Reflections from the AOC Congress 2026: African Ophthalmology Is Building Its Own Future

Notes from the African Ophthalmology Council Congress in Cape Town — on intra-African collaboration, the first AFSOPRS dissection course, and what intergenerational mentorship really asks of us.

It was a privilege to be part of the African Ophthalmology Council (AOC) Congress in Cape Town — wearing several hats as a delegate, speaker, instructor at a surgical dissection workshop, and co-moderator of the Women Leaders in Eye Health (WLEH) and Women in Ophthalmology South Africa (WOSA) coffee hour.

Congresses are easy to describe in terms of programmes and sessions. What stayed with me afterwards was something less formal: a clearer sense of where African ophthalmology is going, and what it will take to get there.

A first for oculoplastic surgery in Africa

A particularly meaningful part of the congress for me was being an instructor at the first dissection course hosted by the African Society of Ophthalmic Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery (AFSOPRS). As someone working in oculoplastics, this felt like an important milestone for our subspecialty on the continent.

We were also joined on the faculty by a fellow African oculoplastic surgeon from Nigeria — a small but significant example of the kind of intra-African skills sharing and collaboration that I believe we need much more of.

Africa has expertise within Africa

There is tremendous value in international training and collaboration, but Africa also has expertise within Africa. Creating opportunities for African surgeons to teach one another, train together and build sustainable subspecialty networks across borders is an important part of strengthening ophthalmology on the continent.

For me, the dissection course represented more than teaching surgical techniques. It represented the beginnings of an African oculoplastics community that can grow its own training capacity, while remaining connected to the international community.

Mentorship as an exchange, not a hand-down

Another highlight was the WOSA/WLEH session, which brought together an extraordinary group of women in eye health, alongside male colleagues who have been important allies in advancing women within our profession. The conversation around intergenerational mentorship was particularly powerful.

We spoke about mentorship not simply as senior colleagues guiding younger ones, but as an exchange across generations. Senior women bring experience, perspective and the ability to open doors; younger colleagues bring fresh ideas, different ways of working and the confidence to challenge established norms. When those generations actively engage with one another, there is an opportunity to build something much stronger than either could achieve alone.

Advancing women in ophthalmology is not women’s work alone

The presence of male allies was equally important. Advancing women in ophthalmology cannot be the responsibility of women alone. Meaningful change requires colleagues who are willing to mentor, sponsor, advocate and create opportunities, particularly in spaces where women have historically been underrepresented.

For me, it reinforced that we need to move beyond informal mentorship towards intentional mentorship, sponsorship and succession. The progress achieved by one generation should become the platform from which the next generation advances — not a journey they have to start again.

The research coming out of Africa explored at the AOC Congress 2026

Beyond my own participation, what struck me throughout the congress was the sheer amount and quality of research coming from across Africa. The scientific programme reflected work in technology and artificial intelligence, surgical outcomes, epidemiology, education and innovative models of care.

I was particularly inspired by the ingenuity behind much of this work. Innovation in Africa is often happening in environments where resources are constrained and clinical need is enormous. Yet clinicians, researchers and educators continue to develop solutions that are practical, locally relevant and responsive to the communities they serve.

I left the congress feeling incredibly optimistic about African ophthalmology. We have expertise. We have talent. We have research. We have innovation. What we need to continue building are the networks, resources and opportunities that allow all of that potential to flourish.

Investing in how we pass knowledge on

Perhaps the thread connecting the dissection lab, the scientific sessions and the WOSA/WLEH conversation was this: we need to invest not only in what we know, but in how we pass that knowledge on.

Whether across countries, subspecialties or generations, the future of African ophthalmology will be strengthened by our willingness to teach, collaborate, mentor and create opportunities for those coming after us.

Africa is not simply participating in the future of eye care. We are increasingly building, teaching and defining it ourselves.