Register NOW! 19th Annual WAEH Meeting!
Get Ready for the 19th WAEH Annual Meeting!
We are counting down the days to the 19th WAEH Annual Meeting – and this year’s edition promises to be more inspiring and impactful than ever.
With three outstanding hosts – Hôpital ophtalmique Jules-Gonin & Fondation Asile des Aveugles in Lausanne (Switzerland), and Hôpital National des Quinze-Vingts & Hôpital Fondation Adolphe de Rothschild in Paris (France) – and a program packed with innovation, inspiration, and connections to bring back to your own hospital, this is an event you simply can’t miss.
What’s waiting for you?
Presentations from leading eye hospitals worldwide – your fellow members will share cutting-edge innovations, best practices, and inspiring lessons learned.
- Visits to our three host hospitals to see how they deliver excellence in eye care.
- Interactive round tables on AI, innovation, low vision, and quality of care.
- The two-part WAEH Member Meeting – including a lively discussion on the new strategy for 2026–2031.
- Special evening programs, from a jazz night with Swiss wine tasting overlooking Lake Lausanne, to a unique evening in Paris with dinner on a boat on the Seine!
Ready to join?
Now is the time to start planning your trip!
- Book your hotel in Lausanne and Paris as soon as possible – October is a busy month in both cities.
- Schedule your flights to make the most of this unique dual-city event.
- Prepare to connect with eye care leaders from all over the world and bring fresh ideas home.
❤️ Why you should be there
This isn’t just a conference – it’s a global gathering of the WAEH community. It’s where innovation meets collaboration, and where you can help shape the future of eye hospital management and patient care.
📅 Dates: 7–11 October 2025
📍 Locations: Lausanne, Switzerland & Paris, France
🔗 Learn more & register now
Shaping the Future of the WAEH
Strategy 2026–2031
In June, the WAEH Board met in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, to begin shaping the new strategy for 2026–2031. We would like to thank the King Khaled Eye Specialist Hospital and Research Center for the excellent organization of the meeting and the Board’s visit to the hospital.
Building on the strong foundation of the first 18 years, the new strategy will outline our shared priorities and ambitions to strengthen the global WAEH network and support members in delivering excellent, innovative, and equitable eye care.
Key elements of the new strategy for 2026-2031 include:
- Expanding our Communities of Practice, enabling even more peer-to-peer learning and collaboration across the network.
- Formally embedding the Travel Exchange Programme in the strategy, recognising its vital role in sharing knowledge and experiences in a personal and impactful way.
- Developing a Leadership Programme to support current and future leaders in eyecare in navigating the challenges of managing leading eye hospitals.
- Restarting benchmarking, allowing members to share key data and learn from each other in a structured, “small and beautiful” way.
Ahead of the Annual Meeting, we will share the draft strategy with all members and invite your feedback. Your insights are key to ensuring the strategy reflects the needs and aspirations of our community.
The final discussion and member feedback session will take place during the Member Meeting, held partly in Switzerland and on the closing day in France, Saturday 11 October.
Together, we are setting the course for the future of the WAEH!
The WAEH Member Meeting 2025
Shaping the Future Together
As a member-led organisation, the WAEH deeply values the insights and contributions of all its members. That’s why the Member Meeting is such a vital part of our Annual Meeting tradition – a moment where we come together to reflect, plan and shape the future of our global network.
This year, the Member Meeting will take place in two parts during the 19th Annual Meeting.
📍 Part I – Tuesday 7 October | Lausanne, Switzerland
Hosted by Hôpital ophtalmique Jules-Gonin – Fondation Asile des Aveugles
Part I will set the stage for key discussions around the WAEH’s work and priorities.
We will:
- Reflect on 2024 – Finances and Activities
- Review the Budget 2026, Action Plan 2026
- Discuss the budget and membership fees for the upcoming year
- Reflect on the current Board composition and upcoming nominations
This session ensures that all members have a voice in the governance and strategic direction of the WAEH. Please note that only full members have the right to vote if needed.
📍 Part II – Saturday 11 October | Paris, France
Hosted by Hôpital Fondation Adolphe de Rothschild
The second part of the Member Meeting will focus on the new WAEH Strategy for 2026–2031. This will include an interactive discussion where all members (associate and full) are invited to share their perspectives and help shape our collective ambitions for the years ahead.
Why attend?
This two-part Member Meeting embodies the WAEH’s commitment to being a truly member-led organisation.
Your ideas, experiences and feedback are crucial as we work together to advance eye hospital management, innovation, and patient care worldwide.
Abstract Submission very Succesful!
We would like to extend our sincere thanks to everyone who submitted an abstract!
All abstracts have been reviewed and have been implemented as either a presentation, a poster or a round table!
