The annual AUSCRS conference is a must-do on the calendars of the world’s leading ophthalmologists, and this year’s event in Australia’s Top End will be no exception, say organisers.
If you are visiting Darwin in July, it’s possible you will stumble on something rather unusual.
You might witness a man dressed as a T-Rex grilling another posing as a medieval knight or maybe a woman in a superhero costume in friendly discourse with a pirate.
Don’t worry. Do not adjust your set. You haven’t stumbled into Comic-Con; it’s more likely you have happened upon some of the globe’s most esteemed ophthalmologists discussing their sector at the annual Australian Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgeons (AUSCRS) conference, being held July 16-19 2025.
Professor Gerard Sutton admits he was a little sceptical about the dressing-up and relaxed format when he and Dr Jacqueline Beltz took over as AUSCRS co-presidents three years ago.
But now he wouldn’t have it any other way.
“It’s clear to me now that what it does is completely disarm people,” he says.
“You have a situation where, when people dress up, even to a small degree, they feel more relaxed, and they feel much more likely to ask questions, to criticise what they think is inappropriate, in a respectful way.”
In fact, so popular is the format that others around the world are now trying to replicate it.
Prof Sutton and Dr Beltz were invited to run a symposium at the recent American Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgery conference.
“It was called The Good, the Bad and the Ugly, a sort of Clint Eastwood theme,” says Prof Sutton.
“There were multiple sessions going on at the same time, but our session was the one that had the most people in it.
“We asked people just to take their ties off, because the Americans all go to these conferences with ties and suits, and it was just like being at AUSCRS – everyone was into it, everyone was questioning, everyone was chatting.”
Dr Beltz says AUSCRS is well-known for its laidback attitude, which helps to elevate the interaction.
“The discussion really reaches a higher level at AUSCRS than any other conference that I’ve been to,” she says. “The costumes help to level the field – you’re much more likely to ask the big professor a difficult (or sometimes too easy) question if they’re dressed as a sumo wrestler than if they’re standing there in a suit and rushing to give their next lecture.”
Both expect more of the same in Darwin in July, where the theme will be ‘Disconnect to Reconnect’.
But there will be a few small changes, other than new and different costumes.
This year, lectures and discussions will be held in a central area featuring big screens. Surrounding that will be a concourse housing the trade displays and also small booths where people can sit and consider not only their colleagues’ costumes but also the new techniques and technology being pitched by the many international speakers and companies that supply the ophthalmic sector.
It’s that robust discussion, including hot topics in a “controversy corner”, that is a highlight of the event and attracts some of the world’s leading ophthalmologists.
This year is no exception, says Prof Sutton. In fact, they’ve had to reject a few, such is the high standard and popularity of the event.
Prof Michael Knorz, medical director of the FreeVis LASIK Center in Mannheim, Germany, and a leading global expert in the field of refractive and cataract surgery, will be delivering the keynote Barrett/Wolfe Lecture.
Prof Sutton is also looking forward to presentations by Dr Cathleen McCabe from the US and Professor Sri Ganesh, from India.
He believes the talk of Dr David Lockington, a consultant ophthalmologist at Glasgow’s Tennent Institute of Ophthalmology, who is visiting AUSCRS for the first time, will be a highlight.
“I think he will be the star of the show,” says Prof Sutton. “He is the president of the English version of AUSCRS and he’s hilarious.”
Dr Beltz is keen on the return of another from Scotland, Professor Sathish Srinivasan, a consultant anterior segment surgeon at University Hospital Ayr.
Both say that everyone who attends will learn a great deal during the conference. That will include developments in laser eye surgery and SMILE (Small Incision Lenticule Extraction) surgery techniques.
Dr Beltz says about 15 registrars have been sponsored to attend for the Advanced Training Day Program, run by Dr Ben LaHood.
“This is actually how I became involved with AUSCRS,” she says. “I attended the advanced trainee day as a fellow, ended up being the young member on the committee and running the training day for many years and now, eventually I’m co-president – so the model works.”
Speakers
Prof Michael C. Knorz is the medical director of the FreeVis LASIK Center Mannheim, which he founded in 2000. He is internationally recognised as one of the leading experts in the field of refractive and cataract surgery and was appointed as a professor of ophthalmology at the University of Heidelberg in 2000. Prof Knorz is a member of numerous professional societies, including the American Academy of Ophthalmology, the American Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgery, the European Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgeons, and the International Society of Refractive Surgery.
Dr Başak Bostanci is a cataract and refractive surgeon and the medical director of World Eye Hospital, the biggest ophthalmology group in Turkey.She is also an associate professor and lecturer at Bahcesehir University School of Medicine, Istanbul. Her areas of expertise are corneal refractive surgery, phakic intraocular lenses, and advanced intraocular lens designs.
Dr Alice T. Epitropoulos is a board-certified ophthalmologist who specialises in refractive and cataract surgery. Her practice is focused on refractive cataract surgery with premium IOLs and laser technology. She also has a Dry Eye Center of Excellence. She is a founding member of The Eye Center of Columbus, an affiliation of more than 80 ophthalmologists located in the Arena District in Downtown Columbus, Ohio. Dr Epitropoulos also serves as a clinical assistant professor in the Department of Ophthalmology at The Ohio State University.
