100th Anniversary of the Czech and Slovak Ophthalmological Society

On 3 April 1926, the inaugural General Assembly was convened in Prague at the Department of Ophthalmology of the Faculty of Medicine, Charles University, marking the foundation of the Czechoslovak Ophthalmological Society. Professor Deyl is regarded as the originator of this idea; however, he did not live to witness the Society’s establishment. His successor, Professor Leser, continued these efforts and, together with Professor Kadlický, Professor Slavík, and 34 other Czech and Slovak physicians, founded the Czechoslovak Ophthalmological Society

In honour of this important legacy, and to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the Society’s foundation, a ceremonial meeting was held on 17 April 2026 in Prague. The event brought together 50 distinguished Czech and 50 distinguished Slovak ophthalmologists and was symbolically hosted at the Medical House, the seat of the Czech Medical Association of Jan Evangelista Purkyne.

The meeting was opened by the Presidents of the Czech and Slovak Ophthalmological Societies, Professor Heissigerova and Professor Kolar. Their welcome addresses were followed by a series of historical presentations recalling both the origins of the Society and the outstanding figures who shaped Czech and Slovak ophthalmology. Special tribute was paid to Professor Ivan Karel, the founder of Czech, or more precisely Czechoslovak, vitreoretinal surgery, who this year celebrates the same centenary as the Czech Ophthalmological Society.

Professor Pitrova (former long-term President of the COS) and Professor Karel

At the close of the lectures, commemorative anniversary medals were presented as a lasting reminder of this remarkable occasion. It pictures the Society founders on one side and the Helmholtz ophthalmoscope, eye and retina on the other.

The entire meeting served as a reminder of the rich and valuable heritage of our ophthalmological community, a heritage of which we may be justly proud. It also provided an opportunity to renew and celebrate the long-standing professional and personal ties between Czech and Slovak ophthalmologists. It is planned to celebrate with the whole of Czech Ophthalmological Society at the event of its yearly Anniversary Meeting in October 2026 in Ostrava.

We would like to express our sincere gratitude to the SOE for supporting this event, and in particular to its President, Professor Tero Kivelä, for his excellent congratulatory message addressed to the Society.

Jarmila Heissigerová

President of the Czech Ophthalmological Society                                                May 2026