One of the biggest UKISCRS events is upon us, and we’ll all by making our way down there in the next several weeks or so. Not only is it the 75th anniversary of the IOL, but it is also the 48th annual congress. What started out as the United Kingdom Intra-ocular Implant Society (UKIOIS) in Los Angeles’ Century Plaza Hotel in 1976, it then became the UK Intraocular Implant Society (UKIIS) in John Pearce’s (Society Secretary) home. This in turn, as RK/AK laser surgery gained prominence in the mid-90s and as UKIIS’ membership grew to include a third of England’s consultants, the society decided to welcome both refractive surgery and Irish colleagues into its title, formalising what we know now as the United Kingdom & Ireland Society of Cataract & Refractive Surgeons: UKISCRS. And it continues to move from strength to strength.
Ahead of the official UKISCRS Programme, delegates and trainee ophthalmologists will be treated to the wonderful YO Programme, populated by an incredible lineup of senior and junior trainees, professors, and consultants. Topics such as ‘How to be a safe high volume surgeon’ (Sharmina Khan) and ‘How to survive the first year as an NHS Consultant’ (Pei Lin) will be discussed, amongst many others. Also, there will be a YOP Video competition, drinks reception, and question-led discussions such as should every ophthalmologist be a competent cataract surgeon? This particular debate will be held between Cara Campbell and Professor Sarah Maling. Don’t miss it! Other sessions we’re looking forward to are:
- 09:30–09:40: ‘Transitioning: The journey of becoming a trainer’ by Laura Maubon
- 11:00–12:45: ‘Optimising your cataract surgery outcomes’ by the YOP Committee
- 16:30–16:50: ‘The new I-derived multifocal IOL’ presented by Professor Lyra, and supported by Rayner IOL
For the full YO Programme, click here.
Happy faces at 2023's YO Programme.
The first day of UKISCRS proper is set to be a big one! After kicking us off with Paul Ursell’s presidential welcome, we are then treated to societal royalty, with the ‘Presidents Plenary: Best of UK & Éire Societies’ session. Taking place from 09:00 to 10:30, we will hear from leaders such as Ben Burton (RCOphth), Nishani Amerasinghe (UKEGS) and John Doris (ICO), among others, before getting stuck into the main body of the programme. Highlights for us include:
- 11:00–11:12: ‘The good the pandemic has wrought’ by Arthur Cummings
- 11:13–11:25: ‘Making the best of the NHS’ by Sarah Maling
- 12:05–12:17: ‘Burning bright, not burning out’ by Eye News Co-editor, David Lockington
- 15:40–17:15: ‘Refractive session – worst nightmares of the UK & Irish Societies’ moderated by Mayank Nanavaty and Allon Barsam
For the full UKISCRS Programme, click here.
The UKISOP Programme has been a firm fixture of UKISCRS for some time now, and we believe it’s one of the strongest. With dedicated sessions aimed at the allied professions surrounding, responding to, and feeding into ophthalmic practice, UKISOP’s theme this year echoes that of the IOL’s anniversary: exploring the cataract pathway. If you feel stretched between UKISCRS and UKISOP, do not miss the following:
- 09:00–09:30: ‘Start of the cataract pathway. The High Street Optometrist’ by Lyndon Bird
- 12:00–12:30: ‘The future of cataract surgery’ by Professor David O’Brart
- 14:30–15:15 / 15:45–17:00: ‘Rotating Masterclass: Biometry, slit-lamp imaging, cataract wet lad, and indirect ophthalmology’ with Lyn Milbank and Sunil Mamtora
For more information about UKISOP, click here to check out our introductory article from UKISOP President Rebecca Turner.
For the full UKISOP Programme, click here.
Another segment of the UKISOP Programme is of course the Scope Cast Study Competition, which has seen a mountain of submissions this year. Two lucky winners will be announced on the day, with the opportunity to present their case studies to delegates. They will also win a £400 education bursary and free registration for the UKISOP event – not a bad bundle for two lucky trainees! Keep an eye out for our daily eShots to stay updated.
