Programme

The 5th Congress of the Swiss Academy of Ophthalmology will deliver interactive sessions to offer unique and dynamic learning opportunities.

Programme Key Features:

Clear time structure: Each session starts on the hour and lasts 45 minutes.
Sessions are delivered in German, French or English. The language abbreviation in the title indicates the original language of the session. Sessions in German will be simultaneously translated into French, and vice versa.

Optimal knowledge transfer maintained by using a voting system, panel discussions, possibility to post questions and communicate directly with speakers and exhibitors.
Access for three months to all congress contents (until 6 June 2021, 23:59 CET)

Please see below a short description of each type of session:

Keynote Session

State of the art lectures, followed by two supporting talks, a panel discussion and opportunity for questions and answers.

Rapid Fire Session

Fast-paced and interactive oral presentations on research highlights.

Interactive Session

These are highly interactive sessions which includes various oral presentations followed by multiple choice questions and a moderated panel discussion.

Satellite Symposia

Sponsored sessions organized by industry partners to showcase their latest products and research.

Please see below the overview of the preliminary live programme*:

All sessions will be recorded and available on-demand for 3 months.

You can download the Programme at the Glance (PDF) in German here.
You can download the Programme at the Glance (PDF) in French here.

All live sessions are in in Swiss Local Time (CEST)

Online timezone converter: click here

Wednesday 3 March

Time	Type of sessions	Speakers	Session & Presentations
08:00 - 08:05		Dr Dietmar Thumm	Words of welcome
08:05 - 08:50	Keynote	Prof. Dr. Matthias Becker	Coping with extreme stressful situations (DE)
		Dr Roger Harr
	Break
09:00 - 09:45	Rapid-fire session	Dr Dietmar Thumm	Fast and correct response to IT emergencies (DE)
		Nikolaus Stapels	The changing world of digitalisation
		Nikolaus Stapels	How to hack people
		Nikolaus Stapels	First steps towards strengthening security
		Kurt Ambühl	Cybercrime is becoming more and more complex
		Rolf Ambühl	Protective measures against threats from the Internet in medical practices
		Nikolaus Stapels	Cyber insurance - necessary or important?
09:45 - 10:00	Break
10:00 - 10:45	Interactive session	Dr Urs Stillhard	Psychiatric emergencies (DE)
			Suicidal tendencies
			Psychomotor arousal
			How do I communicate with unstable patients?
10:45 - 11:00	Break
11:00 - 11:45	Interactive session	Dr Johannes Fleischhauer	Post-operative emergencies (DE)
		Dr Johannes Fleischhauer	Endophthalmitis
		Dr Frank Blaser	Toxic Anterior Segment Syndrome
		Prof Dr Claude Kaufmann	How to successfully reject a corneal graft
11:45 - 12:00	SAoO commercial break
12:00 - 12:45	Satellite session		Satellite Symposium sponsored by Bayer AG
		Dr Katja Hatz	Practical OCT interpretation in AMD
		Dr Peter Maloca
12:45 - 13:00	SAoO commercial break
13:00 - 13:45	Interactive session	Dr Ulrich Lachmund	Emergencies in the eyelid and lacrimal system (DE)
		Dr Klaus Lipke	Trauma, phlegmon, abscess, retrobulbar hematoma
		Dr Gabriela Espinoza	Emergencies of the lacrimal system
		Dr Dagmar Simon	Eye allergies
13:45 - 14:00	Break
14:00 - 14:45	Keynote	Prof. Dr Matthias Becker	The light at the end of the tunnel could be you! Advances in medicine and ophthalmology even in difficult times (DE)
		Dr Ronald Gerste	Pandemics, crises, dangers - belief in the future and innovation in the golden age of medicine
		Prof. Dr Christoph Hintschich	Eyelid & orbit: what is an emergency?
14:45 - 15:00	Break
15:00 - 15:45	Interactive session	Dr Michael Bärtschi	Contact lens and eyeglass-related emergencies (DE)
		Jörg Müller	The emergency in the optometry practice, various causes, diagnostic options and timely medical referral
		Dr Caroline Schweizer	Glasses defective, quick emergency solutions
		Dr Nina Müller	Spontaneous visual fluctuations, causes and diagnostic options
		Dr Philipp Bänninger	Eye emergency: Peroxide and contact lens
		Dr Alex Lange	Contact lens emergencies from the practice
15:45 - 16:00	Break
16:00 - 16:45	Rapid-fire session	Dr Theo Signer	Ophthalmic emergencies at a glance (DE)
		Dr Joel Baur	Why you should take a slight foreign body feeling seriously
		Dr Nicolas Skalicky	Spontaneous abducens palsy: emergency symptoms and first clarifications
		Dr János Weber Várszegi	Decompensating phoria after routine ophthalmological control
		Dr Caroline Schier Wyss	Red eye - everything all right, right?
		Dr Nicole Horchi	Therapy-resistant unilateral eyelid swelling and conjunctivitis
		Dr Tina Eckert	Lightning without thunder
		Dr Alexandra Steinemann	An uncommon retinal vascular pathology
16:45 - 17:00			Highlights of the day
17:00 - 17:45	Satellite session		Satellite Symposium sponsored by Allergan AG
		Prof. Dr Chiara M. Eandi	DME: Biomarkers: The Known, The Unknown and The Unknowable?
		Dr Marion Munk	DME and Ozurdex: Early Switch: why? when? and how?

