Rachel Callander
Congress Opening Speaker
Rachel Callander
Rachel combines her perspective as an artist, her experience being mum to her late daughter Evie who was born with a rare condition, and hundreds of hours in consultation with both healthcare professionals, educators, and caregivers the world over. Rachel’s work imparts deeply actionable strategies for effective communication and transformation in the healthcare, education, and disability sectors, for the benefit of all. She believes in human centred-care and that the system should be responsible for the wellbeing of everyone involved. Rachel is a speaker, trainer, award winning author and artist.
Seeing Beyond Sight: The Power of Language in Patient-Centred Ophthalmic Care
As ophthalmologists, your work restores sight—but what about insight, understanding, and trust? In this Opening Lecture, we’ll look beyond procedures and diagnoses to explore the unseen force shaping every patient interaction: language.
We’ll examine how the words we choose can either build clarity or confusion, foster kindness or disconnection, invite curiosity or shut down dialogue. Based on lived experience, frontline conversations, and stories from families navigating health systems, we’ll reveal the invisible weight language carries—especially in moments of uncertainty or fear.
We’ll reflect on how common clinical terms can unintentionally harm, and explore small shifts that have a powerful ripple effect on patient engagement, emotional safety, and trust. With humour, heart, and practical tools, this session will challenge you to see communication as a clinical skill, not just a courtesy.
Because in every conversation, we’re not just describing sight—we’re shaping how patients see themselves, their care, and their future.
Dr Clare Bailey
Retina Update Lecture
Clare Bailey MD MRCP FRCOphth
Clare Bailey has been a Consultant Ophthalmologist at Bristol Eye Hospital, UK since 2001, with a special interest in medical retinal disorders. She undertook her medical degrees at Cambridge and Oxford Universities and worked in general medicine prior to commencing ophthalmology. Her MD thesis concerned treatment for diabetic retinopathy. Prior to taking up her consultant post she undertook a medical retina fellowship at Moorfields Eye Hospital. She is Clinical Director of the Research Unit at Bristol Eye Hospital, and has been a Chief and Principal investigator on numerous trials concerning age-related macular degeneration, diabetic retinopathy and retinal vascular disorders. She has published widely in this field with over 115 peer reviewed publications. She is a member of the Council of the Royal College of Ophthalmologists, and previously served on the RCOphth professional standards committee for several years. She was involved in the development of the NHS national diabetic eye screening programme, as a member of the steering committee and chair of quality assurance as the programme was rolled out. She has served as Clinical director at Bristol Eye Hospital. She has been actively involved in the modernisation of NHS services over many years, including the development of close imaging communication with community optometrists, and the development of high volume diagnostic hubs.
Innovation in the delivery of medical retina services in the UK NHS
In this talk, Miss Bailey will describe various approaches used within the UK National Health Service to help with capacity pressures facing medical retina services. She will describe pathways for closer communication with community optometry. This includes enabling community optometrists to send a full (Dicom) OCT scan and fundus photo with macular referrals, which can be reviewed by the hospital medical retina clinicians remotely. This has significantly reduced the number of patient visits required and has led to more rapid access to care. She will also describe pathways to enable the community optometrists to view the imaging and ophthalmic records from the hospital eye services remotely, which has been shown to reduce the number of referrals into the hospital ophthalmology services. The enhanced roles within the multidisciplinary team will be described, as well as the development of high volume retinal imaging hubs which have reduced the duration of visits as well as enabling more timely access to care.
Prof Anders Behndig
Cataract Update Lecture
Prof Anders Behndig MD, PhD
Anders Behndig is professor at the Department of Clinical Sciences/Ophthalmology, Umeå University Hospital, Umeå, Sweden. Prof. Behndig attended medical school and passed his ophthalmological residency in Umeå. He is the former president of the Swedish Ophthalmological Society and former Vice Dean of the Medical Faculty, Umeå University.
His clinical areas of interest involve most aspects of anterior segment surgery, and his research interests include intraocular lenses, viscoelastics, ocular pharmacokinetics and cataract surgery, as well as the cornea with focus on keratoconus and CXL. He has authored more than 100 scientific articles, is part of the steering group of the Swedish National Cataract Register and the scientific committee of the ESCRS, and is the head of the registries committee of ESCRS and EUREQUO.
