Silmo Paris is the most important meeting place for the entire industry, where important trends are set, innovations are presented and synergies are created.

The place where it all begins ...

With 900 exhibitors, 1,500 brands and more than 32,000 visitors from 42 countries, Silmo Paris is more than just a trade fair: It is the meeting place for the industry to do business and be inspired, a vibrant international scene where creativity, courage and conviviality come together.

The best in optics right before your eyes

New collections, cutting-edge technologies, visionary designs ... Silmo Paris is the platform for the latest treasures that are shaping and reinventing the world of optics.

Where the future takes shape

Silmo Paris is a true incubator for ideas and reflection that anticipates changes in the industry. Innovations, technological challenges and perspectives are highlighted to help us do so.

At the heart of the event

Experiences you should not miss:

Trends Forum - Decode the inspirations and must-haves of tomorrow with a selection of the best eyewear and sunglasses collections at the fair.

Silmo Next - The laboratory of the future: innovations, new technologies, visual experiences and 360° vision.

Silmo Vision - Discover the latest developments in the field of ophthalmic optics and ophthalmology.

Silmo Talks & Silmo Academy - Immerse yourself in the world of expertise with exceptional conferences led by renowned specialists.

Craftsmanship excellence - The spotlight is on the "Meilleurs Ouvriers de France" and the expertise of French eyewear manufacturers.

A journey through heritage - The museums of Oyonnax and Morez are invited to the fair to retrace the history of an exceptional industry.

And new this year: an area dedicated to CSR. Because tomorrow's optics must be innovative and responsible, Silmo Paris is presenting a new area dedicated to CSR initiatives.

Highlights:

The SILMO d'Or - The highest award for creativity and innovation in the industry.

Optical Design Contest - A springboard for the talents of tomorrow.

Responsible Company Award - Award for the CSR initiatives of companies in the industry.

International Optician of the Year Award - Global excellence, recognized by the IOA.

Silmo supports them all year round

Silmo News - Your monthly program about the eyewear industry and the latest Silmo news.

Podcasts "The Right Optics by Silmo" - Inspiring conversations with Nick Coffer, who takes a look behind the scenes of the optical industry. Each episode reveals a success story and exceptional craftsmanship.

Source: www.silmoparis.com

Inspiring start with mini-expo

The event began with the mini-expo, which offered Dynoptic's supplier partners an ideal platform for exchanging ideas with members as well as existing and potential business partners. The passion of the exhibitors and guests was already palpable here - be it in the presentation of the stands or in the initial discussions.

Presentations, discussions and new impulses

In the afternoon, the participants received an update on the business performance of Dynoptic Partner AG and were officially introduced to the new member of the Board of Directors, Céline Moscatelli. In the panel discussions that followed, exponents of the Swiss optics industry and three young professionals who had represented Switzerland at international professional championships with Swiss Skills had their say - pure passion on stage.

A special highlight was provided by the young nature photographer Levi Fitze, who impressively conveyed his passion with impressive images and authentic stories. The program was complemented by exciting breakout sessions with specialist presentations from Dynoptic suppliers.

Passionate evening in the Kursaal Bern

The evening program was also all about passion: Latin singer Loco Escrito, the Stickstoff tambourines and the Special Elements dance group delighted the audience. The Kursaal kitchen spoiled the guests with a festive dinner before DJ Gianluca played for the big party, which lasted until the early hours of the morning.

Review and outlook

"The passion that drove our forum was palpable in every aspect of the program - from the specialist input to the entertainment," says Martin Schütz, Managing Director of Dynoptic Partner AG.

The next Dynoptic Forum will take place again on September 5, 2027 in the Kursaal Bern. Dynoptic is already looking forward to seeing all its members, partners and guests again.

The event, organized by the Association of Opticians of the Canton of Ticino, honored seven apprentices: one under the old regulation and six under the new one, all of whom passed successfully. The atmosphere was very pleasant and cheerful, not least thanks to the unique ambience of the castle.

Special thanks go to all the families who accompanied the graduates during their training, the entire examination team and the teaching staff, as this was the first year in which the examinations were conducted according to the new regulations and everything went smoothly.

Finally, we wish our new graduates a professional future full of success and satisfaction!

