The Irish College of Ophthalmologists Annual Conference 2026 will take place from Wednesday 13th to Friday 15th May at The Galmont Hotel, Galway City.
Early Bird Registration - €350 (ends March 31st, 2026)
€425 ICO Members Registration / €600 for non-members
Registration is complimentary for ICO trainees and Life members. Registration fees for doctors enrolled on the ICO CPD Support Scheme are covered by with College through HSE funding support.
Call for Abstracts
Closing date: Monday, 23rd March, 2026
Abstract Form Link: https://forms.gle/zn39TvQqCgKk257w6
Programme Overview:
The sessions at this year's conference will include a Cataract symposium with guest speakers Prof Uday Devgan (the 'Cataract Coach') from Devgan Eye Surgery in California, Prof Alvin Young, Chinese University of Hong Kong and Chief of Service, Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Prince of Wales Hospital, Hong Kong. Dr Geraldine Comer, HSE West and North West/University Hospital Galway will also present at the symposium.
Prof Keith Barton from Moorfields Eye Hospital, London and Professor of Ophthalmology, at University College London, will give the Mooney Lecture and contribute to a Glaucoma symposium alongside Dr David Gildea, HSE Dublin and South East/Royal Victoria Eye and Ear Hospital.
An Oculoplastics symposium will include contributions from Mr Jimmy Uddin, Moorfields, London, Ms Clare Quigley, Royal Victoria Eye and Ear Hospital and St James's Hospital and Ms Elizabeth McElnea, Galway University Hospital.
Stuart Lancaster - head coach of Connacht Rugby Club - will talk to us about building long term high performing teams, and we also look forward to welcoming Dr Monique Hope Ross who will speak about sustaining a career in medicine over the long term.
Dr Conor Hearty, Pain Management Specialist at The Mater Hospital, Dublin will talk about Managing Neuropathic Pain in Ophthalmology.
Annual Mooney Lecture 2026
Prof Keith Barton is a Glaucoma Specialist at Moorfields Eye Hospital, London and Professor of Ophthalmology in University College London. He has has pioneered surgical treatments for advanced and complex glaucoma's, as well as minimally invasive techniques, and has been instrumental in landmark trials that have defined the evidence base for glaucoma drainage devices and refined the indications for lasers and trabeculectomy, including TVT, ABC, PTVT, TAGS and LIGHT.
Prof Barton co-designed the Paul Glaucoma Implant and has dedicated his career to refining GDD implantation to achieve physiological intraocular pressure control in early after surgery.
Dr Ann O'Connell, HSE South East/University Hospital Waterford, will present the European Society of Ophthalmology (SOE) Lecture 2026.
Workshops, paper and poster presentations and the awarding of ICO medals will also feature on the programme.
A parallel industry partner exhibition will run alongside the three day scientific conference.