Advocacy is essential for protecting and advancing ophthalmology as a profession. Whether addressing patient access to care, healthcare system sustainability, or funding for vision research, your voice can make a difference. Engaging with policymakers ensures that ophthalmology remains a priority in healthcare discussions.
2025 COS Annual Meeting ePosters

The 2025 COS Annual Meeting was held from June 19th to 22nd, 2025 in the beautiful Vancouver, British Columbia. This meeting boasted an outstanding international and Canadian faculty presenting the latest in ophthalmic research and practice. The COS Annual Meeting and Exhibition included invited lectures, scientific papers, wet labs and workshops, as well as networking opportunities and an extensive exhibition of ophthalmic equipment and services.
If you registered for the Annual Meeting but did not get a chance to check out the ePoster station, you’re in luck! Our ePosters are still available for viewing. Here is how to access the platform:
- Go to: https://cos.multiregistration.com/autologin/COS2025
- Enter the email address you used when you registered for the COS 2025 Annual Meeting
- Check your inbox (or spam folder) for an email with direct access to the link. You will then have access to the 2025 COS Annual Meeting Gallery Platform.
Learning from ePosters may be claimed as Education content review (reading), under Section 2 of the MOC Program as defined by the RCPSC. You may claim 0.5 credits per hour.
Atlantic Eye Symposium 2025

The next Atlantic Eye Symposium will be taking place in Halifax, Nova Scotia from October 3rd to 4th, 2025. For more information about the event, please visit: https://www.atlanticeye.ca/
Webinar Recording: Strengthen Your Advocacy Skills Ahead of the Federal Election

Join Our Exclusive Webinar for COS Members and Residents
COS is pleased to provide this Advocacy and Government Relations webinar for the upcoming Federal Election. This event was offered exclusively to COS members and Residents on April 16th, 2025.
We are living in unprecedented times—facing evolving healthcare challenges, an aging population, and a rapidly changing political landscape. With the upcoming federal election serving as a pivotal moment for Canadians, this is a unique opportunity to unite in shaping the future of vision health and ophthalmology.
This accredited webinar designed to equip you with the skills and key messages needed to advocate effectively with local and provincial policymakers. Your voice is critical in ensuring that ophthalmology and vision health remain a priority on the national agenda.
Did you miss this webinar? Not to worry! A recording is available for our members and residents to view below.

Nina Ahuja, MD
COS Chair, Council on Advocacy
COS Board of Directors
Dr. Ahuja leads the COS Advocacy Council and advises the Board of Directors on COS’ advocacy and government relations initiatives. She recently developed a framework for implementing Canada’s National Eye Care Strategy, along with other key submissions to the federal government.
Learn more about COS’ advocacy work here.

Brett Hartley, Manager, Public Affairs
Impact Public Affairs
Brett Hartley is a seasoned government relations professional with a deep passion for Canadian politics, public policy, and relationship-building. With over a decade of political experience, including significant time on Parliament Hill, he has worked closely with municipal, provincial, and federal officials to drive impactful initiatives and deliver meaningful results for both policymakers and clients.
Learning Objectives
By the end of this webinar, you will be able to:
- Understand how to effectively communicate key issues to government officials and policymakers
- Learn best practices for securing and conducting successful meetings with elected officials
- Gain insights into the current political landscape and how it affects our ophthalmology profession

