EC Ophthalmology

Lviv is a city in Ukraine, near the Polish border. It is known for its rich culture, architecture and long history. On July 7 - 8, a conference of Ukrainian retina specialists, "Retina Lviv 2023", took place in Lviv. Two days before this congress, the Russian military attacked civilian areas of the city, killing at least ten people in a block of flats. Many, including children, suffered injuries and trauma. Despite these difficult circumstances, Ukrainian ophthalmologists met to share their knowledge and experience.

The focus of this congress dealt with retinological topics. This year the organizer, Prof. Ihor Novytsky, broadened the range of the topics, which was reflected in the subtitle of the congress: “Vitreoretinal surgery and more”. Accordingly, cataract surgery, IOL calculation and artificial intelligence were also reported and discussed.

A central topic of this congress were lectures on ophthalmological war injuries. Unfortunately, since 2014, Ukrainian ophthalmologists have had the most experience in this field, as they treat serious eye injuries on a daily basis. It is unfortunate that Ukrainian ophthalmologists have had to face trauma since 2014 due to the war. However, it also shows their strength and determination to use their knowledge and skills to help those in need and to share her experiences with other professionals.