Pictured L-to-R: Mr Gerry Fahy, President, Irish College of Ophthalmologists (ICO);
Dr Ann O’Connell; and Dr Emer Henry, ICO Programme Director for Medical Ophthalmology and Consultant Ophthalmologist, University Hospital Waterford
Dr Ann O’Connell, Consultant Ophthalmologist, HSE South-East and University Hospital Waterford (UHW), presented the European Society of Ophthalmology Lecture 2026 at the Irish College of Ophthalmologists (ICO) Annual Conference.
Dr O’Connell was among the first graduates of the ICO national specialist training programme in medical ophthalmology. Alongside her subspecialty medical retina practice at UHW, Dr O’Connell leads area community services in paediatric ophthalmology and medical glaucoma.
Dr O’Connell’s lecture, titled ‘Medical retina – A three-pronged approach’, highlighted practical, up-to-date clinical developments in inflammatory eye disease, medical retina, and inherited retinal disorders.
These insights were gathered during her Fellowship training at Moorfields Eye Hospital, London, UK, with a focus on improving diagnostic accuracy and management.
Dr O’Connell noted the rapid pace of service change and treatment development in ophthalmology.
She said clinicians should never be afraid to ask for help, seek a second opinion on something, or simply admit they don’t know what the issue may be or the right choice in that moment. “Humility is important in our practice,” she said.
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