ESCRS 2023: Networking highlights from this year's congress in Vienna, Austria

There’s no doubt about it: the annual European Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgeons (ESCRS) meeting has become a must-attend event. We spoke to a number of attendees and presenters about the incredible opportunities at this year’s meeting, including future-focused symposia, networking in the exhibit hall and a once-in-a-lifetime formal gala. Watch the video – or read the transcript below – to hear meeting memories from Keith Barton, MD, FRCP, FRCS, FRCOphth; AnnMarie Hipsley, DPT, PhD; Rohit Shetty, DNB, FRCS, PhD; and Olivier Benoit.

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Editor's note: The below transcript has been lightly edited for clarity.

Keith Barton: See, I'm a glaucoma specialist. So historically ESCRS wouldn't have been my main meeting. However, ESCRS, in the last number of years, has grown so much, that it's clearly the second-most influential and biggest group in the world after AAO. So it's really expanding all the time and increasing in importance. And you see that for the vast number of new enterprises that ESCRS is undertaking. It becomes, really, an essential place to come to network, like AAO. It's now a meeting that you don't miss.

AnnMarie Hipsley: I thought Oliver Findl just outdid himself with the President's Ball. That was, by far, the most wonderful social event. It allowed me to see all my colleagues that in just one place, you don't have to race around, trying to find them. It was just so nice to be able to see all the people that you haven't seen in that one place in that fabulous event. And it was just a wonderful, wonderful experience. So, I'm sorry, I'm biased. The sessions were great! But the ball was incredible. And I think people will be talking about that ball for a very long time.

Rohit Shetty: What I'm really excited [about] is the way ESCRS is synchronously going with the changes in the world today. Sustainability, carbon footprinting, and the way you manage your waste, the way people are talking about, you know, being very considerate towards the environment. I think as a society, I see this happening extensively, and [at] this ESCRS. And I'm sure it's going to happen more. And what I'm excited also about is new programmes, like we have the Arena, we have this innovation, iNovation Days. I think these things are going to bring industry and the researchers closer.

Olivier Benoit: For us, that's the event of the year. This is where we come to meet everyone: we come to meet our old friends, we come to meet doctors, the industry, we see the innovation. We–every year, we see that there's a step forward in medical care, the improvements. That's, that's always a very exciting moment for us.