Eyesi (Haag-Streit) competition participants from 2023's congress.
Put simply, the intraocular lens was a serious game changer, and it has revolutionised vision restoration for millions since its first implantation 75 years ago. The journey began in 1949 when Sir Harold Ridley noticed that World War II fighter pilots with shattered cockpit canopy fragments in their eyes didn’t experience adverse reactions. Inspired, Ridley designed the first IOL from polymethyl methacrylate and successfully implanted it, marking a turning point in cataract treatment.
Over the last 75 years, IOL technology has progressed by leaps and bounds. Early models were rigid and required large incisions, but innovations like foldable lenses, improved biocompatibility, and sophisticated optics have made IOLs safer, more comfortable and even more customisable. As we celebrate the 75th anniversary of the IOL, we honour the pioneers and look forward to ongoing innovations that keep transforming lives all over the world.
Finalising the event, we have yet another stacked day of sessions to look forward to. With the red carpet seeing traffic right through to the end, we’ll be hearing from more ophthalmic heavyweights like Paul Rosen, Filomena Ribeiro and Milind Pande with their discussion ‘What will cataract surgery look like at the 100th anniversary celebration?’ Later in the day we’ll hear about ‘MIGs in cataract surgery’ from Ike Ahmed, and ‘Technology that Sir Harold didn’t have 75-years ago’ from Pannet Pangputhipong, Andrew Turnball and Philip Bloom. Not only that, but we’ll also be gifted with 2024’s Ridley lecture, too.
Essentially, if you want to know the answers to some big questions, turn up on 29 November, as experts in their field will be asking things like: Will robotics take over my job? How do we meet the global demand for cataract surgery? How was the first IOL made? And what has cataract surgery changed?
For the full UKISCRS Programme, click here.
Introduced by Alistair Wood, Chief Executive of the Ridley Eye Foundation, the 29th November 2024 represents the 75th anniversary of Harold Ridley's first intraocular implant at St Thomas' Hospital, and to mark this momentous event, his charity, the Ridley Eye Foundation, will host a Gala Dinner for 200 of the world's most eminent cataract and refractive surgeons:
"The evening is in partnership with Rayner, the company that collaborated with Ridley to create the artificial lens, and who still remain recognised as being at the forefront of IOL technology. Professor Paul Ursell, the outgoing President of UKISCRS, has been hugely instrumental in orchestrating this gathering of the most eminent international ophthalmic practitioners, academics, and industry leaders. The gala dinner is being held at the Tower of London and will comprise a guided tour of the magnificent Crown Jewels for the international guests, followed by a glittering champagne reception in the White Tower. This Norman-era fortress is probably the most recognised and iconic part of the Tower of London.
"The dinner itself is to be held in the Banqueting Suite of the New Armouries originally built in the 17th Century as an arms store for Charles II. The three course banquet, together with an auction of unique experiences, and a Royal raffle of monarchy themed gifts, will be amongst the many highlights of this historic evening. Speeches from the Chairman, Nicholas Ridley (the son of Sir Harold Ridley), the Foundation's Patron, Lord Garnier, along with the Chief Executive of Rayner, Tim Clover, and Professor Paul Ursell, will reflect on the initial controversy and professional criticism that Sir Harold's research and work attracted, but also the triumph and recognition that Sir Harold's innovation ultimately achieved.
"Following the speeches, the evening will draw to a close with a short video covering Sir Harold's story, the benefits his innovation has brought not just to individuals, but also to the advances in medical science and technology in both diagnosis and treatment. It also gives a glimpse of the work of his Charity in Nepal, where its presence is not only growing both in the scale and scope of surgical camp delivery, but also deepening the relationships with its Nepalese partner hospitals."
If you would like to attend this year's UKISCRS, click here to register attendance.
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