On September 10, the German Institute for Service Quality (DISQ) and the news channel ntv presented Germany's most popular healthcare companies with the "German Health Award" consumer prize for the fourth time as part of the Big Bang AI Festival. Bausch + Lomb came second out of 11 manufacturers in the contact lens manufacturer category. The company even won in two of the four evaluation criteria, "Offer" and "Recommendation".

"We are delighted to receive this award for the third time in a row. The award shows that, with our innovative contact lenses, we offer one of the most versatile ranges on the market, which our customers are also very happy to recommend," says Ralf Felix Gotter, Senior BU Director Vision Care DACH at Bausch + Lomb, who accepted the award on behalf of his company. "The contact lenses from Bausch + Lomb are suitable for almost all vision corrections - even varifocals for astigmatism are possible."

The German Health Award is based on over 43,000 customer ratings from a large consumer survey. As part of this population-representative survey via an online panel, customer satisfaction with providers from the healthcare sector was examined in the areas of value for money, range of services, customer service and willingness to recommend. This year, DISQ evaluated 858 companies for the award, of which 533 providers were included in the individual evaluation.

This year's award ceremony took place at the Alte Münze in Berlin. Brigitte Zypries, former Federal Minister of Economics and Chairwoman of the DISQ Advisory Board, presented the awards to the winners.

Source: www.bausch-lomb.de

Iconic. Expressive. Timelessly modern. Effective designs meet exciting color combinations - delicate pastel shades, transparent nuances with poetic color gradients.

The new interpretations of classic 70s eyewear impress with their clear lines and uncompromising design. A stylistic bridge between past and present. Embodied in a unique, feminine shape and a masculine aviator shape with a double bridge. Hand-polished acetate meets Swiss precision: the frame looks pure and striking, with gently rounded edges, and effortlessly combines structure and lightness.

The striking edge? A subtle throwback to its origins - and a powerful style statement at the same time.

Wenke and Waid play with contrasts and sophisticated color combinations: Transparent olive meets mocha or turquoise meets soft pink. A combination of several transparent colors and a darker top layer. The light creates a fascinating world of color that looks different from every angle.

Source: www.gotti.ch

This year, the celebration had to be held twice on July 3 and 4 - otherwise the number of guests would have "blown up" the logistics. Over 200 new opticians with family and friends were present on both evenings. Representatives from the Technical Vocational School Zurich TBZ, AOVS and OPTIKSCHWEIZ were also present. There were 37 graduates from the four-year course and 51 graduates from the three-year course to celebrate. A lot of young blood for the ophthalmic optics industry - and in view of the problems with recruiting young talent elsewhere, proof of the attractiveness of the ophthalmic optics profession.

The celebrations were made possible by the great commitment of the Board of the Association of Zurich Opticians (VZA), as well as the active support of Essilor, Hoya, Optiswiss, Rodenstock, Zeiss and Nikon. The band "Miss Tax & the Magics", led by saxophonist and optometrist Markus Hofmann, provided the groovy musical accompaniment, while the festive and colorful outfits of the guests provided the visual fireworks.

The highlights of the evening were the diploma presentations, which were accompanied by great applause, and the presentation of awards to the three best graduates (examination and practical grades).

Optician EFZ: The best in the canton of Zurich 2025

Four-year training program

Rank 1: Nina Frei, Visilab Winterthur

2nd place: Neisa Clesle, Götte Optik Zurich

3rd place: Matthias Alder, McOptik Winterthur

Three-year training

Rank 1: Dominique D'Alterio, Blickwinkel Richterswil

2nd place: Caroline Rehfisch, Sehfelder Zurich and* Samuela Qemali, Fielmann Bülach

3rd place: Melina Melidis, Fielmann Winterthur and* Til Wyttenbach, Niederer Optik Zurich

*with the same grade point average.

EssilorLuxottica is providing comprehensive support for the format with an exclusive event kit that includes high-quality materials for the sales floor, a social media package and newsletter templates. The materials include three mirror columns with a demo tool, products and POS material as well as four interactive stations to explain the functions of the Ray-Ban Meta in a fun way. Participating opticians also benefit from trained sales advisors who playfully explain the functions of the smart glasses at four interactive stations.

