Full steam ahead as 37th Congress of the ESCRS opens in Paris 

[caption id="attachment_16731" align="alignleft" width="1024"] Béatrice Cochener-Lamard at the official Opening Ceremony of the 37th Congress of the ESCRS[/caption] Research, education and continuous innovation will continue to be key drivers for the ESCRS as it prepares to enter a new and exciting phase in the Society’s development, President Béatrice Cochener-Lamard said at the official Opening Ceremony of the 37th Congress. Welcoming more than 9,400 delegates from over 123 countries, Prof Cochener-Lamard said that this year’s Congress offered the usual first-rate scientific programme and a wide range of symposia, instructional courses and wetlabs covering most major fields of ophthalmology. “At this year’s congress we have 16 symposia, 541 free papers, 1,016 e-Posters, 122 instructional courses, 76 wetlabs, and a very well supported trade exhibition with over 329 exhibiting companies taking part,” she said. The phenomenal success of the ESCRS has been built on a culture of innovation and a desire to keep pace with the evolving needs of its members, explained Prof Cochener-Lamard. Announcing the launch of a five-year strategic plan, Prof Cochener-Lamard said it was important for the ESCRS to continue to innovate and fine-tune its mission to better serve the interests of its members through high-quality clinical research and education. “This aspiration is captured in the vision statement of our strategic plan, which states that by 2025 we want the ESCRS to be the leading community and trusted source for science, education and professional development in the fields of cataract and refractive surgery,” she said. The other key component of the strategic plan is the mission statement, which will position the ESCRS as “an independent platform to share latest scientific results and clinical knowledge, to promote research and to provide education, thereby supporting our members in continuing their professional development and delivering the best possible eye care”, she said. The plan will focus on five principal areas, said Prof Cochener-Lamard: the members, research and education, partnerships, representation of interests and organisation and finance. “We are here to serve you, the members, and promote a European vision of a Society that we can all participate in for the ultimate benefit of our patients,” she said. Prof Cochener-Lamard said that the ESCRS is currently providing funding of €4 million for a wide variety of research projects in cataract and refractive surgery, with two new projects approved this year.