Newsletter WAEH | June 2026
Join the WAEH 20th Annual Meeting!
Source: Adobe stock
🎉Our 20th Annual Meeting is coming up, and this year we are celebrating our Jubileum Year!
This year the meeting will be in São Paulo (Brazil) from 9 – 13 November to share best practices in eye hospitals worldwide. There will also be facultative visits to Londrina (Brazil) and Santiago (Chile) from 14 – 16 November.
Abstract Submission Now Closed
We are thrilled to announce that abstract submission for the 20th Annual WAEH Meeting is officially closed—and what an amazing response!
A huge thank you to everyone who contributed!
The abstracts span our key themes for 2026, including:
- Eye Hospital Management – Strategic and operational management of eye hospitals, focusing on financial sustainability, performance, and organizational growth.
- Patient Experience (User Experience) – Designing and improving the complete patient journey in eye care, across physical and digital touchpoints, from first contact to long-term follow-up.
- Digital Transformation in Eye Care – Challenges and hurdles of digital transformation in eye care, including implementing a new Electronic Patient File, how to work FAIR in collecting images in ophthalmology and developing AI models to diagnose glaucoma in an early stage.
- Public Health Systems & Comparative Models – Understanding and comparing global health system models and their impact on access, financing, and delivery of eye care.
- Human Resources & the Workforce of the Future – From Boomers to GenZ – Rethinking workforce strategies in eye hospitals to bridge generations, develop new skills, and build resilient, motivated teams.
- Quality of Care in Eye Care – Ensuring high-quality, safe, and outcome-driven eye care through measurement, standardization, and continuous improvement.
- Applied research & innovation in Eye Hospitals – Share applied, non-clinical research from your eye hospital – topics can include for example research on big data, artificial intelligence, improving the efficiency of patient pathways, developing outcome measurement indicators and improving quality of care and operations.
Meet & network with our global network of eyehospitals and exchange knowledge and experience!
What’s next?
We are currently in full review mode, carefully evaluating each submission. With such a high number of quality abstracts, the process is taking a bit more time—but rest assured, we’re committed to a thorough and fair review. Our goal is to allocate each abstract to the format that suits it best: oral presentation or poster.
20th Annual WAEH Meeting
Short overview of the programme
Monday 9 November
- Arrival in São Paulo, Brazil
Tuesday 10 November
- Location: Instituto Suel Abujamra (São Paulo, Brazil)
- Board meeting (just for board members)
- Start 20th Annual meeting
- Tour Instituto Suel Abujamra
- Welcoming dinner
Wednesday 11 November
- Location: São Paulo, Brazil
- Learn about for example eye hospital management and (digital) innovations through presentations from all our members
Thursday 12 November
- Location: São Paulo, Brazil
- Learn more from other eye hospitals from all over the world
Friday 13 November
- Location: São Paulo, Brazil
- Experience the large campaign Glasses for Kids (Suel Abujamra screens 660 schools per year!)
- Exchange ideas during the on site Communities of Practice
- Experience 3D Live surgery
Saturday 14 November
(Facultative)
- Morning: Travel to Londrina, Brazil by plane (Latam airways)
- Afternoon: Visit Hoftalon Eye Hospital (Londrina, Brazil) including a tour and presentations
- Dinner hosted by Hoftalon Eye Hospital
Sunday 15 November
(Facultative)
- Take a flight from Londrina back to São Paulo (Latam airways)
- Fly from São Paulo to Santiago, Chile (Latam airways)
Monday 16 November
(Facultative)
- Dinner hosted by Pasteur
- Visit Clínica Oftalmológica Pasteur (Santiago, Chile)
- Presentations
Join us!
Everyone is warmly welcome to attend our 20th Annual Meeting!
This event is your opportunity to:
- Discover the latest global developments in eye hospital care
- Engage in meaningful discussions
- Network and collaborate with international peers
📅 Dates: November 9 – 16, 2026
📍 Locations: Instituto Suel Abujamra (São Paulo, Brazil), Hoftalon Eye Hospital (Londrina, Brazil) and Clínica Oftalmológica Pasteur (Santiago, Chile).