Experience smart glasses live - directly in the store

The "Ray-Ban Meta Moments" invite customers to take part and try things out - such as the photo challenge with Polaroid printing, the translation function via loudspeaker or the real-time knowledge check via voice command. The event is complemented by a free rental service with a matching competition, where interested parties can test the smart glasses. Anyone who chooses a Ray-Ban Meta during the campaign period will also receive a high-quality power bank as a gift.

"The 'Ray-Ban Meta Moments' were a complete success"

The "Ray-Ban Meta Moments" were met with great enthusiasm by the end customers - and by the team at Optik Oberländer. "The Ray-Ban Meta is a stylish fashion product with real added value - the voice control shows that the future has already begun," says Managing Director Armin Vogel. "At the same time, smart glasses offer all the classic benefits of glasses: sun protection, self-tinting lenses and prescription lenses. In future, they will become an integral part of everyday life, and not only young technology fans will benefit, but also cosmopolitan people over 50. To make this a success, we are focusing on visibility in the shop window, test stations in the store and a clear social media presence - sales only work if employees are convinced. The campaign itself was perfectly timed and showed how we can offer our customers a special shopping experience through events."

Get started in your own business now

Opticians who are interested in the "Ray-Ban Meta Moments" or other eye-catching activation measures can count on the individual support of EssilorLuxottica. Various concepts can be implemented depending on the location and possibilities in the store. The relevant EssilorLuxottica contact person will be happy to provide further information and personal advice. 

Source: www.essilorluxottica.com

The successful graduates were honored for passing their final apprenticeship examination in a festive setting. Particularly pleasing: all candidates from the canton of Lucerne successfully passed the examination.

Two graduates received a special honor: they completed their apprenticeship with an honorary mention, which underlines their outstanding achievements in the professional and practical fields.

The ceremony was accompanied by two speeches. Therese Bucher from Interessengemeinschaft Optometrie Zentralschweiz (IGOZ) expressed her respect for the young professionals and emphasized the relevance and responsibility of their profession. Marcel Huber, chief expert of the examination board, warmly congratulated the graduates and praised their commitment.

Special thanks also went to the companies Rodenstock, Eschenbach, Götti Switzerland and Silhouette Switzerland. They also honored the best exams of the year - another highlight of the ceremony.

The event provided an opportunity for exchange, reflection and celebration - a worthy conclusion to an intensive and instructive training period. The new opticians are now well equipped for their entry into professional life - with a clear view of a promising future.

Numeric screens, night-time guidance, high luminosity: our eyes are exposed to many demanding challenges day after day. Astigmatic patients are more exposed to these intense demands. That is why they need contact lenses that offer comfort and stability outside the community.

Avec la nouvelle lentille ACUVUE^® OASYS MAX 1-DAY for ASTIGMATISMJohnson & Johnson offers a qualité MAX sans précédent to astigmates. Les lentilles toriques 1-Jour réunissent trois grandes technologies^~1 : la technologie TearStable™, le filtre de lumière OptiBlue™ ainsi que la conception innovante d'optimisation du cylindre et de stabilité à chaque clignement des yeux : pour un confort, une qualité visuelle et une stabilité exceptionnels.^*2

La technology TearStable™ optimize the distribution of the hydrating agent over the entire lentil and its surface**.^5-7 et prolonge la stabilité du film lacrymal^&5-7. Le filtre de lumière OptiBlue™ permet une vision confortable dans l'obscurité^º,$,8.

ACUVUE® OASYS MAX 1-Day for ASTIGMATISM, avec son design unique Eyelid-Stabilized, est la première lentille de contact qui optimise le design torique en fonction de la correction cylindrique^‡ - avec une stabilité améliorée pour les porteurs présentant de forts cylindres¹.

En savoir plus sur ACUVUE^® OASYS MAX 1-DAY for ASTIGMATISM : Johnson & Johnson Vision

Références

* Résumés descriptifs T2B : n≥144

** Versus DAILIES TOTAL1^®, My Day® and INFUSE™, also significantly lower versus ACUVUE® OASYS 1-Day.

‡ Versus publicly available information for contact lenses for astigmatism as of June 2025.

& Et en comparaison à ACUVUE^® OASYS 1-Day.