Please check out the concept-programme via our website.
If you have sent in an abstract, you have probably by now received an email from Maaike van Zuilen.
If not, we kindly invite you to send an email to Maaike van Zuilen.
Once again, thank you very much.
Register for the in person meeting
Deadline 31st of August 2025
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!
More detailed information about our membership and fees you can find on our website.
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.
Due to limited space at the hosting eye hospitals, registration will close once we reach the maximum capacity of 150 participants.
2025
19th Annual WAEH Meeting
Short overview of the programme
Monday, October 6th
- Arrival Lausanne, Switzerland
Thursday, October 9th
- Travel with TGV to Paris
- Afternoon: visit Hôpital National des 15-20, Paris, France
- Welcoming drinks
Tuesday, October 7th
- Board Meeting (just for board members)
- Visit Hôpital Ophtalmique Jules-Gonin Fondation Asile des aveugles, Lausanne, Switzerland
- Member Meeting
- Welcoming Dinner
Friday, October 10th
- Location: Hôpital National des 15-20, Paris, France
- Conference Day with presentations
- Boattrip on the Seine
Wednesday, October 8th
- WELCOME!
- Location: Hôpital ophtalmique Jules-Gonin Fondation Asile des aveugles, Lausanne, Switzerland
- Conference day with presentations
Saturday, October 11th
- Location: Hôpital Fondation Adolphe de Rothschild, Paris, France
- Conference Day with presentations, round table and more!
- Member meeting Part II
- Wrap up – announcement 2026
Important Information
TGV Booking for traveling to Paris
On Thursday, October 9, we will be transitioning from Lausanne to Paris. We advise all participants to travel in the morning.
We recommend taking the TGV Lyria train from Lausanne (via Geneva) to Paris, departing in the morning (06.18 or 07.56) from Lausanne train station.
Tickets for the TGV can be booked via the official website:
👉 https://www.tgv-lyria.com/fr/en
At 12.00 noon approximately you will arrive in Paris. Take either a taxi to the hotel or walk (15 minutes).
Leave latest at 13.30 from your hotel to walk to the 15-20 Eye Hospital.
Arrival between 14.00 – 14.30 at the 15-20 Eye Hospital.
Guided tours of the 15-20 Eye Hospital will start latest at 14.30. This visit will provide an inspiring look into the workings of one of the city’s most renowned eye care institutions.
Please make sure to book your train tickets in advance and plan accordingly so you can join us for the afternoon program in Paris.
We look forward to seeing you there!
Book your hotel for the Annual Meeting!
Lausanne, Switzerland | Dates: 6 – 9 October
Hôtel de la Paix (****)
To make reservations: WAEH exclusive booking link
- Lake view CHF 265 (allocation 70 rooms)
- Junior suite, suite or triple available on request by mail to mkt@hoteldelapaix.net
The reservation deadline is August 22, 2025.
Lausanne Palace (*****)
To make reservations: WAEH exclusive booking link
- Business room city view, CHF 340 single, CHF 380 double with breakfast
- Executive room city view CHF 360 single, CHF 400 double with breakfast
- Premium CHF 380 single, CHF 420 double, with breakfast
- Premium Lake view CHF 420 single, CHF 460 double, with breakfast
The reservation deadline is August 22, 2025.
Ibis Lausanne Centre (***)
To make reservations: WAEH exclusive booking link
- CHF 165 single, CHF 182 double with breakfast
The reservation deadline is August 22, 2025.
Paris, France | Dates: 9 – 11 October (or longer as you wish)
Le Jardin du Marais
To make reservations: Le Jardin du Marais
- Price for 1 pp: €280 / night
- Breakfast included
Courtyard Marriott Paris Gare de Lyon
To make reservations: Courtyard Marriott Paris Gare de Lyon
- Price for 1 pp: €270 TTC / night
- Price for 2 pp per room: €294 / night
- Breakfast included
Welcome to the Olympic capital!
Upon you arrival, the hotel will provide you with the Lausanne Transport card which will allow you to take all public transportation for free.
Arriving before the congress starts ?
Under the link “special offer” below you will discover ideas for activities in and around Lausanne. Why not take a “chocolate tour”, for example ?
Highlights of Lausanne
The Lausanner’s short guide
Video: Flying through Lausanne
Special Offers
Lausanne Transport Card
What to expect – looking back at our 2024
Annual Meeting in China
We explored many fascinating topics! Some interesting subjects were; AI helping indigenous communities have the first contact with ophtalmology in Brazil, venture philanthropy in Ophtalmology, patient educations for health ocular vision, gene therapy development for retinal diseases and more!
It was an inspiring meeting full of networking, knowledge sharing and collaboration!
This 2025 meeting promises to be just as successfull! Join us and be a part of the momentum.
