Chai, chatter and cutting-edge cataract insights on Day 1 of APACRS 2025.
On Day 1 of the 37th annual meeting of the Asian-Pacific Association of Cataract and Refractive Surgeons (APACRS 2025), Ahmedabad greeted the ophthalmology world with both heaviness and hope.
Over two months ago, the city was the site of a tragic plane crash that claimed nearly every life on board—save one. The news still lingers in the air, a sobering reminder of fragility. And yet, against that backdrop, more than 1,300 delegates gathered in nearby Gandhinagar to do what this profession does best: advance the science, sharpen the practice and, ultimately, help more patients see a brighter tomorrow.
If the exhibition floor was unusually hushed on opening day, the scientific halls more than made up for it. Registration desks bustled with fresh badges and chai in hand as conversations sparked between colleagues from across the Asia-Pacific and beyond. The tone? Focused, curious and ready to dig deep.
This year’s themes were clear from the start: innovation, surgical finesse and the regionally relevant insights that keep APACRS at the leading edge of cataract and refractive surgery.
Lessons from the scientific halls
Day 1 in the lecture rooms proved that innovation doesn’t just live in shiny new tech, it’s also in the clever workarounds surgeons bring to their toughest cases.
Take the Getting the Best Out of Difficult Situations symposium, where the spotlight was on surgical grit. From practical pearls for stubbornly small pupils to post-LASIK IOL planning (plus a few nifty gadgets), this was cataract problem-solving at its most resourceful. Catch up on the highlights here: APACRS 2025 Tackles Tough Cases in Cataract and Refractive Surgery
But the story didn’t stop at complication rescues. The scientific program also tipped its hand to the future: AI “digital twins” that may soon guide every patient’s journey, lenticule tricks rewriting the refractive playbook, and steady-handed strategies for posterior capsule ruptures. Together, it was the ultimate surgical sample platter: a taste of today’s problem-solving and tomorrow’s possibilities. Don’t miss the details here: APACRS 2025 Spotlights Breakthroughs in Cataract and Refractive Surgery
Industry in the spotlight
Even meal breaks couldn’t slow down the learning at APACRS 2025. On Day 1, delegates were faced with the enviable problem of choosing between two competing lunch symposiums—both with major announcements.
At Alcon’s (Geneva, Switzerland) session, the room filled quickly for the India debut of Unity VCS, a system that literally rolled itself onto the stage like R2-D2 making a house call. Beyond the theatrics, Unity VCS drew buzz for its Hypervit 30K cutter and 4D phaco technology delivering faster nucleus removal with 41% less energy to the eye, promising power without punishment. Add in the option of a combined retina-cataract console or standalone cataract system, and Unity is positioning itself as a one-stop surgical hub where efficiency and physiologic finesse shake hands.
READ MORE: Alcon Rolls Out UNITY VCS and CS Systems for Cataract and Vitreoretinal Surgery
And just next door, Bausch + Lomb (Laval, Canada) drew its own standing-room crowd with the launch of the enVista Aspire IOL, designed to move “beyond the standard monofocal” by optimizing intermediate vision for today’s screen-soaked lives. Dr. Jai Parekh (USA) gave his first look at how this monofocal-plus lens is redefining what patients (and surgeons) can expect. See how it stacks up here: Enhanced Vision for the Digital Age: Novel IOL Poised to Impress
Beyond Ahmedabad and across the globe, Iantrek (New York, USA) grabbed headlines with a $42M Series C raise to fuel the U.S. launch of its AlloFlo Uveo device. Unlike traditional MIGS that target the trabecular pathway, AlloFlo takes aim at the uveoscleral route, potentially opening a new chapter in interventional glaucoma therapy.
Day 1 sign off
From pragmatic pearls to product launches, APACRS 2025 wasted no time proving why it remains the Asia-Pacific’s flagship meeting for anterior segment specialists.
Day 2 promises even more, from surgical symposia to the always-anticipated named lectures. Until then, delegates in Ahmedabad can rest easy knowing that today’s knowledge exchange set a strong tone for the next days ahead.
Because if Day 1 taught us anything, it’s this: even amid silence and sorrow, the work of bringing light back to patients’ lives continues—with clarity, purpose and no shortage of chai.
Editor’s Note: The 37th annual meeting of the Asia-Pacific Association of Cataract and Refractive Surgeons (APACRS 2025) is being held from 21-23 August in Ahmedabad, India. Reporting for this story took place during the event. This content is intended exclusively for healthcare professionals. It is not intended for the general public. Products or therapies discussed may not be registered or approved in all jurisdictions, including Singapore.