Cataract – where do we stand today?
Cataract surgery is the most common surgical procedure in the world and has undergone enormous development in recent decades. The lecture will provide an overview of where we stand today in terms of surgical indications, techniques and outcomes and biometry/IOL calculations. Finally, we will take a brief look at the data goldmines in the Swedish and European cataract registries.
The abstract has not been presented in previous years at the RANZCO Congress or presented/published elsewhere. The presenter has no commercial interests or associations that might pose a conflict of interest regarding this submission.
Prof Celia Chen
The Council Lecture
The Council Lecture was established in 1963 to honour members (Fellows) engaged in original work, or to establish a means whereby a Fellow can deliver an authoritative and distinguished lecture on a subject of which the Fellow has particular experience or knowledge. It generally goes to senior Fellows who have made a significant contribution to clinical ophthalmology. The presentation shall be for 30 minutes duration by an ophthalmologist and discussion will form no part of the proceedings. The lecture becomes the property of the College. The Council lecture provides an opportunity for Fellows who are not necessarily a member of an academic department, to present their work. A certificate is presented to the lecturer at the start of the lecture.
Prof Celia Chen MBBS, MPHC, PhD, FRANZCO
Prof Celia Chen is a Clinical Professor with University of South Australia and Academic Professor at Flinders University. She completed a prestigious neuro-ophthalmology fellowship at the Wilmer Eye Institute, Johns Hopkins Hospital.
She has an excellent research record and is the recipient of both national and international scholarships and awards including the American Australian Education Fellowship, South Australian Science Excellence award, Asia Pacific Academy of Ophthalmology Achievement awards.
Dr. Chen is dedicated to providing mentorship and learning opportunities for young ophthalmologists in the Asia-Pacific region. She has been doing field work in Cambodia for over 10 years and providing fellowship opportunity, through APAO Women in Ophthalmology International Fellowship Program, Kim Frumar Scholarship and Eye Surgeon’s Foundation fellowship program. This has helped young ophthalmologist from a developing country to receive fellowship training in a subspecialty area of ophthalmology, at an international training centre of excellence.
CENTRAL RETINAL ARTERY OCCLUSION: WHAT’S NEW? EVIDENCE FROM UPDATED META-ANALYSIS
Central retinal artery occlusion may be considered as an acute stroke of the eye, the most common etiology being a fibrin platelet thrombus or embolus that occludes the central retinal artery, leading to ischemia of the retina and optic nerve head with resultant visual loss. The visual prognosis of CRAO is poor. Currently, there are no effective treatments for this condition and patients often suffer profound, permanent vision loss.
There is a lack of efficacy of current standard treatment in acute CRAO. The acute management of CRAO is at the discretion of individual ophthalmologist and can vary significantly.
Thrombolytics have emerged as potential therapeutic options. This talk will evaluate the feasibility of the novel treatment option of thrombolytic in the treatment of acute CRAO. Recent meta-analysis from the Assessment Group for Interventional Lysis in Eye (AGILE) showed that early intervention in non-arteritic CRAO is associated with improvement in visual recovery, with intra-arterial and intravenous thrombolysis treatment outperforming non-thrombolytic treatments. These findings warrant confirmation in sufficiently powered RCTs.
In the management of secondary vascular risk factors, a high proportion of patients presenting with CRAO often have an undiagnosed vascular risk factor. Over 60% of patients had at least one undiagnosed vascular risk factor and a significant proportion required either the addition or escalation of existing macrovascular preventative medications and one in 5 required surgical intervention for carotid recanalization. As this population is at high risk of secondary ischaemic events, risk factor modification is prudent to prevent further ischemic events.
This Council lecture will discuss the evidence for the optimal management of CRAO and future directions.