Prof Sri Ganesh occupies the position of chairman and managing director at Nethradhama Hospitals Pvt Ltd in Bangalore, India. He has earned fellowships in phaco and refractive surgeries and was awarded an Honorary Doctorate in Science from Rajiv Gandhi University of Health Sciences and an Honorary FRCS(Gla) from the Royal College of Surgeons, Glasgow. Prof Ganesh serves on the advisory boards of companies ZEISS and Biotech Vision care, playing a pivotal role in product development and holding patents for innovative solutions.
Dr David Lockington has been a consultant ophthalmologist at Tennent Institute of Ophthalmology, Glasgow, UK, since January 2014, following sub-specialist cornea, cataract and anterior segment fellowship training in Auckland, New Zealand. He is the national simulation lead for The Royal College of Ophthalmologists, the co-editor of EyeNews magazine and also featured in The Ophthalmologist magazine’s Top 100 Power List 2024. That year, he was inaugurated as UKISCRS’ youngest-ever president.
Dr Cathleen McCabe serves as chief medical officer at Eye Health America. She specialises in complex and premium cataract and refractive surgery at The Eye Associates in Sarasota, Florida. She has a keen interest in advancing the field of ophthalmology and has participated in numerous clinical trials, including innovations in intraocular lenses, perioperative medications, medications and devices to treat glaucoma, dry eye treatments and presbyopia correction. Dr McCabe has received many awards for her work, including the American Academy of Ophthalmology Senior Achievement and Secretariat Award.
Prof Jodhbir Mehta is executive director of the Singapore Eye Research Institute and Distinguished Professor, Corneal & External Eye Disease and Refractive Department at Singapore National Eye Centre. He has won 79 awards for his clinical and research work, which has generated 18 patents, five of which have been commercialised and licensed to companies. He has published more than 550 peer-reviewed publications and 24 book chapters, with a H-index 76. He has been invited to speak at more than 300 international conferences and given 25 named/keynote lectures. He is the vice-president of international relations for the The Corneal Society (US).
Dr Lisa M. Nijm is a board-certified cornea, cataract and LASIK surgeon at Warrenville Eyecare & LASIK, licensed attorney, innovator and assistant professor at University of Illinois Eye & Ear Infirmary. She leads Women in Ophthalmology as its CEO and has taught more than 2500 ophthalmologists and mentor physicians through MDNegotiation.com. Dr Nijm also advises leading medical device and pharmaceutical companies on new innovations. She started Real World Ophthalmology to serve as an educational resource to aid young ophthalmologists in successfully transitioning from training to practice.
Dr Ravi Patel is director of Cornea and Refractive Surgery at Atlantic Eye, a multidisciplinary practice in New Jersey consisting of 11 providers. He is an attending surgeon on the Cornea Service at Wills Eye Hospital, where he is an assistant professor of clinical ophthalmology at Sidney Kimmel Medical College; and A/Prof of ophthalmology at the State University of New York-College of Optometry. His topics of interest include refractive cataract surgery, advanced anterior segment surgical techniques, keratoconus management, lamellar keratoplasty, ocular infectious diseases, management of ophthalmic surgical complications, laser refractive surgery and disruptive technologies.
Dr Matthew P. Rauen is a board-certified and fellowship-trained cornea and refractive surgery specialist. He joined Wolfe Eye Clinic in 2012 and sees patients in Ames and Des Moines. Dr Rauen is a member of the American Academy of Ophthalmology, the American Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgeons, and the Cornea Society, and he continues to publish in scientific journals and speaks on cataract surgery and refractive surgery throughout the country.
Prof Sathish Srinivasan is a consultant corneal surgeon at University Hospital Ayr, Scotland and professor of Health and Life Sciences at the University of West of Scotland. His interests are in lamellar corneal surgery, laser refractive surgery, complex cataract surgery and anterior segment reconstruction. He has published more than 140 papers in peer-reviewed journals, has more than 100 scientific presentations to his credit in national and international meetings. He is currently a member of the Publications and Educational Committee of the ESCRS and was voted as the one of the top 100 most influential ophthalmologists in 2024.
Dr Roger Zalvidar is the CEO of the Instituto Zalvidar in Mentoza, Argentina. He is past-president of the Refractive Surgery Alliance from 2018-2021. Dr Zalvidar graduated with honours from the University of Mendoza and completed a Fellowship in Ophthalmic Optics at The University of Arizona Department of Ophthalmology in Tucson, Arizona. He also completed a Specialisation in Management Skills at The George Washington University of Business and three separate programs at the ADEM Business School CPR, American Health Association, including a Major in Finance and a Major in Management Development.
NOTE: People keen to know more about AUSCRS can visit: www.auscrs.org.au/2025-conference.
More reading
AUSCRS 2024 – a record-setting affair
Prof Graham Barrett on bringing the RayOne EMV IOL to market
Australian cataract surgery update 2024