56th Sally Letson Symposium

Join us from Thursday, September 11 – Saturday, September 13, 2025
This year’s topic is Uveitis – Cells, Haze, and Macular Edema: Seeing the Bigger Picture
Over the course of 2.5 days, the program will delve into the realm of ophthalmology with top experts, captivating lectures, interactive learning and cutting-edge insights that will elevate your learning and practice. Seize this opportunity to enrich your knowledge and skills in this vital field, all while earning Section 1 MOC credits!
Learning Objectives
At the end of the symposium, participants will be able to:
- Assess and differentiate between common and uncommon presentations of uveitis, and apply appropriate diagnostic and treatment strategies to enhance patient care.
- Analyze recent advancements in uveitis research, including novel therapies, immunosuppressive treatments, and emerging diagnostic techniques, and integrate new findings into clinical decision-making.
- Describe the complexities of uveitis and its impact on vision and overall health, demonstrate effective patient communication strategies, and collaborate with multidisciplinary teams to develop comprehensive, patient-centered care plans.
CanMEDS: Medical Expert, Scholar, Communicator
Target Audience: This symposium is designed for attendance by ophthalmologists, ophthalmology fellows and residents, optometrists, orthoptists, medical students, technologists, nurses, and other allied health professionals.
Get a sneak peek at the preliminary program! Click here for more information.
Location: Westin Ottawa, 11 Colonel By Drive, Ottawa, ON K1N 9H4
For more information, please visit the Sally Letson Symposium Website.
QUESTIONS? For inquiries relating to the scientific program and CPD credits, please contact Jill Garner [email protected]
35th Annual Jack Crawford Day Conference

Join your fellow members of the U of T and SickKids Ophthalmology and Vision Sciences communities for a full day of professional development and networking opportunities. This conference honours the late Dr. Jack S. Crawford, former Ophthalmologist-in-Chief for the Hospital for Sick Children, whose career was dedicated to advancing the specialty of pediatric ophthalmology and the care of children’s eye problems.
The 35th Annual Jack Crawford Day will focus on the theme “Every Angle, Every Child: Recent Advances in Kinder Eye Care.” The day will include topics relevant to both pediatric and general eye specialists including pediatric refractive surgery, intrascleral fixation IOL in children with zonular deficiency, minimally invasive glaucoma surgery in children, tips and pearls from 42 years in strabismus practice, 2025 PEDIG updates, virtual reality perimetry, anti-VEGF and systemic implications for ROP, pneumatic retinopexy and a few more
Date: April 4th, 2025 from 8:00 AM – 4:00 PM (E.T)
Location: The Peter Gilgan Centre for Research and Learning Auditorium in Toronto, ON (686 Bay Street)
Speakers: Drs. Sean Donahue, Manoj Parulekar and Stephen Kraft
In-person and online registration is available for this event.
For more information, such as registration, click HERE.
Low Vision Rehabilitation Journal Club – VIA ZOOM
The Department of Ophthalmology and Vision Sciences at the University of Toronto would like to extend an invitation to you, your colleagues, fellows, residents and students to join them in the Low Vision Rehabilitation Journal Club.
Date: Wednesday, March 26th, 2025
Time: 7:30 – 8:30 PM ET
Topic: Neuroplasticity in vision rehabilitation
Speaker: Drs. Ghaliah Nsour and Sangeetha Santhakumaran
Learning Objectives:
- To discuss the new scientific evidence of brain plasticity through increase of cortical activity provoked by biofeedback training on the microperimeter;
- Home-training of direction discrimination in cortically blinded fields as a benefit against the transsynaptic retrograde regeneration post-stroke.
To register in advance for this webinar, click HERE.
The VPP Grand Rounds Local and Visiting Professor Program is a self-approved group learning activity (Section1) as defined by the Maintenance of Certification program of The Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada. This activity is accredited for Section 1 MOC credits. You may claim a maximum of 1 hour.
COS Forum 2025: Eyes on Tomorrow

This webinar took place on January 23, at 7:00 PM EST. If you missed it, not to worry! A recording is now available at the bottom of this page.
Hear from speakers on key topics, including: Advocacy in Eye Health Barriers, Corneal Donation, Ergonomics and Injury Prevention, Ethical Considerations in Ophthalmology, and Annual Meeting Updates: 2025 AI Stream Preview.
After this session, participants will:
- Understand how COS is advocating for policy changes at the government level to improve eye care accessibility and quality.
- Be more aware of the latest information on ergonomics and injury prevention and how the profession is affected by injury. Present the latest updates on funding opportunities to CMA and outputs related to project development.
- Know more of the status of the COS Annual Meeting in 2025 and provide information about our new stream on Artificial Intelligence.
- Understand the importance of ethics in our profession and learn about the virtues exemplified by the ethical physician.