Prof Gus Gazzard
Glaucoma Update Lecture
Prof Gus Gazzard MA(Cantab) MD MBBChir FRCOphth
Prof. Gus Gazzard was made a Consultant in the Glaucoma Service at Moorfields Eye Hospital in 2009 after training at Cambridge University, a Clinical Fellowship at Moorfields 2006-08 and a 2-year Research Fellowship with Prof Peng Khaw. While in Singapore he ran the 6-year Singapore-5FU surgical trial of trabeculectomy and established a RCT looking at early lens extraction for acute angle closure. Following this, he was awarded his research degree for a thesis on angle anatomy and visual field loss in angle-closure glaucoma.
He is Chief Investigator of the 6-year (£2.5m, 718 subject) multi-centre LiGHT trial of SLT and currently co-investigator on the NEI-funded ($15.2m) ‘COAST’, NIHR-funded (£2m) ‘NAMING’, and ‘GLAUrious’ randomized controlled trials of glaucoma therapies. He is a past President of the UK Glaucoma Society, an active committee member of the European Glaucoma Society, past Director of Moorfields Glaucoma Service and current Director of Surgery at Moorfields. He has published widely on surgical trials including contributions to the Lancet & Cochrane Library, with recent awards at AAO for ongoing research. He has been elected to the 100 member ‘Glaucoma Research Society’ and voted by peers in the top 10 of the global ‘PowerList’ of the most influential ophthalmologists worldwide, 2023 and 2024.
Prof Mandeep Sagoo
Oncology Update Lecture
Prof Mandeep S. Sagoo MB, PhD, FRCS (Ed), FRCOphth
Mr Mandeep Sagoo is Professor of Ophthalmology and Ocular Oncology at UCL Institute of Ophthalmology and Consultant Ophthalmic Surgeon with subspecialist interest in adult and paediatric eye tumours at the London Ocular Oncology Service at Moorfields Eye Hospital and the London Retinoblastoma Service at Royal London Hospital. He is the Programme Director for the MSc course in Ophthalmology at UCL/Moorfields.
Having graduated from Cambridge University, he undertook his residency in Ophthalmology at Oxford and then Moorfields Eye Hospital. His Fellowship training was in Ocular Oncology, as a Fulbright Scholar, under Dr Jerry Shields and Dr Carol Shields at Wills Eye Hospital and Medical Retina Fellowship at Moorfields. He holds over 20 academic awards and prizes, including the Gedge Prize of Cambridge University, John Glyn Young Fellows Prize of Royal Society of Medicine, PJ Hay Medal of the North of England Ophthalmology Society, the Syme Medal and the King James IV Professorship of Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh. He has written 5 book chapters and over 175 academic papers. He is a Member of Macula Society, Council Member of Oxford Ophthalmological Congress and has served as Honorary Secretary of the International Society of Ocular Oncology. He has also had the honour of Visiting Professorship of Ophthalmology at Stanford University, USA. In November 2021, he led the clinical team that fitted a fully digitally engineered 3D printed ocular prosthetic in a patient – a world first: https://www.ted.com/talks/mandeep_sagoo_3d_printing_in_eye_tumour_treatment
Ocular oncology in the digital age – from telemedicine to 3D printed ocular prosthetics
Ocular oncology has gained from initiatives that are harnessing modern technology. This lecture will cover the use of imaging to differentiate choroidal naevus from melanoma, and how imaging is incorporated into the TFSOM and MOLES systems for classifying melanocytic choroidal lesions. Community monitoring of suitable fundus lesions has led to development of telemedicine pathways and artificial intelligence algorithms for the early detection of melanoma, as well as AI being used for prediction of survival. International registries originating in Australia are allowing collaborative outcome studies for rare cancers. Large language models are being accessed by patients to provide information, but how accurate are they? New treatments for early and late presenting melanomas are in clinical trials. Despite advances in technology some eyes still require enucleation, and 3D printed ocular prosthetics may help with rehabilitation of these patients in the future.
Prof Dinesh Selva
The Norman McAlister Gregg Lecture
The Norman McAlister Gregg Lecture
The Norman McAlister Gregg Lecture was established in 1958 by the Council of the Ophthalmological Society of Australia in recognition of the outstanding contribution made to ophthalmology by Sir Norman Gregg. The lecture covers a clinical or basic science topic that has clinical relevance and may cover some facet of work not previously published (both ophthalmologists and non ophthalmologists can be considered). The presentation shall be for 30 minutes duration and no time for discussion or questions is allowed. The lecture becomes the property of the College. A “Gregg Medal” is presented, together with a certificate, to the lecturer at the start of the lecture.
Prof Dinesh Selva MBBS(Hons), DHSc, FRACS, FRANZCO
Professor Dinesh Selva was appointed to the Foundation Chair of Ophthalmology & Visual Sciences at the University of Adelaide in 2004. He is Chairman of the South Australian Institute of Ophthalmology, University of Adelaide and has published over 700 peer-reviewed papers and book chapters. He is a past President of the Australia-New Zealand Society of Ophthalmic Plastic & Reconstructive Surgeons and a member of the Orbit Society. His areas of research interest include eyelid tumours, orbital oncology, endoscopic techniques in oculoplastic surgery, thyroid eye disease and blindness prevention in the developing world. He is a Member of the Order of Australia for his work as an academic and clinician. He was awarded the Doctorate of Health Sciences from the University of Adelaide for original and distinguished contributions in the field of eyelid tumours.
Dr Sandra Staffieri AO
The Fred Hollows Lecture
The Fred Hollows Lecture was established in 1999 to recognise the work Prof Fred Hollows undertook with Indigenous people and in raising the profile of ophthalmology. The Fred Hollows lecture is for Fellows involved in outreach or international ophthalmology. The presentation shall be for 30 minutes duration and will address a topic of applied public health research with a community focus. Questions or discussion will form no part of the proceedings. The lecture becomes the property of the College. A certificate is presented to the lecturer at the start of the lecture.
Dr Sandra Staffieri AO
Dr Sandra Staffieri AO is a Clinical and Research Orthoptist with 40 years’ experience in paediatric ophthalmology and is passionate about the early diagnosis and treatment of childhood eye disease. This culminated in completing her doctoral studies in 2019, where she developed and evaluated information for new parents to recognise the early signs of paediatric eye disease.
For three decades, as the Retinoblastoma Care Co-ordinator at the Royal Children’s Hospital, Melbourne, she has cared for children with a diagnosis of retinoblastoma and their parents, following them through to adult survivorship. She is a co-founder of the Australia-New Zealand Retinoblastoma Alliance and as a member of SIOP Oceania, Dr Staffieri works closely with treating teams in low-middle income countries including Papua New Guinea and Timor Leste. She is active in global retinoblastoma research with a focus on incidence and outcomes, raising awareness of early signs of the disease, translation of genetic testing for familial or heritable retinoblastoma and long-term survivorship.
As a Research Fellow at the Centre for Eye Research Australia, she is a Principal or Associate Investigator on numerous research projects studying the genetics of congenital cataract, congenital glaucoma and other hereditary eye diseases. As a clinician-researcher, Dr Staffieri is not only interested in developing and implementing strategies that promote early diagnosis of eye disease but also understanding how the patient or their caregivers’ lived experience can inform changes to clinical practice.
Retinoblastoma Awareness in Oceania – An Odyssey
With the caveat of timely diagnosis and access to treatment, retinoblastoma is the most survivable of all childhood cancers. Early presenting signs of leukocoria and strabismus can appear as benign findings and are readily ignored or dismissed due to a lack of awareness of their importance – for both the general public and healthcare providers alike. Moreover, the potentially heritable nature of retinoblastoma, and the opportunity for early diagnosis this confers through screening, can also be forgotten with tragic consequences.
As a rare intraocular cancer of childhood, approximately 25 children per year will be diagnosed with retinoblastoma across Australia and New Zealand (ANZ). Raising awareness of the signs of retinoblastoma has been shown to be an effective method to downstage disease and increase survival – but not so easy to introduce in Australia. Despite increasingly widespread “awareness” through social media, occasional print media or television stories, children across the ANZ still present with advanced intraocular disease requiring enucleation and sometimes adjuvant systemic chemotherapy to control the disease.
The odyssey of introducing systematic paediatric eye health awareness programs within ANZ has been long and less than successful. Promoting awareness of leukocoria and strabismus in the hope of detecting myriad treatable paediatric eye diseases early to achieve better outcomes has been slow. Yet, in island countries within Oceania, such as Papua New Guinea, awareness is a matter of life and death and the uptake of a simple poster in antenatal clinics has been swift. As one of the six index cancers targeted by the World Health Organisation in partnership with the International Society for Paediatric Oncology (SIOP), retinoblastoma is high on their agenda to promote awareness to improve survival. But “survival” for retinoblastoma means more than just their life, it is the life the survivor leads into adulthood following their treatment – and this should motivate us all to continue this journey.
Dr Radhika Tandon
Cornea Update Lecture
Dr Radhika Tandon MD, DNB, FRCOphth
The Future is Clear: Innovations Reshaping Corneal Care
The cornea subspecialty is experiencing an unprecedented wave of innovation, transforming both diagnostics and therapeutics. This lecture will provide a clinically focused overview of the most impactful and exciting advancements in corneal disease management, with an emphasis on personal practical real-world experience.
An overview of use of latest in anterior segment imaging and AI-assisted algorithms facilitating early detection, guiding referral pathways and risk stratification for corneal diseases will be provided with supportive clinical experience. Key surgical innovations which are redefining standards of care and expanding access to corneal transplantation in resource-constrained settings will be highlighted with representative case studies.
Current perspectives of emerging regenerative strategies—such as limbal stem cell transplantation, bioengineered corneas, and intrastromal cell therapy—will be briefly reviewed, with particular attention to their translational potential and recent clinical trial data. The lecture will also touch exciting developments in managing active keratitis with illustrative rare case scenarios offering innovative solutions to challenges in managing advanced or recalcitrant ocular surface disorders.
The lecture will conclude with a forward-looking perspective on how artificial intelligence and precision medicine may shape the future of corneal care globally.
Attendees will gain an up-to-date understanding of the innovations poised to enter clinical practice and an appreciation for the collaborative research opportunities shaping tomorrow’s corneal landscape.
Dr Radhika Tandon MD, DNB, FRCOphth
Dr Tandon is currently working as Professor of Ophthalmology, Head of Cornea, Cataract and Refractive Surgery, Ocular Oncology and Low Vision Services Unit at Dr Rajendra Prasad Centre for Ophthalmic Sciences All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi.
Dr Tandon’s research interest areas include Cornea, Eyebanking, Stem cell culture, Paediatric Ophthalmology, Epidemiology and Genetics of eye disease, Keratoprosthesis and Bioengineering.
Dr Tandon has been honored with “The President of India’s Silver Medal”; “Gold medal” by Royal College of Surgeons, Edinburgh. Also, awarded Commonwealth Fellowship to study keratoprosthesis, eyebanking, stem cell culture and inflammatory eye disorders Sussex Eye Hospital, Brighton; U K Transplant Service and Cornea Bank, Bristol; Queen Victoria Hospital and Cornea Plastics Unit, East Grinstead and Moorfield’s Eye Hospital, London.
Prof Daniel Vitor Vasconcelos-Santos
Uveitis Update Lecture
Prof Daniel Vitor Vasconcelos-Santos MD PhD
Dr. Daniel Vitor Vasconcelos-Santos obtained his MD and PhD degrees at Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais (UFMG) in Belo Horizonte, one of the most prestigious/high-ranked universities in Brazil, where he also completed his ophthalmology residency. After fellowships in Cornea, Retina and Uveitis, he went for a two-year postdoctoral fellowship in Ocular Inflammation/Immunology/Pathology at the Doheny Eye Institute/University of Southern California. He is currently a tenured associate professor and the Chair of the Department of Ophthalmology and Otorhinolaryngology at UFMG School of Medicine and Head of Ophthalmology (and also of the Uveitis Unit) of UFMG Eye Hospital (Hospital São Geraldo). He is also elected member of International Uveitis Study Group (IUSG) and of the American Uveitis Society, and serves as vice-president of the Brazilian Uveitis Society (SBU) and member of the Executive Boards of the Global Ocular Inflammation Workshop Society (GOIWS) and of the International Ocular Inflammation Society (IOIS). He has also been an international consultant for the Basic Clinical and Science Course (BCSC) of the American Academy of Ophthalmology (2012-2019).
Dr. Vasconcelos-Santos has dedicated his career to teaching/academia, with more than 120 manuscripts published in peer-reviewed journals, more than 80 book chapters, and over 120 abstracts. He has also delivered nearly 200 invited presentations at scientific meetings, being also member of the Editorial Board/reviewer of several major international journals. His main research interests include tropical ophthalmology, noninfectious/infectious uveitis, masquerade syndromes, retinal vascular diseases, experimental models of ocular inflammation/infection, ophthalmic pathology and telehealth.
OCULAR TOXOPLASMOSIS: A PANORAMA
Ocular disease is the major clinical manifestation of toxoplasmosis. However, this subject is still surrounded with controversy. The aim of this presentation is to provide a comprehensive update on ocular toxoplasmosis, dissecting its importance as the main etiology of infectious posterior uveitis worldwide and an important cause of visual disability in endemic areas.
Clinical aspects of ocular toxoplasmosis will be dissected, with emphasis on diagnostic advances brought by multimodal imaging and by molecular biology. Changing epidemiology in the context of congenital/postnatally acquired disease will also be presented. Immunopathogenetic aspects will be briefly reviewed, discussing influence of host genetics/immune response, and of parasite genotype/virulence. Finally, recent trends in treatment of ocular toxoplasmosis will be discussed, including the role of local therapy and of secondary prophylaxis.
A/Prof Andrea Vincent
The Dame Ida Mann Memorial Lecture
The Dame Ida Mann Memorial Lecture was established in 1988 by the Council of the College in recognition of the outstanding contribution made to ophthalmology by Dame Ida Mann. The presentation shall be for 30 minutes duration and is to cover an important topic that is oriented to the basic or novel clinical sciences of ophthalmology with clinical relevance (not confined to Fellows). Questions or discussion will form no part of the proceedings. The lecture becomes the property of the College. A certificate is presented to the lecturer at the start of the lecture.
A/Prof Andrea Vincent MBChB, MD, FRANZCO
A/Prof Vincent is the first molecular ophthalmologist clinician-scientist in New Zealand and established Ocular Genetics as a clinical field. She leads a team of Ophthalmologists, students and trainees at both the University and the Public Hospital investigating and characterising the genetic basis of eye disease. She also is a Director of Retina Specialists, a private Ophthalmic practice She established the NZ Database for Inherited Retinal and Optic nerve disease with over 1800 participants, and this has led to novel gene discovery, particularly in the Māori and Pacific peoples populations. .. A/Prof Vincent has a total of 110 publications, with 3 book chapters
A/Prof Vincent is on the Scientific and Medical Advisory Board (SMAB) of Retina International, and Chair of Retina New Zealand SMAB, and on the editorial Board of Ophthalmic Genetics, and Section Editor for Clinical and Experimental Ophthalmology, and Rare Eye disease for Orphanet Journal of Rare Diseases She is also a member of ClinGen Gene Curation Expert Panel for Glaucoma/Optic nerve, and the Variant CEP for ABCA4, an NIH initiative She is on the Scientific program committee for RANZCO, and been an examiner for RANZCO vocational trainees.
Navigating the Genetic basis for Eye disease in Maori and Pacific peoples – A journey through Polynesia
Aōtearoa New Zealand is a small island nation at the bottom of the South Pacific, with a population of 5 million, and the largest Polynesian population in the world. 15% identify as Māori, and 7% as Pacific Peoples, and the spectrum of inherited eye disease encountered in this population varies from that seen in those identifying as NZ European. The Māori people of New Zealand were the first inhabitants, with their arrival from Eastern Polynesia (Cook Islands, Tahiti, Hawai’i) estimated to occur around the year 1280. Travel of unique DNA variants by waka through the Pacific, and an admixture from explorers, trade ships and early settlers have resulted in a unique and enriched genetic signature for inherited eye disease in some of these small isolate communities.
This talk will provide an overview of the spectrum of Inherited eye diseases observed in the New Zealand population, specifically discussing the findings and genetic associations seen in the New Zealand Māori and Pacific Peoples, based on study data, publications, and observations.