São Paolo, Brazil Londrina, Brazil Santiago, Chile
Source: Adobe Stock
Source: Adobe Stock
Register for the in person meeting
Deadline 31st of August 2026
Is your eyehospital a full member? Two attendees are included in the membership.
Is your eyehospital an associate member? One attendee is included in the membership.
Of course you can attend with more than 2 persons.
Register now!
Request the code to register for free via Maaike: Maaike.vanzuilen@waeh.org
Please note that all membership fees have to be paid before registering with this code.
Present a poster during the 20th Annual Meeting!
Source: WAEH Annual Meeting 2025
All WAEH members are invited to create a poster for the 20th Annual Meeting.
Get started on your design today!
You can find more information about the poster via the button below!
Book your hotel for the Annual Meeting!
São Paulo, Brazil | Dates: 9 – 14 November
Renaissance São Paulo Hotel (*****)
 | To make reservations:WAEH exclusive booking link Single Deluxe Room – Daily Rate of BRL 1580 + 5% ISS, including breakfast and internet Double Deluxe Room – Daily Rate of BRL 1720 + 5% ISS, including breakfast and internet Book by September 25th 2026! | ||||||||||
Laghetto Stilo São Paulo (*****)
 | To make reservations: Laghetto Stilo São Paulo Single room: BRL 900.00 + 5% taxesDouble room: BRL 990.00 + 5% taxes You can use the promo code “WAEH” at the time of booking in order to receive the discounted rate. | ||||||||||
Londrina, Brazil | Dates: 14 – 15 November
Jk Premium Hotel e Eventos (****)
 | To make reservations: Jk Premium Hotel e Eventos Superior Double Room (1 person) – 370 BRL / night Deluxe Room (2 persons) – 553 BRL / night Breakfast included | ||||||||||
Santiago, Chile| Dates: 15 – 16 November (or longer as you wish)
Sheraton Santiago (*****)
 | To make reservations: Sheraton Santiago Standard Room (single) – US$ 175 + 19% TAX Standard Room (double) – US$ 190 + 19% TAX Club Room (single) – US$ 235 + 19% TAX Club Room (double) – US$ 250 + 19% TAX | ||||||||||
Source: Adobe Stock
Explore the Amazon before the 20th Annual Meeting begins by joining a special pre-meeting trip organized by our host, Instituto Suel Abujamra!
This excursion offers participants the opportunity to experience the unique nature and culture of the Amazon region ahead of the official program. More information about the itinerary and registration can be found below.
What to expect – looking back at our 2025 Annual Meeting in France and Switzerland
Source: WAEH Annual Meeting 2025
During the 2025 WAEH Annual Meeting, we explored many fascinating topics, including: the impact of the use of AI in diagnostics, patient monitoring, and surgical decision-making, workforce development and leadership in ophthalmology, innovations in ophthalmology and hospital design, low vision care, quality and patient-centered-care, the need for green environmental circularity in eye care and more!
It was an inspiring meeting full of networking, knowledge sharing and collaboration!
This 2026 meeting promises to be just as successful! Join us and be a part of the momentum. Your contributions matter!
Sponsors of the 20th Annual Meeting!
Exciting News! Our Annual WAEH Meeting is just around the corner, and we’ve got two fantastic sponsors on board! We’re thrilled to have the support of these incredible organizations that are as passionate about eye care as we are.
Let’s give a big shoutout to our sponsors!
More names will follow soon!!
Want to become a sponsor yourself?
Has this exciting event sparked your interest? Would you like to contribute by becoming one of our sponsors? Get in touch with Maaike van Zuilen to receive all details regarding our sponsorship packages!
We are also happy to offer a tailor-made sponsorship package that suits your needs!
Join the WAEH Community
The WAEH Community is a platform where you and colleagues from around the world canto share updates, discuss ideas, exchange documents, and stay connected. Besides collaboration, the WAEH Community will also feature news, events and dedicated groups for the Communities of Practice.
