50th Anniversary meeting of AOI

It is my pleasure to welcome you to the 50th anniversary meeting of the Academia Ophthalmologica Internationalis which will be held in Leiden, The Netherlands from June 19 to June 21, 2025. Founded by Professor Jules Francois in 1975, our revered history is as unique and special as is our membership. We have planned a very special 3-day meeting which will take place at the prestigious Leiden University, which will commemorate its 450th anniversary next year. Our celebratory event will include the formal induction of our newest provisional members, scientific and historical-based sessions, the AOI Oration and Streiff lecture, as well as several interesting and unique social events in Leiden. On Saturday evening we will have the Gala Anniversary dinner at the beautiful Museum of Antiquities in Leiden. We expect a large attendance by our members and partners and hope you will join us in Leiden for this opportunity to welcome our newest members into our Society as well as the chance to meet old friends and make new ones from around the globe.

Leiden University celebrates its 450th anniversary, the City of Amsterdam will be 750 years old, and the Academia Ophthalmologica Internationalis will celebrate its half centennial. In the summer, the canals of Leiden are filled with boats with enthusiastic people enjoying a drink, while runners enjoy the Singelpark, which encircles the city centre as a green oasis. Leiden has a medieval city centre, where Rembrandt grew up, and many sites remain from that time: his primary school and the drawbridge which Rembrandt must have crossed when he visited his father’s windmill. The city contains many memories of the Pilgrim Fathers and Leiden’s relation with Japan, and for those with an interest in antiquities, dinosaurs or medical history, we have fantastic museums. Amsterdam is nearby.

We will celebrate our Society’s anniversary with the inauguration of many new members and will visit many wonderful sites in the city. We hope that you will enjoy the Boerhaave museum, our dinner in the gorgeous botanical garden and the anniversary dinner that will take place in front of an ancient Egyptian temple. Enjoy!

Welcome to Leiden – City of Discoveries!

Join us in Leiden, the birthplace of Rembrandt and home to many Nobel Prize winners. A city where 147 nationalities live and work together, driven by centuries of knowledge exchange through its world-renowned university. As the current national Education City of the Year, Leiden invites you to explore its canals, hidden courtyards, and vibrant community.

Above all, let this inspiring city encourage you to share your expertise and gain new insights—so together, we can improve the lives of people with visual impairments and help them fully participate in everyday life.