Programme Committee Provides Backbone of ESCRS Scientific Content

Meetings as large and important as the ESCRS Annual Congress require thorough organisation and oversight of the scientific programme. This critical task is led by the Society’s Programme Committee, which is composed of experts from across Europe.

“The Programme Committee’s work benefits the ESCRS as a society by keeping the highest standards of scientific and educational content for the Congress and maintaining our reputation as a leading global forum for professional development and knowledge sharing in ophthalmology,” said Filomena Ribeiro MD, PhD, chairperson of the Programme Committee and president of ESCRS.

As the ‘backbone’ of ESCRS scientific activities and events, the Programme Committee selects topics and invites speakers, ensuring the content is innovative, relevant, and of high ethical value. The Congress programme is usually coordinated with the ESCRS Education Committee, and the two committees try to assess all the activities after each Congress to identify opportunities to make improvements the following year.

The 2024 Congress will certainly have plenty of new features. With 2024 marking the 75th anniversary of the first implantation of an intraocular lens, there will be a museum in the exhibition hall illustrating the history of the development of IOLs and expectations for the future. The Congress will also host an EU Trials spotlight session and a Global Refractive Summit in collaboration with other societies. Moreover, many popular activities held at past Congresses will return.

“We will have debates in the arena space focused on presbyopia correction, IOL corneal refractive surgery, and cataract surgery training,” said Professor Ribeiro. “Also, the surgical pearls will be back, as they were very well received last year. The escape rooms we started in Frankfurt will be there, and special space will be given to the Training Lab, especially on cataract surgery, with many educational moments involving digital simulation training for all members and workshops.”

Improvements in outcomes

In addition to overseeing the Congress programme, the Programme Committee is involved in other scientific activities and events the Society organises throughout the year, such as the Winter Meeting. So, what’s next?

“We are developing the Heritage Project, which will be available for all members of the ESCRS on our website,” Prof Ribeiro said. “It will share insights about the development of cataract and refractive surgery and ESCRS as a society.”

Other activities available in the near future include a revamp of the didactic courses and a major development of the World Café—a project launched in Frankfurt, consisting of 20-minute roundtable discussions between delegates. Last but not committee is currently working on ESCRS guidelines for cataract surgery and refractive surgery, intending to present them next year in the main symposia and workshops of the Congress.

Of the many Programme Committee projects that make her proud, Prof Ribeiro singled out two. “The first one is the museum about the first IOL implantation, and the second one is, of course, the Training Lab,” she said. “We are putting a lot of effort into bringing these special moments to our delegates. Especially for training, we aim at improving our ability to provide the best for our members, with some changes to the skill transfer courses, trying more dry labs or digital labs.”

By providing high-quality scientific content, the Programme Committee benefits ESCRS as well as the field of ophthalmology.

“By delivering cutting-edge research on clinical advancements and best practices to our members and the delegates at the Congress, we make the dissemination of new knowledge and new techniques possible,” Prof Ribeiro concluded. “We promote innovation and support ongoing education, and ultimately, we lead to improvements in patient care and outcomes in our field.”