º Par rapport aux DAILES TOTAL1

$ n=340

~ Filtering of HEV light by contact lenses has not been demonstrated to confer any systemic and/or ocular health benefit to the user. The Eye Care Professional should be consulted for more information.

1. JJV Data on File: Technical Description of ACUVUE^® OASYS MAX 1-DAY for ASTIGMATISM.
2. JJV Data on file, 2024 Subjective Comparative and Descriptive Standalone Claims for ACUVUE^® OASYS MAX 1-Day Contact Lenses for ASTIGMATISM.
3. Data on file 2024, ACUVUE^® Brand Contact Lenses for ASTIGMATISM overall fitting success, orientation position, rotational stability and vision performance.
4. JJV Data on file, 2025 Subjective Comparative and Descriptive Standalone Claims for ACUVUE^® OASYS MAX 1-Day Contact Lenses for ASTIGMATISM.
5. JJV Data on File 2022 TearStable™ Technology Definition.
6. JJV Data on File 2022: Effect on Tear Film and Evaluation of Visual Artifacts of ACUVUE^® OASYS MAX 1-Day Family with TearStable™ Technology.
7. JJV Data on File 2022 Material Properties: 1-DAY ACUVUE^® MOIST, 1DAY ACUVUE^® TruEye^®ACUVUE^® OASYS 1-Day with HydraLuxe™ Technology and ACUVUE^® OASYS MAX 1-Day with TearStable™ Technology Brand Contact Lenses and other daily disposable contact lens brands.
8. JJV Data on File 2022 Comparative Subjective Claims for ACUVUE OASYS MAX 1-Day lens vs DAILIES TOTAL1 and Additional Stand-Alone Claims.

Information importantes de sécurité Les lentilles de contact ACUVUE® peuvent être utilisées pour la correction de la vue. For a detailed description of the product and information on safety, please consult the mode d'emploi available on the website: www.e-ifu.com.

ACUVUE®, ACUVUE® OASYS MAX 1 DAY for ASTIGMATISM, la technologie TearStable™, le filtre de lumière OptiBlue™ sont des marques déposées de Johnson & Johnson. © Johnson & Johnson AG 2025 | 2025PP13855

Digital devices, night-time driving, bright light - our eyes are working at maximum capacity every day. People with astigmatism are particularly challenged. They therefore need contact lenses that offer more comfort and stability.

With the new ACUVUE^® OASYS MAX 1-Day for ASTIGMATISM Johnson & Johnson takes the care of astigmatically ametropic people to a new MAX level. The toric daily disposable lens combines three powerful technologies^~1: the TearStable™ Technology, the OptiBlue™Light filter and the cylinder-optimized eyelid blink stabilization design - and thus offers exceptional wearing comfort, visual quality and stability.^*2

The TearStable™ technology optimizes the distribution of the wetting agent in the lens**^5-7 and prolongs the stability of the tear film^&5-7. The OptiBlue™ Light Filter Enables comfortable vision in the dark^º,$,8.

ACUVUE® OASYS MAX 1-Day for ASTIGMATISM with the unique Blink stabilization design is the first contact lens that optimizes the toric design according to cylinder thickness^‡- with improved stability for customers with high cylinders¹.

Learn more about ACUVUE^® OASYS MAX 1-Day for ASTIGMATISM: Johnson & Johnson Vision

References

* T2B descriptive summaries: n≥144

** Versus DAILIES TOTAL1^®, My Day® and INFUSE™, also significantly lower versus ACUVUE® OASYS 1-Day.

‡ Versus publicly available information for contact lenses for astigmatism as of June 2025.

& Compared to ACUVUE^® OASYS 1-Day.

º Versus DAILES TOTAL1

$ n=340

~ Filtering of HEV light by contact lenses has not been demonstrated to confer any systemic and/or ocular health benefit to the user. The Eye Care Professional should be consulted for more information.

