Promoting Family Integration at Ophthalmic Conferences

Prioritising attendance at ophthalmic conferences (such as the ESCRS Annual Congress) while balancing parenthood, work, and family life can often feel like a juggling act.

Through the efforts of the BoSS (Building Our Sustainable Society) initiative, ESCRS is committed to making conference attendance more accessible for working parents. Over the past two years, ESCRS has supported Congress and Winter Meeting delegates through affordable childcare services provided by accredited professionals. We have also enhanced on-site facilities by creating safe breastfeeding and baby-changing stations to foster a more inclusive and supportive environment. Our mission is to break down barriers to education and promote inclusivity for all.

As a working mama of young children and a member of the BoSS Working Group, I know first-hand what it’s like to choose between career opportunities and caring for my family. I have often had to decide whether to miss out on an opportunity or bite the bullet and bring my babies along. Thankfully, I’ve had the support of my non-ophthalmic ‘conference husband’ (yes, it’s a growing trend), which was particularly helpful when I was still breastfeeding, as he could hold the baby whilst I popped on and off the stage.

I asked some fellow ESCRS members who have conferenced with kids to share their experiences and top tips as well as their vision of a future ‘kid-friendly’ conference. Aida Hajjar Sesé (Ophthalmic Surgeon at King’s College Hospital, London) and David Shahnazaryan (Ophthalmic Surgeon at Centre for Sight, London), the parents of two young girls, said they used the childcare service at ESCRS 2024 in Barcelona and came away impressed. 

“The carers were warm and professional, and the set-up included a library, art area, sports zone, play kitchen, slides, and plenty of soft play,” Aida said. “It was perfect for the little ones. I only needed a few hours to attend specific sessions. I wouldn’t use it for the whole day, but it was fantastic for focused sessions.”

Amanda Cardwell Carones (founder of OPHTHALPRENEURS) and Francesco Carones (founder and medical director of ADVALIA Vision, Milan) live in Italy with their two boys, ages nine and ten. The oldest attended ESCRS 2014 in London when he was just six weeks old and then attended ESCRS 2015 in Barcelona the following year.

“Don’t bring your children unless you will have some time to spend with them as well,” counselled Amanda. “Our kids love to travel and experience new places, food, and cultures. When they travel with us, we clearly define in advance which meetings and events we will attend and which we won’t, and we stick to it. Work will have a way of creeping in on family time, so we find it best to stick with a hard ‘no’.”

Amanda’s vision is for industry meetings to include events that families can attend together—for example, dinners where children are invited or at least allowed to attend.

“This is already happening at smaller conferences,” she said. “Having childcare is useful as a service provision that enables parents to attend ESCRS meetings; otherwise, they may not be able to attend due to a lack of childcare, nursing, etc. But it would be great to have events that extend to the children themselves, especially since so many eventually follow in the footsteps of their parents.”

Aida agreed and suggested additional accommodations. “On-site childcare, family rooms, and live-streamed sessions aren’t luxuries, they’re enablers,” she said. “I know brilliant female ophthalmologists who have missed meetings due to childcare barriers. There’s also the added pressure on women to hit both personal and professional milestones before 40—a reality we don’t talk about enough.”

Both couples are pleased to see ESCRS leading the way. We saw progress in Milan at ESCRS 2022, and subsequently BoSS was launched. The introduction of on-site childcare felt overdue; in other subspecialities—general practitioners, obstetrics, surgery—it already existed for years. I am glad we are finally achieving this.

My own observation is that if ophthalmic professionals bring their children, we should be prepared to welcome them. It’s a juggle, but sometimes it’s hard to justify leaving them behind, especially after a busy working week or when conferences clash with family events. I’d love to see our community accept whatever professionals choose.

As more ophthalmologists balance parenthood with professional development, the need for inclusive, family-friendly environments will only grow. At ESCRS, we’re proud to help lead that change. When we support parents, we strengthen our entire community.

Laura Maubon FRCOphth, BMBS, BMedSci, PGCert (Surg Ed) is a consultant ophthalmologist specialising in anterior segment surgery, ocular surface disease, and surgical education.

Interested in registering for childcare at ESCRS 2025 in Copenhagen? Click here for details.