Your contributions matter!
Sponsors of the 19th Annual Meeting!!
Bring on the music!
Join the first WAEH Band In Switzerland
During the WAEH meeting in Switzerland, we have a special evening planned for you at the Welcome Dinner, taking place on Tuesday evening October 7.
Enjoy the smooth sounds of a live jazz band, discover the rich flavours of Swiss wines during a wine tasting, and take in the breathtaking views over Lake Geneva and the surrounding mountains.
And we have a surprise… 🎺🎸🥁
This year, we invite all guests to bring their own musical instrument – no matter how big or small. Together, we’ll create the first-ever WAEH Band! Whether you’re a seasoned musician or just want to join in for the fun, this will be a unique way to connect with your colleagues from around the world.
So pack your instrument, warm up your vocal cords, and get ready for an unforgettable night of music, laughter, and WAEH spirit!
WAEH Projects starting in 2025
Driving Innovation and Sharing Best Practices
Each year, the WAEH supports the development and implementation of projects initiated by its members.
These projects are designed to foster international collaboration, share best practices, and develop innovative solutions that improve patient eye care worldwide.
In 2025, four new projects will be launched, each led by a WAEH member institution and reflecting the diversity and expertise of our global network:
1. Advanced Practice Orthoptists Co-management and Care Plan Facilitation
Led by: Royal Victorian Eye and Ear Hospital, Australia
2. Anaesthetic Modalities, Cost and Patient-Reported Intraoperative Pain in Ophthalmic Surgery
Led by: Clinica Oftalmológica Pasteur, Chile
3. Cataract Calendar Project
Led by: Moorfields Eye Hospital, London, UK
4. Developing Guidelines for Nursing and Allied Healthcare Staff to Assist Visually Impaired Patients
Led by: King Khaled Eye Specialist Hospital & Research Center, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
A Global Effort for Continuous Improvement
These projects exemplify WAEH’s mission to connect, inspire, and support its members in delivering excellent and equitable eye care. The outcomes will be shared with all members at future Annual Meetings, ensuring the knowledge and innovations benefit the entire global network.
We invite all eye hospitals to participate.
Are you interested in joining one of these projects? Your expertise and perspective will make a valuable contribution to their success.
Please contact Maaike to explore how your hospital can get involved.
E-mail: Maaike.vanzuilen@waeh.org
Expanding Our Global Network
WAEH at the Ubora-Eye Health Africa Symposium
A few weeks ago, on Thursday 26 June, Maaike van Zuilen, Global Lead of the WAEH had the honour of presenting at the Ubora-Eye Health Africa Symposium – a key event bringing together eye health professionals and policymakers from across Africa.
During the online session, Maaike shared what the WAEH is all about: a global network of leading eye hospitals, working together to exchange knowledge, drive innovation, and improve patient care worldwide. We also highlighted the wide range of activities we organise for our members, from the Annual Meeting and Communities of Practice to collaborative projects and benchmarking initiatives.
Growing our network in Africa
In the coming years, we are eager to welcome African eye hospitals into the WAEH community and offer them access to our global network. At the Ubora-Eye Health Africa Symposium, several eye hospitals from Uganda were present, along with health officials from the Ugandan government. Together with the organisers of the symposium, we are now exploring how a Ugandan eye hospital could become part of WAEH.
Call to action: let’s connect
Do you or your hospital collaborate with an eye hospital in Africa? Or are you involved in projects on the continent? We would love to hear from you. Connecting with our global members who already have partnerships in Africa will help us strengthen relationships and support eye hospitals across this vibrant and diverse continent.
Please reach out to Maaike if you’d like to explore this further: Maaike.vanzuilen@waeh.org
About Ubora-Eye Health Africa Symposium
The Ubora-Eye Health Africa Symposium is a scientific and global health event focused on eye health in Africa. It was held on June 26, 2025, at the Fairway Hotel in Kampala, Uganda. The symposium, a collaboration between Ubora Foundation Africa and Eye Health Africa, brought together health workers, UK specialists, and Ministry of Health representatives to discuss and share successes in combating retinopathy of prematurity (ROP).
How to apply eye drops the best?
Eye Drops – 11 steps
We are thrilled to announce that the Royal Victorian Eye and Ear Hospital from Melbourne, Australia will translate their Eye Drops video into several new languages during the upcoming months!
- Vietnamese
- Chinese Mandarin
- Chinese Hong Kong
- Italian
- Greek
For the video in English please click below.
Management Training Systems Development for Eye hospital administrators/manager
In person
7th of August – 5th of September 2025 | 4 Weeks
Location: LAICO, Madurai
Beyond clinical excellence, the success of a hospital depends on robust administrative systems and sound management practices.