1. JJV Data on File: Technical Description of ACUVUE® OASYS MAX 1-DAY for ASTIGMATISM.2.
2. JJV Data on file, 2024 Subjective Comparative and Descriptive Standalone Claims for ACUVUE® OASYS MAX 1-Day Contact Lenses for ASTIGMATISM.
3. JJV Data on file, 2025 Subjective Comparative and Descriptive Standalone Claims for ACUVUE® OASYS MAX 1-Day Contact Lenses for ASTIGMATISM.
4. JJV Data on File 2022 TearStable™ Technology Definition.
5. JJV Data on File 2022. Effect on Tear Film and Evaluation of Visual Artifacts of ACUVUE® OASYS MAX 1-Day Family with TearStable™ Technology.
6. JJV Data on File 2022 Material Properties: 1-DAY ACUVUE® MOIST, 1-DAY ACUVUE® TruEye®, ACUVUE® OASYS 1-Day with HydraLuxe™ Technology and ACUVUE® OASYS MAX 1-Day with TearStable™ Technology Brand Contact Lenses and other daily disposable contact lens brands.
7. JJV Data on File 2022 Comparative Subjective Claims for ACUVUE OASYS MAX 1-Day lens vs DAILIES TOTAL1 and Additional Stand-Alone Claims.

Important safety informationContact lenses of the brand ACUVUE^® are used to correct vision. For a detailed product description and safety information, please refer to the instructions for use on www.e-ifu.com.

ACUVUE®, ACUVUE® OASYS MAX 1 Day for ASTIGMATISM, TearStable™ Technology, OptiBlue™ Light Filter are registered trademarks of Johnson & Johnson. © Johnson & Johnson AG 2025 | 2025PP13508

Visiting friends - A heartfelt thank you! A big thank you to the organizer of the AFO for the excellently organized graduation ceremony and the dignified setting offered to our six graduates from the canton of Graubünden.

"Success is not final, failure is not fatal - what counts is the courage to go on". - Winston Churchill.

With this in mind, we would like to congratulate our successful graduates: Leandra Kollegger, Elena Saner, Rico Schweiger, Barbara Bengyel, Mauro Thöny and Daniele Tomadu. We wish you all all the best for the future and a successful start to your careers!

The ceremony brought together the graduates of both the three-year and four-year apprenticeships.

The event was organized and held by the board of the Aargauer Augenoptik Fachgeschäfte. The President of the AAF, Thomas Schneider, opened the event with a warm welcome and addressed the attendees in a speech. Together with the future head expert Gabor Kovats, he presented the diplomas in a festive setting. As a sign of recognition, all new specialists were presented with a bouquet of flowers. The best graduates also received a small gift for their special achievement. A big thank you to the sponsor Rodenstock!

The ceremony not only provided a worthy conclusion to the years of training, but also a nice moment to pause for thought before the newly qualified professionals embark on the exciting future of optometry.

The results were presented as part of the company's scientific program, Exploring New Frontiers in Myopia Management with Miyosmart, at the ARVO Annual Meeting in Salt Lake City, Utah, USA.

The latest results from the world's longest running clinical trial of ophthalmic lenses for myopia management show that continuous wear of DIMS lenses significantly reduces myopia progression (-1.00 D ± 0.41 D, p=0.017) and axial elongation (0.42 ± 0.18 mm, p=0.019) over the entire follow-up period of 8 years (n=11).¹ These findings show that continuous and long-term wear of Miyosmart lenses can improve the results of myopia management.

Dr. Natalia Vlasak, Global Head of Medical and Scientific Affairs at Hoya Vision Care, said: "This ground-breaking study, with the longest observation time ever for myopia treatment lenses, shows that long-term use of Miyosmart continues to significantly slow the progression of myopia, allowing children to enjoy their lives to the fullest. These results underscore the life-changing value of long-term fitting and provide important information and guidance for eye care professionals and parents who are committed to protecting children's vision in the future."

The first 12-month data from the randomized, controlled Aspect trial show that the combination of low-dose 0.025% atropine eye drops with DIMS lenses halted myopia progression in about 40 % of the children.² The mean change in axial length, a key factor in myopia progression, was significantly lower than in the atropine-only group (0.07 ± 0.16 mm vs. 0.18 ± 0.16 mm; p<0.001). The researchers also examined vision-related quality of life (VR-QoL) and found a trend towards improvement in general vision (p=0.049) and competence (p=0.031) in children who received a combination of low-dose atropine and DIMS lenses.¹

"Our results suggest that the combination of Miyosmart lenses with Atropine can achieve even better outcomes for children with progressive myopia - a positive step towards personalized, more powerful myopia treatment strategies that meet the individual needs of each child," said Dr. Natalia Vlasak, Global Head of Medical and Scientific Affairs at Hoya Vision Care.