Please register for the WAEH Community using your hospital email address:
If you do not have a hospital email address, or if registration does not work for your email address, please contact support@waeh.org with your name, email and hospital affiliation.
Note: the WAEH Community is only for employees of WAEH member hospitals!
Please let us know if we can provide any other information – we would like to know all inconveniences that come up with the Community and this method of CoP registration, so that we can improve the platform to best fit your needs.
We are looking forward to seeing you in the Community!
Building the next generation of leaders in eye care
As part of WAEH’s commitment to strengthening leadership across the global eye care community (and part of our strategy 2025 – 2031), the WAEH is exploring the development of a new Leadership Programme for eye hospital professionals worldwide.
The programme is envisioned as a year-long learning journey focused on leadership, innovation, collaboration, and the future of eye care. The ambition is to develop a first outline together with interested WAEH members and present an initial concept during the WAEH Annual Meeting in São Paulo this November. Following further refinement, we aim to launch the programme in January 2027.
To make sure the programme reflects the needs and ambitions of our community, we are looking for members who would like to join a small working group and help shape its content, format, and learning experience. Whether you are an experienced leader, an emerging professional, or passionate about developing leadership in eye care, your input would be highly valued.
We are also inviting expressions of interest from potential participants. If you would be interested in joining the first cohort when the programme launches in 2027, please let us know.
Interested in helping design the programme or participating as a future learner? We’d love to hear from you.
Please email Maaike van Zuilen: maaike.vanzuilen@waeh.org
WAEH Community of Practice – Fundraising | 2 July 2026
Would you like to know more about fundraising in eye hospitals worldwide? Please join the CoP – Fundraising, which will bring together fundraising professionals worldwide to exchange experiences, share best practices, and explore strategies to strengthen sustainable fundraising in eye care.
The CoP is led by Juliette Fahlenbrach, Head of Philantropy and Donor Relations at Fondation Asile des aveugles – the Hôpital ophtalmique Jules-Gonin (Switzerland).
The meeting will feature a presentation by Kally Ooi, Director, Development & Community Engagement at the Singapore National Eye Centre (Singapore). Her presentation will offer an overview of SNEC’s fundraising approach, anchored by VisionSave – a unifying platform connecting people, purpose and philanthropy to advance sight-saving care.
- 🗓️ Thursday, July 2, 2026
- 🕐 01:00 PM CEST
- 💻 Online (Zoom)
Are you interested in participating in this Community of Practice? Register now!👇🏼
After registration you’ll receive an e-mail with the link to join the meeting on Thursday, July 2.
Please note that this session is only open to staff working at WAEH member eye hospitals. Not a member yet? Join the global WAEH community via our website.
WAEH Community of Practice – Finances | 25 June 2026
On Thursday 25 June 2026, the first WAEH Community of Practice on Finances took place. This CoP is led by Mee Chee (Macy) Thong (Chief Financial Officer (CFO) at Singapore National Eye Centre), Jessica Dollé (CFO at Quinze-Vingts National Eye Hospital, France), and Urs Winkler (CFO at Hôpital Ophtalmique Jules-Gonin, Switzerland). The session brought together finance professionals from WAEH-members worldwide to share strategies for strengthening financial sustainability while maintaining high-quality patient care.
Macy Thong presented Singapore’s transition towards value-based healthcare, highlighting how funding models are evolving to focus on patient outcomes rather than service volumes. Urs Winkler, Jessica Dollé and other participants also compared reimbursement systems across countries and explored common challenges in financing specialised eye care. Mireille Wolleswinkel (CEO of the Rotterdam Eye Hospital) presented the financial pressures facing specialised eye hospitals in the Netherlands and explained that she commissioned a cost-benefit analysis to demonstrate their broader societal value.
Read the full report on our website, and watch the full recording on the Knowledge Hub👇🏼
Are you a member but do not have a login code for the Knowledge Hub? Send an email to by clicking the button below! 👇🏼
Want to share your strategy regarding the financial strategy of your eyehospital? The Community of Practice for Finances will come together online again on site during the 20th WAEH Annual Meeting from 9 – 13 November 2026 in São Paulo (Brazil), and on 28 January 2027.