Thursday 4 March

Time	Type of sessions	Speakers	Session & Presentations
08:00 - 08:45	Satellite session		Satellite Symposium sponsored by Novartis Pharma Schweiz AG
		Prof. Christian Prünte	Challenges in the effective clinical management of diabetic macular edema
08:45 - 09:00			Words of welcome
09:00 - 09:45	Rapid-fire session	Prof. Dr Joseph Osterwalder	6-minute emergency medical advice for life-threatening situations (DE)
		Prof. Dr Joseph Osterwalder	Emergency ABC
		Dr Mathias Zürcher	Cardiovascular arrest
		Prof. Dr Aristomenis Exadaktylos	Anaphylaxis
		Dr Robert Sieber	Life-Threatening Headaches
		Dr Rudolf Horn	Life-Threatening chest pains
		Dr Katia Boggian	Life-Threatening fever
09:45 - 10:00	Break
10:00 - 10:45	Keynote	Prof. Dr Matthias Becker	COVID-19 update (DE)
		Dr Adrian Schibli	Ways and limits to treating COVID-19 Infection
		Dr Gerhard Eich	Current status of the COVID-19 vaccination
		Prof. Dr Matthias Becker	Ophthalmic manifestations of the COVID-19 virus
10:45 - 11:00	Break
11:00 - 11:45	Interactive session	Dr Albert Franceschetti	Urgency in emergency planning (FR)
		Dr André Dosso	Ocular trauma
		Prof. Dr Heimo Steffen	Neuro-ophthalmology
		Dr Albert Franceschetti	Strabismus & contact lenses
11:45 - 11:50	SAoO promotional break
11:50 - 12:35	Satellite session		Satellite symposium sponsored by Johnson & Johnson Vision AMO Switzerland GmbH
			Welcome and introduction
			Biometrie Support
		Benedikt Fassbind	TECNIS Eyhance® IOL - practical experience
		Melanie Abraham	TECNIS Eyhance® IOL - practical experience
		Dr. med. Eduard Haefliger	Questions and Answers
		Stefan Riepl	Outlook on the TECNIS Eyhance® Toric II
11:55 - 12:55	Satellite session		Satellite symposium sponsored by SimiMed AG (EN)
		Dr. Andrew Hopkinson	Omnigen and Omnilenz: Advanced ocular surface healing with dehydrated amniotic membrane
		Dr. Mohamed Elalfy	Questions and answers
12:55 - 13:00	SAoO promotional break
13:00 - 13:45	Interactive session	Prof. Dr François Majo	Corneal and conjunctival emergencies (FR)
		Dr Bao Tran	Puncture wounds
		Dr Horace Massa	Bacterial and fungal aberrations of the cornea
		Dr Aleksandra Petrovic	Viral and parasitic keratitis
		Prof. Dr François Majo	Burns on the ocular surface
13:45 - 14:00	Break
14:00 - 14:45	Interactive session	Dr Theo Signer	Ophthalmic Traumatology (DE)
		Dr Florian Weisskopf	Post trauma diplopia
		Dr Nathanael Mosimann	Bulbus Contusions
		Dr Robert Katamay	Lid injury in practice
		Dr Thomas Müller	Primary care and visual rehabilitation after intraocular foreign body
14:45 - 15:00	Break
15:00 - 15:45	Interactive session	Dr. med. Dietmar Thumm	Insurance, tariffs and legal aspects: the first reaction counts (DE)
		Lic. iur. Reto Bachmann	Mobbing, acute staff shortage, aggressive patients, sexual assaults, legal tips on dealing with aggressive situations in everyday medical practice
		Dr. iur. Mascha Santschi Kallay	When journalists press us
		Catherine Waldenmeyer	When something goes wrong
		Dr. iur. Mascha Santschi Kallay	The communication training: From hospital gossip to hidden cameras and the right to be heard
15:45 - 16:00	Break
16:00 - 16:45	Keynote	Prof. Dr. med. Christoph Faschinger	Glaucoma emergencies (DE)
		Prof. Dr. med. Christoph Faschinger	Acute primary angle-closure. Pathogenesis, symptoms, therapy.
		Prof. Dr. med. Esther Hoffmann	Blebitis and sweating bleb. How best to treat?
		Prof. Dr. Jörg Stürmer	Flat or raised anterior chamber after glaucoma surgery with low or high intraocular pressure. Pathogenesis, symptoms, therapy
16:45 - 17:00	Pause publicitaire SAoO
17:00 - 17:45	Satellite session		Satellite symposium sponsored by Santen SA
			Glaucoma – the holistic approach
		Francesco Oddone	Let’s be honest: are we treating a disease or a patient?
		David Crabb	Glaucoma like you never saw it...
		Ike Ahmed	When it’s time to drop the drops… An update on Glaucoma surgery