A first-of-its-kind pilot study evaluating DIMS lenses for the treatment of myopia in 5- and 6-year-old children suggests that DIMS technology may have a protective effect against the development of myopia in this population. Over a nine-month period, the average cycloplegic spherical equivalent refraction (SER) remained stable with an annual change of +0.06 D compared to -0.15 D in a control group. While axial length increased slightly (22.48 mm to 22.64 mm, p<0.01), choroidal thickness remained stable. These promising initial results suggest that Miyosmart lenses can help prevent the development of myopia and delay the onset of myopia in pre-myopic preschool children, laying the foundation for future research.³

"With the alarming increase in myopia worldwide, the search for effective strategies to slow its progression has never been more urgent," said Dr. Vlasak. "With these studies, we continue to provide confidence to eye care professionals and parents with evidence of the benefits of Miyosmart lenses, both as monotherapy and in combination treatment. We are proud to fulfill our mission to protect every child's long-term vision and quality of life through our evidence-based innovations for the treatment of myopia."

References

1) Leung TW, et al. Comparison of Myopia Progression in Individuals Wearing Defocus Incorporated Multiple Segments (DIMS) Spectacle Lenses for Eight Years versus Shorter Durations. Poster number A0113. Presented 6th May, ARVO 2025.

2) Guemes-Villahoz N, et al. Atropine and Spectacle lens Combination Treatment (ASPECT): 12-month results of a randomized controlled trial for myopia control using a combination of Defocus Incorporated Multiple Segments (DIMS) lenses and 0.025% atropine. Poster number B0466 . Presented 7th May, ARVO 2025.

3) Yang HY, Tsai DC. Efficacy of Defocus Incorporated Multiple Segments (DIMS) Lenses in Retarding Myopic Shifts Among Pre-Myopic Preschoolers: Nine-Month Results of a Pilot Study. Poster number A0104. Presented 7th May, ARVO 2025.

4) Garcia EH, et al. Vision-related quality of life in myopic children using combination treatment with atropine and DIMS (Defocus Incorporated Multiple Segments) spectacle lenses: 12-month results. Poster number A0297. Presented 5th May, ARVO 2025.

Source: www.hoya.ch

In addition to the plant in Spain, the Indo Optical headquarters and a central logistics hub were fully integrated into the Rodenstock Group's quality management system and certified. In addition, the site in Chile was also certified in accordance with ISO 13485. This underlines the global importance of the standard and Rodenstock's commitment to ensuring internationally uniform and reliable quality standards.

"Our existing global production network has been ISO 13485 certified since 2020. Since then, we have been systematically expanding our network to include new locations that meet these high requirements," explains Dr. Matthias Neumann, Head of Corporate Sustainability & Quality Management at Rodenstock. "For our European customers, this means that all lenses come from production sites certified to the highest quality standards. With the successful integration of Indo Optical - including the production facility, headquarters and logistics - we are taking another important step. The certification of the site in Chile also shows how consistently we are implementing our quality strategy outside of Europe."

With the certification of the plant in Tangier, Morocco, planned for 2026, the Rodenstock Group will have aligned its entire international production network with ISO 13485. The company is thus creating the basis for a uniform level of quality across all sites - regardless of the country of production.

ISO 13485 certification documents that a company has established a quality management system specifically for the requirements of the medical device industry. It stands for safety, effectiveness and regulatory conformity and is recognized worldwide. For customers, partners and regulatory authorities, it is a reliable sign of quality, trust and transparency - especially in a globalized market with increasingly complex requirements.

Source: www.rodenstock.com

On the first evening, the graduates of the four-year examination were invited, on the second evening those of the new three-year training.

In his speech, Damian Eggler, President of the Opticians of Eastern Switzerland, emphasized the courage to change existing processes. The willingness to change something once in a while helps the profession move forward.

What he meant on a small scale, in everyday life, became a professional reality at these celebrations. Opticians trained for three years will now shape the profession.