LVPEI Monthly Note: Giving Back | June 2026
News from our full member LV Prasad Eye Institute
A few days ago, our Founder chair, Dr Gullapalli N Rao was honoured with the Santokbaa Humanitarian Award in Surat, Gujarat for his outstanding contributions to healthcare. During his acceptance speech, he said something that deeply resonated with me. He said that this award recognised ‘…the values that I have lived my life by—empathy, service, and a commitment to improving lives.’
To everyone who knows Nag Rao, these words are the truest reflection of his life’s work: empathy for every person seeking eye care regardless of circumstance; excellent services delivered with humility and compassion; and above all, an unwavering commitment to enriching lives by helping everyone see better.
Source: Moorfields Eye Hospital
Landmark dataset to accelerate research on anterior segment eye disease
News from our full member Moorfields Eye Hospital
Diseases affecting the anterior segment, the front part of the eye, are among the leading causes of visual impairment and blindness globally, yet few large-scale datasets have been available for these conditions.
In response, clinical researchers at Moorfields Eye Hospital NHS Foundation Trust and University College London (UCL) Institute of Ophthalmology have developed the world’s most comprehensive anterior segment dataset, CADMUS, comprising more than 900,000 images linked to clinical records.
Source: Sunderland Specialist Eye Hospital
Countdown begins as Sunderland Specialist Eye Hospital gets set to welcome patients from mid-July
News from our full member South Tyneside and Sunderland NHS Foundation Trust
The countdown to opening is now officially underway as the NHS prepares to welcome patients to the region’s new specialist eye hospital from mid-July.
Sunderland Specialist Eye Hospital was handed over to South Tyneside and Sunderland NHS Foundation Trust (STSFT) at the end of May from construction partner Kier.
Since then, the Trust has been working alongside its facilities management partner, Choice, to prepare the building so that it is ready to welcome patients. Work underway includes rigorous cleaning to make sure each room is ready for patient care, while furniture, clinical equipment and IT systems are being installed.
Source: Kabgayi Eye Unit
About our associate member: Kabgayi Eye Unit from Rwanda!
News from our associate member Kabgayi Eye Unit
Kabgayi Eye Unit is also a key training hub for ophthalmology in Rwanda, hosting residents from the University of Rwanda and delivering structured, competency-based surgical training. A dedicated simulation centre supports early surgical skill development in a safe environment.
The unit is increasingly taking a leading role in medical ophthalmic education, organising a yearly conference and multiple educational activities throughout the year, both in-person and online, to support continuous professional development across the region.
With growing capacity in cataract, vitreoretinal care and a strong focus on training and innovation, Kabgayi Eye Unit continues to play a pivotal role in reducing avoidable blindness and strengthening regional eye care services in East and Central Africa.
Learn more about the Kabgayi Eye Unit on our website, or join the upcoming annual meeting to meet their team!
Source: Royal Victoria Eye and Ear Hospital (Ireland)
Corneal CXL: the nurse leading the charge of the (UV) light brigade
News from our full member Royal Victoria Eye and Ear Hospital (Ireland)
Dublin advanced nurse practitioner Diana Malata, who spearheaded Ireland’s nurse-led crosslinking (CXL) treatment programme, explains how it has accelerated care for patients living with keratoconus and how New Zealand might benefit from following suit.
Over a decade ago, the Royal Victoria Eye and Ear Hospital (RVEEH) in Dublin pioneered a nurse-led (epithelium-off) accelerated CXL service in Ireland. The goal of the collaboration between ophthalmologists and ophthalmic nurses was to improve patient care, reduce wait times and free up ophthalmologists to perform more complex eye procedures.
