The 124th DOG Congress took place from 24–27 September 2026 at the Estrel Congress Centre in Berlin. Under the theme “Ophthalmology Without Borders”, the event brought together 4,657 participants to explore cutting-edge science, practical education and international dialogue.
Highlights of the DOG 2026
- International Keynote Lectures: Prof. Anat Loewenstein (Tel Aviv) presented home OCT monitoring for neovascular AMD; Prof. Yannick Le Mer (Paris) shared results from the PRIMA retinal implant trial and Prof. Heinrich Heimann (Liverpool) outlined digital ophthalmology workflows that are already commonplace in the UK.
- Albrecht von Graefe Medal: The DOG’s highest honour, awarded every ten years, was presented to Prof. Alan C. Bird (London) in recognition of his extraordinary contributions to ophthalmology.
- International focus sessions: The congress introduced “Focus Sessions”, which were co-curated with European subspecialty societies. There was also live English translation in seven major auditoria to broaden access.
- Award ceremonies at the DOG Forum: Held in Hall 1 of the DOG Forum, the award ceremonies were a highlight for many. Attendees celebrated the winners of the poster prizes, as well as the recipients of the “Dr Rolf Grewe Best Abstract Award” and the “DOG PURA Award”, which honours innovative ideas that promote sustainability in ophthalmology.
Social program
The social program also attracted considerable interest, with 138 runners taking part in the EyeRun organised by the Stiftung Auge, which recorded its highest number of participants to date. The charity concert ‘DOG in Concert’ took place for the first time at the Mendelssohn Remise in Berlin.
Overall, DOG 2026 offered an extensive scientific program featuring 1,371 presentations, as well as numerous symposia, courses, workshops and international sessions. DOG 2026 also marked the end of Professor Lars-Olof Hattenbach’s presidency. Professor Anja Eckstein assumed office as the new president.
Video DOG 2026
On-Demand Access: Congress attendees can access a wide range of content via the DOG on Demand streaming platform until March 2026.
See pictures from each day of the congress here (members only).
Explore this year’s award winners gallery.