This course is designed to empower those involved in day-to-day operations and performance improvement in eye hospitals.
What the Course Covers:
- Foundation in Eye Hospital Management
- Managing Patient Care Services
- Driving Demand & Patient Engagement
- Functional & Administrative Systems
- Support Services Optimization
- Leadership & Soft Skills
For more information click the button below.
ARAVIND
Project Management for Eye Care
Online course
3rd November – 1st December 2025 | 4 Weeks
Good Project management plays a crucial role in executing and completing projects efficiently.
If you are in the process of writing a project proposal or implementing a project, this course will help you design, plan, and execute projects effectively.
To enquire about this course, contact:
ARAVIND
Mr. V. Vijayakumar, Senior Faculty
Upcoming Meetings
Communities of Practice
for HR & Nurses and Allied Health Staff
We’re excited to announce the upcoming meetings of the WAEH Communities of Practice (CoPs) for Human Resources and Nurses and Allied Health Staff.
These vibrant communities are all about sharing knowledge, exchanging experiences, and co-creating innovative solutions for eye hospitals worldwide.
Dates
WAEH Community of Practice for Human Resources
WAEH Community of Practice for Nurses and Allied Health Staff
🌟 Want to present?
We warmly invite you to share your expertise or inspiring case studies during one of these sessions.
Please contact Maaike if you’d like to contribute: Maaike.vanzuilen@waeh.org
💡 New WAEH Projects
During both CoPs, we will also introduce the four new WAEH projects led by:
- Royal Victorian Eye and Ear Hospital (Australia)
- Clinica Oftalmológica Pasteur (Chile)
- Moorfields Eye Hospital (UK)
- King Khaled Eye Specialist Hospital & Research Center (Saudi Arabia)
This is your chance to learn more about these projects and consider joining as a participant to share your expertise and insights.
Community of Practice for Nurses And Allied Health Personnel
The Community of Practice for Nurses and Allied Health personnel is for all nurses and allied health personnel working in eye hospitals worldwide!
This group is led by Tendai Gwenhure from Moorfields, London, United Kingdom, and Diana Malata from Royal Victorian Eye and Ear Hospital, Dublin, Ireland.
Community of Practice for Human Resources
Are you a Human Resources professional and working in a WAEH member eye hospital?
Please join the next Community of Practice for Human Resources!
This group is led by Jos Hubers from The Rotterdam Eye Hospital, The Netherlands, and Angela Smith from Moorfields Eye Hospital, United Kingdom.
2025
July
Wednesday, 16 July
Workshops by Moorfields Education Referral refinement for ophthalmic healthcare professionals
Wednesday, 30 July
Workshops by Moorfields Education Ophthalmology Summer Schoo
August
7th Aug – 5th Sep, 2025
Course by LAICO, Madurai Management Training and Systems Development for Eye Hospital Administrators/Managers
September
Monday, 1 September
Workshops by Moorfields Education Orthoptics for ophthalmologists
Monday, 1 September
Workshops by Moorfields Education Clinical electrophysiology of vision 2025
Wednesday, 11 September
Workshops by Moorfields Education Basic slit lamp and Goldmann tonometry study day
Thursday, 11 September, 12.00noon CEST
WAEH Board Meeting: want to share ideas with the board? Please send them to Maaike: maaike.vanzuilen@waeh.org
Thursday, 11 September, 01.00 PM CEST
WAEH Community of Practice Human Resources
Friday, 12 September
Workshops by Moorfields Education Lacrimal assessment for nursing & allied professionals study day
Monday, 15 September
Workshops by Moorfields Education Cataract, medical retina and disc assessment
Wednesday, 17 September
Workshops by Moorfields Education Dry eye course
Thursday, 18 September, 01.00 pm CEST
WAEH Community of Practice for Nurses and Allied Health Personnel
October
Friday, 3 October
Workshops by Moorfields Education Medical retina pathways consent course
Tuesday, 7 October – Saturday, 11 October
19th Annual WAEH Meeting in Switzerland and France: Check out the event website
Tuesday, 7 October – Saturday, 11 October, 19th Annual Meeting
WAEH Board Meeting: in person meeting in Switzerland and France – want to share ideas with the board? Please send them to Maaike: maaike.vanzuilen@waeh.org
November
Thursday, 6 November, 12.00noon CET
WAEH Board Meeting: want to share ideas with the board? Please send them to Maaike: maaike.vanzuilen@waeh.org
December
Thursday, 4 December, 01.00 pm CET
WAEH Community of Practice Human Resources
Thursday, 11 December, 01.00 pm CET
WAEH Community of Practice for Nurses and Allied Health Personnel
2026
January
Saturday, 31 January
WAEH Project Proposals 2026 – Deadline: Check out the projects on the website
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
