The world is coming together to foster collaboration in eyecare, and one Queensland ophthalmologist couldn’t be more proud.
As Queensland looks ahead to the 2032 Olympic Games, the Gold Coast is preparing to welcome a different kind of international audience, with a major ophthalmology congress set to bring together thousands of delegates.
The 19th Asia-Pacific Vitreo-retina Society (APVRS) Congress, held in conjunction with RANZCO Queensland, will bring more than 2,000 delegates to the Gold Coast from 28-30 August 2026.
The event marks the first time the congress has been held in Australia in more than a decade and the first time it has been staged in Queensland.
For Brisbane vitreoretinal surgeon Associate Professor Lawrence Lee, one of the scientific co-chairs, that’s a source of great pride.
“Australia is on the map these days as a popular place for holidays, education and business,” he says. “This is really giving people a taste of what Australia is and I think the Gold Coast is probably one of the best places to go.”
The congress theme, Where Retina Meets the Reef, is designed to showcase both the scientific strength of the meeting and the attraction of Queensland as a destination.
The program will feature the World Retina Spotlight session, bringing together representatives from countries large and small across the region to discuss how collaboration can improve eyecare delivery and retinal health outcomes.
A/Prof Lee believes those regional connections are increasingly important.
“Australia is a big part of the Asia-Pacific region and the region has been growing rapidly,” he says. “We need to keep in touch with our neighbours. There’s a lot of interest in research across Asia-Pacific and we can learn from that, collaborate and be part of the worldwide network of ophthalmology and retina specialists.”
A Brisbane local who trained and worked internationally before returning home, A/Prof Lee is enthusiastic about the state’s transformation.
“I was born here,” he says. “I’ve worked in Sydney, the UK and America, but it’s good to be in Brisbane and to see the change over the years. Brisbane has really grown up and there’s a lot of enthusiasm around Queensland at the moment.”
A/Prof Lee divides his time between the Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital and private practice on Brisbane’s Wickham Terrace. He has spent more than two decades in vitreoretinal practice and remains heavily involved in registrar and fellow training.
For APVRS 2026, his role as scientific co-chair has involved helping oversee abstract review, faculty selection and development of the congress program alongside fellow co-chair Professor Adrian Fung and an international scientific committee.
That task has been made larger by unprecedented interest in the meeting and a record of more than 1,000 abstract submissions received for the congress.
In the scientific program, sessions will cover medical retina, surgical retina, diabetic eye disease, age-related macular degeneration, inherited retinal diseases, gene therapy, ocular imaging, artificial intelligence and myopia, alongside crossover topics in cataract, glaucoma, ocular oncology and paediatric ophthalmology.
Among the highlights will be the near-live surgical sessions featuring expert commentary from leading surgeons.
“By watching experts comment on what’s happening during surgery, you pick up practical insights that only come from experience.”
The congress will also feature advanced wet labs using new-generation BIONIKO model eyes, allowing attendees to practise complex vitreoretinal techniques using the latest microscopes and imaging systems.
An innovation for 2026 is the Retina Future Forum, a dedicated pre-congress event led by Professor Andrew Chang designed to connect researchers, clinicians, pharmaceutical companies, industry leaders and investors, to help accelerate the pathway from laboratory discovery to commercial development and clinical adoption.
“If something is genuinely promising, it can help fast-track development and ultimately benefit patients sooner,” A/Prof Lee says.
As for his own must-see sessions, A/Prof Lee points to the live surgery program and the late-breaking clinical trial presentations.
“We’ve got next-generation anti-VEGF therapies, sustained-release drug delivery systems, gene therapies, treatments for dry AMD and a range of new anti-inflammatory agents being discussed.”
The speaker lineup is evidence of the event’s international reach, with more than 130 faculty members participating. Among those A/Prof Lee is most looking forward to hearing are renowned retina specialists Professor Neil Bressler and Professor Peter Kaiser, both recognised globally for their contributions to retinal surgery, innovation and pharmaceutical development.
With Australia hosting the congress for the first time since 2015, APVRS 2026 is expected to strengthen ties between local clinicians and the rapidly expanding Asia-Pacific ophthalmic community.
“People are excited to come because it’s a world-famous destination. We’re proud to be hosting it here and proud to show what Queensland can offer.”
