Don't miss the Women in Retina networking breakfast at EURETINA

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On Saturday, September 6th, all are welcome to a special networking breakfast during the 25th annual congress of the European Society of Retina Specialists (EURETINA). The Women in Retina Networking Breakfast will be held in the Regency 15 room at the Hyatt, from 7:30 AM to 8:45 AM CEST. There is no pre-registration required. EURETINA president Anat Loewenstein, MD, will chair the session. Panelists Tunde Peto, MD, PhD and Catherine Creuzot-Garcher, MD, PhD, will speak about their experiences as leaders in the retina field. Participants will be able to network with established leaders in the industry, as well as early-career retina specialists.¹

"The women in retina session is going to be exciting," Prof. Loewenstein told the Eye Care Network. "More than I realized before, there is a struggle—or, I would say, there is still work to be done—in order to position women in their right place within the field of retina."

According to statistics shared by EURETINA's Women in Retina program, there is a disparity between representation of women in ophthalmology and representation of women in ophthalmic leadership. Over 50% of ophthalmologists are female, but only 10% of female ophthalmologists hold leadership positions. Additionally, according² to EURETINA, "Although more than 50% of ophthalmology peer reviewed papers are written by women, this is not the case in editorials where women are represented in less than 5% of cases."

As such, EURETINA's Women in Retina program provides resources and conducts research to understand the factors which lead to these disparities.

Prof. Loewenstein said the Saturday event will be a comfortable setting for participants to discuss these pressing issues. "It's a very open breakfast. I will lead a panel that will really emphasize what are the issues for women, both at the beginning of their careers and as they become known leaders in the field," she said. "Many younger women will benefit a lot, and people who are more mature in their careers can benefit from the networking. I encourage everyone to come."

The breakfast will also be a place for prior beneficiaries of EURETINA training resources to reconnect. "We are also gathering our mentees from all over, from all years of EURETINA," Prof. Loewenstein said. Many of the mentees who joined EURETINA as young ophthalmologists have become well-established in their careers, and will be excellent connections to make at the networking event. "Now, they are not so much mentees, but more rising stars."

References

1. Programme: Women in Retina Breakfast. EURETINA. Accessed September 5, 2025. https://hub-apps.euretina.org/euretina2025/en-GB/pag/session/94884

2. EURETINA Women in Retina Programme: Raising Women to their Full Potential. EURETINA. Accessed September 5, 2025. https://euretina.org/opportunities/women-in-retina/