Finian O’Malley
The annual Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Ophthalmologists (RANZCO) Congress is the flagship ophthalmology meeting for Australia and New Zealand. An energetic mix of clinical updates, global health discussions and rapidly evolving technologies. I attended day two of this year’s meeting in Melbourne, which offered a fascinating opportunity to compare approaches across two healthcare systems as a UK-trained doctor currently working in Australia. For UK trainees spending time abroad, RANZCO delivers value: fresh perspectives, high-quality teaching and insight into subspecialty priorities across the region.
I have included highlights from my favourite lectures and how they may benefit UK doctors planning a career in ophthalmology back home.
Public Health and Paediatric Ophthalmology: Lessons from the Fred Hollows Lecture
Day two featured the Fred Hollows Lecture, delivered by Dr Sandra Staffieri, a clinical and research orthoptist with four decades of experience in paediatric ophthalmology and retinoblastoma care. Her talk, “Retinoblastoma Awareness in Oceania – An Odyssey,” focused on improving early recognition of leukocoria and strabismus, key signs that too often go unnoticed by both families and clinicians.
Although only around 25 children per year present with retinoblastoma in Australia and New Zealand, delayed diagnosis remains an issue. Dr Staffieri contrasted the slow uptake of awareness campaigns in Australia with the rapid implementation of simple antenatal posters in Papua New Guinea, where early diagnosis can be life-saving. For UK trainees, her message reinforced the importance of public health, outreach and equity.
Interventional Glaucoma: A Critical Perspective from Professor Gus Gazzard
The standout day two sessions came from Professor Gus Gazzard, familiar to many from Moorfields and UCL. His lecture, “Interventional Glaucoma – myth, magic or monster?” offered a concise, evidence-based assessment of the shift toward earlier surgical intervention in glaucoma.
While minimally invasive glaucoma surgery (MIGS) and other procedures attract considerable attention, Prof Gazzard urged clinicians not to abandon robust medical and non-incisional strategies too quickly. Drawing on trials such as LiGHT and GLAUrious, he highlighted the importance of clear evidence, careful patient selection and avoiding commercial hype. For UK doctors in Australia, where private practice dynamics differ noticeably from the NHS, his balanced viewpoint provided a useful framework for navigating evolving glaucoma pathways abroad.
Corneal Innovation: The Future of Diagnostics and Regenerative Care
In her keynote “The Future is Clear,” Dr Tandon from the All India Institute of Medical Sciences New Delhi, delivered a succinct overview of the innovations reshaping corneal care. She highlighted advances in anterior segment imaging, AI-supported early detection, and novel surgical approaches that expand access to corneal transplantation. Her discussion of regenerative strategies; limbal stem cell transplantation, bioengineered corneas and cell-based therapies, offered a clear snapshot of what may soon enter everyday practice.
For UK trainees, the talk reinforced how global collaboration drives corneal innovation, and how developments in resource-limited settings often inform scalable solutions elsewhere.
Medical Retina Service Delivery: NHS Lessons for a Global Audience
Dr Clare Bailey a consultant ophthalmologist in Bristol, UK, provided an insightful overview of innovations in UK medical retina service delivery, centred on efficiency and capacity management. Her discussion of remote review pathways, community to hospital imaging communication and high-volume diagnostic hubs demonstrated how the NHS has adapted to rising demand without compromising patient access.
For UK trainees working in Australia, this was a reminder that learning abroad does not detach you from NHS developments. In fact, seeing how ANZ clinicians respond to UK service redesign can strengthen your understanding of healthcare systems on both sides of the world.
Beyond the Lectures: Technology, Posters and Practical Takeaways
RANZCO offered a vibrant exhibition hall, showcasing new imaging platforms, surgical devices, AI tools and workflow innovations. Many of these technologies appear in UK meetings as well, but RANZCO provides a distinctive blend of private-sector innovation alongside strong public-health and outreach themes.
The poster sessions were equally rich, covering clinical insights, global health initiatives and practical QI projects. For trainees preparing UK portfolios or interviews, these sessions offered examples of real-world audit, research and service evaluation that map closely to UK specialty training competencies.
Why RANZCO Is Worthwhile for UK Trainees in Australia
In conclusion, attending RANZCO offers a perspective that is both familiar and refreshingly different for UK doctors. It is an opportunity to deepen your clinical knowledge and a way to strengthen your future application to UK ophthalmology training. Key benefits include:
- Exposure to themes specific to the ANZ region, including Indigenous eye health
- Access to leading international experts across subspecialties
- High-quality lectures that complement the UK curriculum
- Early exposure to emerging surgical and imaging technologies
- Transferable QI and audit ideas for future NHS roles
- Networking that strengthens both Australian and UK professional connections
- For trainees aiming to return to the UK, RANZCO attendance demonstrates sustained engagement with ophthalmology, broadens clinical understanding and provides strong material for interviews and personal statements.