can anticipate as we move forward from the post-pandemic era. The report offers insights into the key issues affecting vision health and the community of people living with vision loss. 

This is a hybrid event, meaning the same content will be offered at the same time.
For in-person registration, click HERE.
For online registration, click HERE.

You can view the 2023 Report Card below!

Date: November 3-5, 2024
Location: Valencia, Spain – Palacio de Congresos de València

EVER is the leading ophthalmological research association in Europe which covers all areas of ophthalmology and the visual sciences. One of the main activities of EVER is the organizing of a high quality research meeting every year at a location chosen for its access and congress facilities.

The 27th EVER congress will provide the perfect environment to promote the best research in vision, retina and eye, bringing together clinical, translational and basic science in a very beautiful, welcoming and dynamic city.

For more information on this innovative, scientific programming, click HERE.

The 27th EVER CONGRESS, Valencia, Spain 03/11/2024 – 05/11/2024 has been accredited by the European Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (EACCME®) with 17 European CME credits (ECMEC®s). Each medical specialist should claim only those hours of credit that he/she actually spent in the educational activity (6 credits on 3/11, 6 credits on 4/11, 5 credits on 5/11). “Through an agreement between the Union Européenne des Médecins Spécialistes and the American Medical Association, physicians may convert EACCME® credits to an equivalent number of AMA PRA Category 1 CreditsTM. Information on the process to convert EACCME® credit to AMA credit can be found at www.ama-assn.org. Live educational activities, occurring outside of Canada, recognised by the UEMS-EACCME® for ECMEC®s are deemed to be Accredited Group Learning Activities (Section 1) as defined by the Maintenance of Certification Program of the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada.