19-22 May 2025, Liverpool, UK
This year’s Royal College of Ophthalmologists Annual Congress in Liverpool brought together eyecare professionals from across the country and beyond for four days of thought-provoking content, collaborative discussion and exciting glimpses into the future of ophthalmology.
The opening day was dominated by a strong global and technological focus. In a standout session on diabetic retinopathy (DR), experts from the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine and global collaborators highlighted the challenges of delivering DR care in resource-limited settings. AI emerged as a promising tool in improving access to screening, although concerns around implementation persist.
Later, Professor Sobha Sivaprasad delivered the prestigious Bowman Lecture, offering a comprehensive look at current and emerging DR management strategies. Her insights spanned everything from predictive modelling to real-world therapy uptake, grounding innovation in rigorous evidence.
The UK Biobank Eye and Vision Consortium session also made waves, showcasing how large-scale data is helping to unravel the complex links between eye and systemic health. With eye-brain relationships and the emerging field of oculomics in the spotlight, it’s clear ophthalmology is playing a growing role in the wider health landscape.
Day two delved deeper into structural and functional insights, with neurodegeneration taking centre stage. Talks explored how visual testing and adaptive optics could support early detection of conditions like multiple sclerosis and dementia, reinforcing the eye’s role as a window into brain health.
Sessions on research engagement from NIHR, practical learning through challenging DGH-based cases, and an excellent panel on myopia led by Duke Elder Lecturer Professor Kyoko Ohno Matsui further enriched the programme. In particular, the ‘Make or Break Cases’ discussion stood out for its honesty around the real-world decision-making pressures clinicians face every day.
Elsewhere, the Eye Care Professionals Symposium offered excellent multidisciplinary content, ranging from handheld OCT in children to oculomics and imaging interpretation. The event's collaborative tone was echoed by the industry workshops supporting the learning agenda throughout the day.
Day three shifted towards service delivery, governance and the tech horizon. The morning sessions explored medico-legal risks, cataract service expansion, and new national safety frameworks - all increasingly relevant topics in today’s pressured NHS landscape.
A major highlight was the ‘Horizon Scanning’ session, which gave delegates a glimpse of the future with talks on surgical robotics, 3D visualisation, and AI-powered clinical interactions. Virtual reality’s potential in amblyopia management was another exciting takeaway, suggesting a future where tech is not just an add-on, but central to how we deliver care.
The ‘Wild West Eyecare’ session was a memorable reflection on innovation beyond tertiary centres, showcasing how clinicians in Wales are developing adaptable, patient-centred models of care using limited resources. The session made a strong case for the value of upskilling, multidisciplinary collaboration and local innovation.
While in Liverpool, we also managed to celebrate the future of the profession through the #AspireOphth competition, with moving submissions from Owais Tahhan and Hajar Tukur — two young ophthalmologists who reminded us of the passion and purpose driving the next generation.
With packed sessions, vibrant industry engagement, and plenty of opportunities to reconnect, RCOphth 2025 once again proved itself to be a cornerstone of the UK ophthalmology calendar. Whether you came for the science, the networking, or the ceilidh - it delivered.
As always, we released daily eNewsletters from the conference, which you can check outhere: Day 1, Day 2, Day 3.