Friday 5 March

Time	Type of sessions	Speakers	Session & Presentations
08:00 - 08:45	Satellite session		Satellite Symposium sponsored by Novartis Pharma Schweiz AG
		Dr. Hatz	Brolucizumab: The latest findings and practical experience. Now the Swiss experts are talking
		Dr. Copt
08:45 - 09:00			Words of welcome
09:00 - 09:45	Interactive session	Prof. Dr Matthias Becker	Uveitic emergencies (DE)
		Prof. Dr Christoph Tappeiner	Hypopyon etc. - the acute anterior uveitis
		Prof. Dr Justus Garweg	Visual disturbances in chorioretinal lesions
		Dr Jeremy Howell	White vessels - vasculitis from arteritis to phlebitis
		Dr Andreas Pallas	The necrotic retina - viral retinitis
09:45 - 10:00	Break
10:00 - 10:45	Keynote	Prof. Dr Christian Prünte	Retinal emergencies (DE)
		Prof. Dr Irmela Mantel	Challenge of wet macular degeneration
		Dr Andreas Ebneter	Vitreous Hemorrhage - Standardization of a Relative Emergency Situation
		Dr Simon Rothenbühler	Peripheral retinal changes - when is an emergency?
10:45 - 11:00	Break
11:00 - 11:45	Interactive session	Dr. med. Dietmar Thumm	Dealing with severe property damage (DE)
		Sacha Müller	Fire!
		Flavia Zumbühl	Water!
		Ralf Walter	Power Loss!
		Catherine Waldenmeyer	Better safe than sorry
11:45 - 11:50	SAoO commercial break
11:50 - 12:50	Satellite session		Satellite symposium sponsored by Roche Pharma (Schweiz) AG
		Chair: Herr Prof. Martin Zinkernagel	Innovative strategies in the treatment of nAMD and DME
		Herr Prof. Stephan Michels	New therapeutic targets beyond VEGF in nAMD & DME
		Herr Prof. Matthias Becker	Extended treatment intervals thanks to the continuous release of active ingredients with nAMD
		Herr Prof. Sascha Fauser	Innovative strategies in ophthalmology research at Roche
12:20 - 12:50	Satellite session		Satellite symposium by Oertli Instrumente AG
		Prof. Dr. med. Daniel Mojon	Sub-2mm Cataract Surgery and the VIP technique for improved post-operative outcomes.
12:55 - 13:00	SAoO commercial break
13:00 - 13:45	Interactive session		When things go wrong - Follow-up and processing of emergencies and complications (EN)
		Johannes Keller, FRCOphth	Introduction
		Dr Johannes Keller	Clinical governance in Britain's NHS: a system for quality control
		Dr Martin Schmid	When things go wrong – how to take care of the patient
		Dr Florian Heussen	Hands on experience with a complication registry
13:45 - 14:00	Break
14:00 - 14:45	Keynote	Prof. Dr Helmut Wilhelm	Neuro-ophthalmic emergencies: Particular focus on emergencies in childhood (DE)
		Prof. Dr Helmut Wilhelm	Anisocoria - dangerous or not?
		Dr Felix Tonagel	Optic nerve inflammation in childhood
		Dr Carina Kelbsch	Nystagmus - when is it dangerous?
14:45 - 15:00	Break
15:00 - 15:45	Keynote	Prof. Dr Daniel Mojon	Strabological and ophthalmic emergencies (DE)
		Prof. Dr Heimo Steffen	Normosensory late strabismus
		Prof. Dr Mathias Abegg	Congenital cataract and congenital glaucoma
		Prof. Dr Oliver Ehrt	Retinoblastoma
15:45 - 16:00	Break
16:00 - 16:45	Rapid Fire session	Dr Dietmar Thumm	The Incredible Eye (Farewell Session) (DE)
		Prof. Dr Daniel Mojon	Surprize
		Dr Theo Signer	When the optic nerve head leaks
		Dr Dietmar Thumm	Magic from all science
		Dr. Michael Bärtschi	When the sun tickles your nose (photic sneeze reflex)
		Prof. Dr. med. Matthias Becker	Fireworks amid deepest darkness - from fluorescence in sea animals
		Prof. Dr. med. Christian Prünte	The eye habitat
		Dr. Michael Bärtschi	The blind and the elephant
16:45 - 18:00			"Virtual Get-together" sponsored by Oertli Instrumente AG

