The eighth international symposium on novelties in the field of ophthalmic surgery, organized by the Clinic for Eye Diseases of the Military Medical Academy, the Association for Cataract and Refractive Surgery of Serbia and the Vitreoretinal Association of Serbia, was held at the Military Medical Academy.

Eminent lecturers from the country and the world have traditionally gathered under the well-known name "Modern trends in ophthalmic surgery" in order to present news from the field of eye surgery through lectures and direct transmission of surgical procedures.

In his welcoming speech, the head of the MMA, colonel prof. Dr. Miroslav Vukosavljević recalled the history of the establishment of ophthalmology in our country, which began with the Eye Department in 1904 and the first head of it, Lieutenant Đorđe Nešić, which, as he stated, was proof of the duration of the unbreakable bond between military and civilian healthcare, which should continue even in the future. Speaking about the foundation of the symposium, which stemmed from the idea and desire for ophthalmologists from the country and abroad to become familiar with what we can do in Serbia, and primarily at the MMA, he noted that the goal of the international symposium, precisely thanked to the world names from this branch of medicine, improving the working conditions of ophthalmic surgeons not only in healthcare institutions in our country but also in Europe.

The lectures of the doctors of the Clinic for Eye Diseases of the MMA included many years of experience in various fields of ophthalmology - Prof. Dr. Miroslav Vukosavljević, while assistant professor Dr. Dragana Ristić spoke about biomarkers in the monitoring of diabetic edema. Professor Dr. Thomas John, visiting professor at the Faculty of Medicine of the MMA and the progenitor of keratoplasty, talked about surgical and therapeutic advances in the treatment of the cornea, Professor Dr. Hassan Mortada, an expert in the field of vitreoretinal surgery from Cairo and one of the top ten surgeons for the posterior segment of the eye presented a series of cases of treatment of diabetic retinopathy, professor Dr. Željka Cvejić from the Department of Physics of the Faculty of Science, University of Novi Sad lectured on the basics and working principles of ablative solid state lasers, professor Dr. Bojan Pajić, a prominent eye surgeon and visiting professor of the Faculty of Medicine, MMA, introduced the attendees with the first results of solid state laser work published for the first time in the world at the MMA, while professor Dr. Heimo Steffen, University professor from Geneva, a world-renowned expert in the field of neuro-ophthalmology, spoke about novelties in the treatment of optic neuritis.

Complicated cataract operations with the installation of modern intraocular lenses, macular rupture operations, and dioptre removal with the latest generation solid state laser were premiered in live surgery.

The symposium "Modern trends in ophthalmic surgery" has traditionally been held every other year since 2006. The result is the idea and desire of the doctors of the Clinic for Eye Diseases of the MMA, to give as many ophthalmologists from the country and abroad as possible an insight into modern treatment methods, show the latest operative techniques in live surgery and encourage the introduction of modern clinical practice in all health institutions.