Source: Wilmer Eye Institue Johns Hopkins Medicine
Wilmer Magazine | Summer 2026
News from our full member Wilmer Eye Institute Johns Hopkins Medicine
From groundbreaking discoveries that are reshaping the future of vision science to inspiring stories of patients whose lives have been transformed through world-class care, Wilmer’s summer magazine showcases the people, innovations, and breakthroughs driving the next generation of ophthalmology.
2026
July
─
Wednesday, 1 July
Workshop by Moorfields Education: Nd:YAG laser for posterior capsulotomy training for nurses and ophthalmic health care professionals
1-17 July
Training by Aravind Eye Care System: Community Outreach and Social Marketing of Eye Care Services
Thursday, 2 July | 01.00 PM CEST
WAEH Community of Practice – Fundraising
2-4 July
Workshop by Moorfields Education: 60th Ophthalmic Oncology Group (OOG) Meeting
Tuesday, 7 July
Workshop by Moorfields Education: Dilemmas in periocular and orbital tumour management
Friday, 10 July
Workshop by Moorfields Education: Non-medical intravitreal injection course
14-15 July
Workshop by Moorfields Education: Vitreoretinal wet-lab simulation course
21-24 July
Training by Aravind Eye Care System: Eyexcel – Excellence in Eye Care Training
24-26 July
SNEC 35th Anniversary International Meeting | Singapore
July 29 – August 4
Workshop by Moorfields Education: Ophthalmology Summer School
August
─
July 29 – August 4
Workshop by Moorfields Education: Ophthalmology Summer School
Thursday, 27 August | 01.00 PM CEST
WAEH Community of Practice – FAIR images in Ophthalmology
September
─
September 1, and onwards
Workshop by Moorfields Education: Clinical electrophysiology of vision 2026
Friday, 4 September
Workshop by Moorfields Education: Joint ocular oncology and vitreo retinal symposium for nurses and ophthalmic health care professionals
Wednesday, 9 September
Workshop by Moorfields Education: Nd:YAG laser for posterior capsulotomy training for nurses and ophthalmic health care professionals
Friday, 11 September
Workshop by Moorfields Education: Lacrimal assessment for nursing & allied professionals study day
Saturday, 12 September
Workshop by Moorfields Education: Basic slit lamp and Goldmann Tonometry study day
14-16 September
Workshop by Moorfields Education: New to Ophthalmology
Saturday, 19 September
Workshop by Moorfields Education: Biometry study day
Thursday, 24 September | 01.00 PM CEST
WAEH Community of Practice – Human Resources
October
─
Thursday, 8 October | 01.00 PM CEST
WAEH Board Meeting
Want to share ideas with the board? Please share: maaike.vanzuilen@waeh.org
Thursday, 29 October | 01.00 PM CEST
WAEH Community of Practice – Nurses and Allied Health Personnel
November
─
9-16 November
20th Annual WAEH Meeting in Brazil
Please check out the event website and register yourself.
All CoP’s have their meeting during the Annual Meeting.
Tuesday, 10 November
WAEH Board Meeting – in person meeting in Brazil
Want to share ideas with the board? Please share: maaike.vanzuilen@waeh.org
December
─
Thursday, 3 December | 13.00 PM CET
WAEH Board Meeting
Want to share ideas with the board? Please share: maaike.vanzuilen@waeh.org
Thursday, 17 December | 13.00 PM CET
WAEH Community of Practice – Innovation
2027
January
─
21-28 January
Training by Aravind Eye Care System: Management Priorities in Eye Care Delivery for Heads of Eye Hospitals
Thursday, 28 January | 01.00 PM CET
WAEH Community of Practice – Finances
February
─
17 February – 2 March
Training by Aravind Eye Care System: Management Training for Eye Care Programme Managers
March
─
17 February – 2 March
Training by Aravind Eye Care System: Management Training for Eye Care Programme Managers
Questions? Share news?
Do you have a special request? Would you like to organize a webinar or share news? Would you like to be (digitally) connected to a certain person in one of our member eye hospitals? Please feel very welcome to share your questions via the new Community Tool or contact Maaike van Zuilen: Maaike.vanzuilen@waeh.org