Wednesday 3 March


08:45 - 09:00 Opening - Welcome Words
09:00 - 09:45 Scientific Session
09:45 - 10:00 Break - Virtual Exhibition
10:00 - 10:45 Scientific Session
10:45 - 11:00 Break - Virtual Exhibition
11:00 - 11:45 Scientific Session
11:45 - 12:00 Break - Virtual Exhibition
12:00 - 12:45 Satellite Symposia
12:45 - 13:00 Break - Virtual Exhibition
13:00 - 13:45 Scientific Session
13:45 - 14:00 Break - Virtual Exhibition
14:00 - 14:45 Scientific Session
14:45 - 15:00 Break - Virtual Exhibition
15:00 - 15:45 Scientific Session
15:45 - 16:00 Break - Virtual Exhibition
16:00 - 16:45 Scientific Session
16:45 - 17:00 Highlights of the day

Thursday 4 March


08:45 - 09:00 Welcome Words
09:00 - 09:45 Scientific Session
09:45 - 10:00 Break - Virtual Exhibition
10:00 - 10:45 Scientific Session
10:45 - 11:00 Break - Virtual Exhibition
11:00 - 11:45 Scientific Session
11:45 - 12:00 Break - Virtual Exhibition
12:00 - 12:45 Satellite Symposia
12:45 - 13:00 Break - Virtual Exhibition
13:00 - 13:45 Scientific Session
13:45 - 14:00 Break - Virtual Exhibition
14:00 - 14:45 Scientific Session
14:45 - 15:00 Break - Virtual Exhibition
15:00 - 15:45 Scientific Session
15:45 - 16:00 Break - Virtual Exhibition
16:00 - 16:45 Scientific Session
16:45 - 17:00 Highlights of the day

Friday 5 March


08:45 - 09:00 Welcome Words
09:00 - 09:45 Scientific Session
09:45 - 10:00 Break - Virtual Exhibition
10:00 - 10:45 Scientific Session
10:45 - 11:00 Break - Virtual Exhibition
11:00 - 11:45 Scientific Session
11:45 - 12:00 Break - Virtual Exhibition
12:00 - 12:45 Satellite Symposia
12:45 - 13:00 Break - Virtual Exhibition
13:00 - 13:45 Scientific Session
13:45 - 14:00 Break - Virtual Exhibition
14:00 - 14:45 Scientific Session
14:45 - 15:00 Break - Virtual Exhibition
15:00 - 15:45 Scientific Session
15:45 - 16:00 Break - Virtual Exhibition
16:00 - 16:45 Scientific Session
16:45 - 17:00 Highlights of the day - Closing

*Subject to change