Join the conversation on January 21 at 7:00 PM EST, focused on the future of the Canadian Ophthalmological Society and the evolving landscape of vision care.

Hear from speakers on key topics, including: Advocacy in Action, Annual Meeting and Exhibition, Artificial Intelligence, Residency in Ophthalmology, and the Equity-focused Mentorship Program.

After this session, participants will:

• Integrate multidisciplinary perspectives to advance excellence in ophthalmic care, synthesizing knowledge from advocacy, education, mentorship, technology, and diversity initiatives to strengthen both clinical practice and the broader ophthalmology profession
• Evaluate the impact of emerging trends and technologies on the future of ophthalmology assessing how innovations, such as artificial intelligence and digital collaborations, are transforming patient care, training, and professional engagement within ophthalmology.
• Promote a culture of equity, inclusion, and lifelong learning in ophthalmology, applying principles of equity, diversity, and mentorship to enhance professional development, foster inclusive leadership, and improve educational and clinical outcomes.

Join Dr. Nina Ahuja, Chair of the Council on Advocacy for the Canadian Ophthalmological Society, to review the year in advocacy and explore what’s coming in 2026.

*Elisabeth Fowler covers this topic in our French Forum on January 28.

Dr. Adam Muzychuk shares exciting updates on the planning process and highlights, including the inaugural Film Festival, Co-developed Symposium, Skills Transfer Courses, and Self-assessment Programs.

*Dr. Mona Dagher covers this topic in our French Forum on January 28.

Dr. Fares Antaki discusses advancements in AI and their importance for ophthalmology.

Dr. Anne Nguyen provides updates on the Council of Canadian Ophthalmology Residents (CCOR) and its work supporting residents in Canada.

Dr. Imaan Kherani presents the COS Equity-focused Mentorship Program and its initiatives.

*Stephanie Nou covers this topic in our French Forum on January 28.

Our COS President, Dr. Mona Dagher, will be moderating the session.

Join us for our next EyeNovation webinar, “Navigating the Ocean of Presbyopia-Correcting IOLs”, presented by Dr. Francesco Carones, a leading expert in refractive and cataract surgery.

This webinar took place on December 17, 2025 from 12:00 PM – 1:00 PM Eastern Time. A recording is available for you to view below.

Francesco Carones, MD, is an internationally recognized leader in refractive and cataract surgery. A graduate of the University of Milan, he completed specialized refractive surgery training at Emory University before serving as Assistant Professor and Director of Refractive Surgery at San Raffaele Hospital in Milan.

Now Medical Director and Physician CEO of Advalia Vision, Dr. Carones focuses on lens replacement and refractive procedures. Since 1989, he has been deeply involved in pioneering technologies—excimer lasers, LASEK, mitomycin-C applications, toric and multifocal IOLs, and advanced lenticular extraction platforms. He also developed the first objective software for defocus curve measurement.

Dr. Carones has published more than 160 peer-reviewed works and lectures globally at major scientific meetings. He is Associate Editor of the Journal of Refractive Surgery, serves on multiple editorial boards, and sits on advisory boards for leading ophthalmic companies. He is a Board Member of AECOS and WCRSVS and President-Elect of AECOS Europe. In 2023–2024, he was named to the Ophthalmologist PowerList of the top 100 most influential leaders in the field.

Learning Objectives

By the end of the session, participants will be able to:

1. Understand the performances of the different presbyopia-correcting IOLs both as regards their advantages (e.g., defocus curves, spectacle independence provided) and their drawbacks (e.g., night dysphotopsia, light dependence for reading).
2. Present the different technologies to patients effectively to help them understand which options best suit their needs and expectations
3. Manage postoperative outcomes by aligning patient expectations with clinical reality and addressing dissatisfaction.

Date: Thursday, January 8, 2026

Time: 5:00 PM – 6:00 PM Eastern Time

Title: Fellowship, early career, and general life hacks

Speaker: Dr. Joshua Teichman

Zoom Link to Register: https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_UEc92Nu8S9u7wqegAB_Bsw#/registration

After this session, participants will be able to:

• Explore conditions not found in textbooks;
• Discuss mindset for unknown cases;
• Discuss productivity and efficiency pearls.

The VPP Grand Rounds Local and Visiting Professor Program is a self-approved group learning activity (Section 1) as defined by the Maintenance of Certification program of The Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada. You will be able to claim 1 credit for this round.

Date: Friday January 9th, 2026

Time: 7:30 AM – 8:30 AM

Title: Hereditary Vitreoretinopathies: From Recognition to Retinal Detachment Prevention

Speaker: Dr. Gareth Mercer

Zoom link: https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_R9XhApxlROemwiti13uKKw#/

After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the webinar.

After this webinar, participants will be able to:

• Differentiate Stickler Syndrome and Familial Exudative Vitreoretinopathy (FEVR) based on key clinical and imaging features, including associated non-ocular conditions.
• Understand the genetic basis and inheritance patterns of Stickler Syndrome and FEVR, and their implications for familial screening.
• Compare and apply disease-specific approaches to retinal detachment risk assessment and prophylaxis.

The VPP Grand Rounds Local and Visiting Professor Program is a self-approved group learning activity (Section 1) as defined by the Maintenance of Certification program of The Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada. You will be able to claim 1 credit for this round.

Date: Friday September 26

Time: 8:45 AM – 12:00 PM

Location: 45 Brunswick Ave., Multipurpose Room B, Toronto

Title: Eyelids

Speakers: Dr. Nancy Tucker

The VPP Grand Rounds Local and Visiting Professor Program is a self-approved group learning activity (Section 1) as defined by the Maintenance of Certification program of The Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada.

Submitted by: Felix Plamondon

The European Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgeons invites professionals around the world to participate to their 43^rd congress. The event will include many learning activities such as the main symposia, instructional courses, wetlabs, video sessions, posters and oral presentations.

Date: September 12th to 16th 2025.

Location: Bella Center Copenhagen, Center Boulevard, 2300 Copenhagen S

Important information: 

COS is now accepting abstracts and video submissions for the 2026 Annual Meeting in Montréal, Québec happening on June 18-21, 2026. The submission deadline is Friday, October 3, 2025 at 3:59 PM (EST).

What We’re Looking For: 

• Latest research findings 
• Clinical innovations 
• Best practices in ophthalmology 
• Videos featuring ophthalmic surgery, procedure, education or innovative techniques, for our inaugural COS Film Festival—an exciting new initiative to feature surgical videos, innovative techniques, and creative storytelling in ophthalmology. Be part of this first-of-its-kind celebration of visual learning and peer-to-peer education.  

Before You Submit
Please review the submission guidelines – they are important changes for 2026.  

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.

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/