Join Dr. Nina Ahuja, Chair of the Council on Advocacy for the Canadian Ophthalmological Society, as she explores the multifaceted role of advocacy in ophthalmology. Discover how advocacy shapes clinical practice, drives research, raises public awareness, and influences health policy. Learn actionable strategies to amplify our collective voice, inspire meaningful change, and ensure a future of eye care defined by inclusivity, innovation, and excellence.
*Elisabeth Fowler covers this topic in our French Forum on January 29.

Dr. Adam Muzychuk shares exciting updates on the planning process and highlights of what to expect at the 2025 COS Annual Meeting in Vancouver. As the COS Annual Meeting Chair and a new member of the COS Board, Dr. Muzychuk discusses how the event is shaping up to be an extraordinary experience for Canadian ophthalmologists, featuring world-renowned experts across every subspecialty.
*Dr. Mona Dagher covers this topic in our French Forum on January 29.

Dr. Samir Jabbour delves into current guidelines on corneal donation and their impact on the Canadian eye banking system. His presentation will address the specific limitations faced by corneal donors from the MSM community and explore future opportunities to improve these regulations.

Dr. Chryssa McAlister runs a diverse comprehensive ophthalmology practice with an academic focus on bioethics and organizes the biennial Macrae Bioethics and Professionalism Course for senior ophthalmology residents. McAlister is a frequent speaker at conferences on topics of bioethics in ophthalmology and medical education. Her presentation will highlight how to cultivate virtues in a business model of ophthalmology.

Dr. R. Rishi Gupta is on a mission to educate every Canadian Ophthalmologist on injury prevention and ergonomics. His presentation will highlight the strong collaboration and efforts of the newly established COS working group, and their lofty goals for the years to come. Not to worry – we’ve got your back!
*Dr. Cyril Archambault covers this topic in our French Forum on January 29.

Our COS President, Dr. Mona Dagher, will be moderating the session.
2025 EPSAA Scientific Meeting
The Eye Physicians and Surgeons Association of Alberta is proud to announce that the 2025 Scientific Meeting and AGM is scheduled to take place from February 7th to February 8th, 2025 in Banff, Alberta.
From this program, learners are expected to:
- Discuss modern approaches to diabetic retinopathy;
- Build knowledge of contemporary neuro-ophthalmic diagnoses;
- Evaluate approaches to glaucoma care;
- Build knowledge of clinical presentations and risk factors for visual loss due to systemic medications;
- Update knowledge on novel research being performed by resident physicians in Alberta.
The 2025 Eye Physicians and Surgeons of Alberta Annual Scientific Meeting is an Accredited Group Learning Activity (Section 1), as defined by the Maintenance of Certification Program of The Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada and was approved by the Canadian Ophthalmological Society. Physicians may claim a maximum of 5.5 hours.
More program details are included in the PDF below. For more information on registration, click HERE.
Whistler Cataract and Retina Update: Innovations and Insights

The Providence Health Department of Ophthalmology is pleased to announce that they will be hosting an in-person event called: Whistler Cataract and Retina Update: Innovations and Insights.
This one day event will bring together specialists for a day of learning with a focus on the integration of advanced IOL technologies in retina care to enhance surgical and patient outcomes.
When: Friday, February 28, 2025
Time: 8AM-4PM
Conference Location
Nita Lake Lodge
2131 Lake Placid Rd
Whistler, BC V8E 0B2
Directions/Map
Registration to this event includes: Course materials, welcome breakfast, lunch, refreshments and more!
Interested in registering? Click HERE for more information!