It will gradually become clear whether this will make the profession more attractive, whether more young people, especially men, will be interested in it and whether they will be able and willing to overcome the hurdles of the vocational baccalaureate and the university of applied sciences.

Demanding challenge for the team of experts

Chief expert Debora Hummel, who had to tackle a titanic task this year with her team of experts with two different examination regulations, was able to report pleasingly positive results.

In the four-year apprenticeship, 31 out of 34 apprentices were successful. 28 women and three men were among the lucky graduates. The best overall grade of 5.3 was achieved by Marielle Bischof, Fielmann Buchs; Olivia Gut, Brillehus Diethelm, Teufen and Melanie Keller, Adler Optik, Flawil.

33 apprentices completed the three-year apprenticeship. 32 were successful. 26 women and 7 men.

The best overall marks were achieved by Julia Arnold, Augenoptik Ott, Wattwil, with 5.8; Lorena Albert with 5.4 and Angelika Schnyder, both from the training company Sichtbar Optik, Bad Ragaz, with 5.2.

The official ceremony and the subsequent aperitif on the sun terrace were accompanied by Jacky's Jazzcritters trio.

Thanks to the sponsors, the newly qualified opticians received special appreciation in the form of gifts. The organizers would like to thank the companies "Design Eyewear Group", Rodenstock, Hoya, Eyetech and JF Rey.

Science, change and networking

The traditional congress is a central meeting point for ophthalmology specialists in Switzerland and beyond. The annual program curated by the Scientific Committee under the direction of Prof. Dr. Dr. med. Sandrine Zweifel will once again stand for high scientific quality, up-to-date clinical content and targeted knowledge transfer in 2025 - a year marked by major upheavals in the tariff system.

In addition to the scientific exchange, this year's focus will be on the upcoming changes to the tariff system. In two plenary symposia, the new overall tariff system, consisting of TARDOC and outpatient flat rates, will be explained and discussed in a practical manner. An offer on a topic that is highly relevant both for everyday practice and in terms of health policy.

Sub Speciality Day and first symposium on the new overall tariff system

The congress starts with the tried and tested Sub Speciality Day, which offers a wide range of specialized workshops. Topics such as Retinopathy of Prematurity ROP, Intravenous Dye Angiography, Glaucoma Management and Neuroophthalmology address different specialist interests and enable in-depth practical learning. This year, the Young Swiss Ophthalmologists YSO are once again organizing the popular interactive workshops "My Research Journey" and "My Cataract Journey".

The first of the two plenary symposia on TARDOC opens in the afternoon. Patrick Müller, former head of the FMH's outpatient tariffs department, explains the basics of the new system.

Training for assistants and scientific sessions

On the second day of the congress, the SOG is offering a series of training events for non-medical professionals for the first time. In several workshops, knowledge of OCT, photography and perimetry, among other things, will be imparted.

The ARVO-SWISS Symposium 2025, the Alfred Vogt Session 2025, the symposium of the Young Swiss Ophthalmologists (YSO), their General Assembly and the General Assembly of the SOG will also take place on Thursday. In addition, the program offers space for various other scientific plenary symposia and free communications on various current topics. In the evening, the SOG Networking Event at the Sandoase Basel will be the social highlight of the congress, ideal for informal discussions in a relaxed atmosphere.

Goldmann Lecture and Rapid Fire Poster Flash Sessions at the end

On Friday morning, participants will once again have the opportunity to deal with the new overall tariff system and discuss questions directly with the SOG Tariff Commission. The Swiss Orthoptics Conference, the renowned Goldmann Lecture - this year with Prof. Sobha Sivaprasad from London - and other plenary symposia on important topics such as glaucoma treatments will also take place.

In addition, there are the Rapid Fire Poster Flash Sessions and the Free Communications, where abstract authors can present their research to a specialist audience. This year a new record was set with 161 abstract submissions, reflecting the lively research activity in ophthalmology. The poster prizes and the Young Investigator Awards recognize outstanding achievements.

Lunch symposia will also be offered on all three days of the congress, organized by SOG partners.

Exchange of knowledge / experience and networking

In addition to the top-class scientific program, the 118th Annual Congress of the Swiss Ophthalmological Society (SOG) also offers the opportunity to meet with colleagues, network, make new contacts and exchange experiences.

Source: www.sog-sso.ch