EGS-MEAGS: A Historic Rapprochement in the Service of Glaucoma Patients

The Congress of the European Glaucoma Society (EGS) was held in Brussels from 30 May to 2 June 2026, and among the highlights of this 17th congress was a particularly symbolic event: the Joint EGS / MEAGS Symposium, held on Monday, 1 June, from 8:20 to 9:20 AM in Studio 203.

This symposium brought together, for the first time in such a structured way, the European Glaucoma Society and the Middle East Africa Glaucoma Society (MEAGS), co-chaired by Amel Meddeb-Ouertani (Tunisia) and Alain Bron (France). Beyond its scientific content, the event marked a genuine turning point in the relationship between the two societies, which chose to place their collaboration on a lasting footing in order to better serve glaucoma patients, in Europe as well as in the Middle East and Africa.

A Dense, Multidisciplinary Scientific Programme

The symposium gave the floor to experts from a range of backgrounds, itself a reflection of the ambition behind this partnership. Ahmed Abdelrahman (Egypt) opened the discussions with a talk on minor interventions and mega outcomes in glaucoma management, illustrating the rise of minimally invasive techniques. Ali Alsheikheh (Oman) then addressed surgical strategies for congenital glaucoma, a topic where regional expertise proved invaluable. Gauti Jóhannesson (Sweden) tackled the ocular surface challenge in glaucoma care, an issue too often overlooked. Finally, Luis Abegão Pinto (Portugal) offered a reflection on trabeculectomy, the historic technique that, as his evocative title put it, continued « surviving every revolution » in surgical innovation. A general discussion closed out the session.

Why This Rapprochement Mattered

What made this symposium particularly significant went well beyond a single hour of programming. It reflected the willingness of two learned societies, historically focused on distinct geographic regions, to now work hand in hand. For glaucoma patients, this strengthened collaboration carried meaning on several levels: faster sharing of surgical and therapeutic innovations between Europe and the MEA region, greater harmonisation of practices and guidelines, and better training for young ophthalmologists through regular scientific exchange between the two communities.