On behalf of the organising committee, I would like to welcome you to the 2019 RANZCO New Zealand Branch Annual Scientific Meeting and the New Zealand Ophthalmic Nurses Group Meeting.

The conference will be held in Auckland at the Pullman Hotel from the 10-11 May, with a welcome function on the evening of Thursday 9 May. The theme for this year’s conference is, In sight of 2020: a brave new world or a world in crisis? Collaboration, working smarter, applying technology and tackling the patient tsunami together.

Typical for the New Zealand Branch meetings, this conference will cover the latest in all aspects of subspecialty ophthalmology while maintaining a general focus. This year, the branch meeting will also explore the use of both technological and service model innovation to tackle service demands. There will be examples of artificial intelligence, nurse-led services, big data approaches and novel ways of collaborative care to improve ophthalmic care.

Professor Charles McGhee, as chair of the scientific committee, has put together an exciting panel of international speakers and local experts, including Professor Adnan Tufail from London, Professor Gerard Sutton from Sydney and Professor Keith Martin from Melbourne and, from our own shores, Drs Dianne Sharp and Rachael Niederer and Professor Helen Danesh-Meyer. We are also delighted to welcome John Cooper from Manchester, who is our keynote speaker for the ophthalmic nurses meeting. In addition, there will be more than 60 scientific abstracts presented showcasing local research.

I trust all participants will come away from the meeting refreshed in their ophthalmic knowledge and inspired to try different innovations in their own domains.

Many delegates will find the City of Sails familiar as this is the second consecutive year this meeting has been held in Auckland. The Pullman Hotel is located in the leafy university precinct, a short stroll from the City. For the conference dinner, we have secured a special band, led by an Auckland ophthalmologist and member of the organising committee! With good food and good company, there is no doubt this will be one of the highlights of the meeting.

We are also grateful for the support and sponsorship of many ophthalmic companies, providing delegates with a vibrant industry display and the opportunity to explore the latest industry offerings.

The venue has a set capacity and we recommend early registration to avoid disappointment, as last year’s meeting was quick to fill. The organising committee is excited to bring you the 2019 RANZCO NZ Branch meeting and we look forward to seeing you all in Auckland.

For more information and to register, please go to: http://ranzcomeetingnz.cvent.com/d/66qzy0