BIOS Conference & AGM 2026
Overview
The BIOS Conference, to be held at the Radisson Blu hotel in Glasgow on Thursday 18th and Friday 19th June 2026, promises to be a fantastic couple of days in this exciting and vibrant city.
The Conference will cover a range of topics, from core orthoptics to the latest innovations in eye care. On both days there will be multiple opportunities to interact with fellow orthoptists and professionals across the eye care sector, through case discussion presentations, panel discussions and social activities, giving delegates the opportunity to share knowledge, learning and experience.
We are delighted to say this year’s Gail Stephenson Lecture will be presented by Dr Jignasa Mehta, Senior Lecturer & Professional Lead at University of Liverpool.
Day 1 – Collaboration & Celebration
- Inaugural Multidisciplinary Day: BIOS, SPROGS (Scottish Paediatric Regional Ophthalmologists' Group), NES Optometry, and Clinical & Academic Leads come together to showcase the latest innovations in eye care.
- Evening social: BIOS Annual Awards & Celebration Dinner (Download the menu here)
Day 2 – Clinical Focus
- A day in-depth presentations and discussion of Strabismus, Binocular Vision and more.
The BIOS Conference 2026 guarantees to be a bustling, high-energy, stimulating meeting, where we can all share our knowledge and experience. We cannot wait to welcome you to Glasgow!
Tickets
A variety of ticket options are available for the event, covering both Members and Non-Members: 2-day tickets covering the whole event and including the Awards Dinner, or Single day tickets that you can then add the Awards Dinner to if you wish to attend on the Thursday evening. All tickets include lunch and refreshments during the day **Please note that if you are wishing to book a Non-Member Support Workforce/Student ticket then please contact the BIOS office directly at bios@orthoptics.org.uk or 0121 728 5633 **
Tickets will be available for purchase until 9th June 2026.
Venue information
Radisson Blu Hotel, 301 Argyle Street, Glasgow, G2 8DL is located in the heart of the city beside the Central railway station and is about 9 miles from the airport. There is a discount code of 'BIOS' that delegates can use to get accommodation at the venue for £175 single occupancy bed & breakfast per night, but there are limited rooms at this rate so please bear this in mind!
Ticket Details
| Member tickets | Early bird price | Full price (from 1st May onwards) | ||
| 2 day ticket (with dinner) | £165 | £235 | ||
| Day 1 (with dinner) | £100 | £135 | ||
| Day 2 (with dinner) | £100 | £135 | ||
| Day 1 (without dinner) | £65 | £100 | ||
| Day 2 (without dinner) | £65 | £100 | ||
| Option to add dinner to a Day ticket | £35 | £35 | ||
| Non-member tickets | ||||
| 2 day ticket (with dinner) | £315 | £455 | ||
| Day 1 (with dinner) | £185 | £255 | ||
| Day 2 (with dinner) | £185 | £255 | ||
| Day 1 (without dinner) | £130 | £200 | ||
| Day 2 (without dinner) | £130 | £200 | ||
| Option to add dinner to a day ticket | £55 | £55 | ||
| Support worker/Student ticket - Member | Set price | |||
| 2 day ticket (with dinner) | £115 | |||
| Day 1 (with dinner) | £75 | |||
| Day 2 (with dinner) | £75 | |||
| Day 1 (without dinner) | £40 | |||
| Day 2 (without dinner) | £40 | |||
| Option to add dinner to a day ticket | £35 | |||
| Support worker/Student ticket - Non-Member | ||||
| 2 day ticket (with dinner) | £255 | |||
| Day 1 (with dinner) | £155 | |||
| Day 2 (with dinner) | £155 | |||
| Day 1 (without dinner) | £100 | |||
| Day 2 (without dinner) | £100 | |||
| Option to add dinner to a day ticket | £55 |
Agenda
- Craig Murray, Chair of BIOS
- Anne Wallace, AHP Education Advisor, Scottish Government
- Dr Kathy Morrison & Dr Leslie Rousselet, PSD Optometry
- Dr Jane Mackinnon, Chair of SPROGS
- Dr Stephanie Kearney, GCU: Evidence-based Myopia management: Translation Research into Practice
- Dr Alicia Thompson, ABDO: Paediatric dispensing - Fit for purpose?
- Dr Lauren Hepworth, University of Liverpool: DVLA/DVA Regulation Information specific to Vision: Exploring interpretation of visual fields
- Professor Niall Strang, GCU: Using retinal image datasets in vision research
10-minute question session
Ruth Hamilton, Clinical Scientist, Royal Hospital for Children, Glasgow: Foetal opioid spectrum disorder
Dr Christy Ambrose, Royal Hospital for Children, Glasgow: Paediatric Blurry Discs: When OCT talks, are we listening?
Quick-fire papers:
- Helen Haggerty, Improving strabismus care: A service review of an orthoptic-led paediatric squint listing clinic
- Laura Wilson, Is an Advanced Practitioner Orthoptist-led virtual service a safe and effective model for post-operative care following paediatric strabismus surgery?
- Laura Hardwick, Orthoptic practice in Thyroid Eye Disease: Current strategies and future directions
- Roddy MacEwan, Orthoptist led botox lid dystonia clinic
- Laura Wilson, The real impact of advanced practice in paediatric ophthalmology – from trainee to qualified clinician
Panel Discussion Chaired by Professor Charlotte Codina, University of Sheffield: Ways to enhance the scope of practice for all, to deliver cost-effective, safe care, fit for the future.
- Mr Nadeem Ali, Neuro-Ophthalmologist and Strabismus Surgeon: Strabismus: complex cases, basic concepts
- Dr Daniela Balslev, Department of Psychology and Neuroscience University of St Andrews: The Role of Oculoproprioception in the Neural Control of Ocular alignment: Understanding Disease Mechanisms in Strabismus
- Dr Kritka Lohia, Department of Psychology and Neuroscience University of St Andrews: Assessment of Stereopsis: Traditional and Digital approaches
- CVI-SIM –Enhancing Communication About Cerebral Visual Impairment for Patients and Families
- Dr Andrew Blaikie, Consultant Ophthalmologist /Senior Lecturer
- Helen St Clair Tracy, CVI Scotland, Honorary Teaching Fellow at School of Medicine, University of St Andrews
Trainee Ophthalmology presentations chaired by Dr Jane MacKinnon, Chair of SPROGS
Trainee free paper winner announcement
- Dr India Midwinter, NHS Highland: An unsual ophthalmic presentation of a challenging diagnosis
- Dr Ojasvi Sharma, University Hospital Hairmyres: Same treatment, different outcomes: A tale of two Aetiologies of paediatric choroidal neovascularisation
- Dr Zahra Pasdar, Royal Hospital for Sick Children Glasgow: When diet impacts vision: Uncovering a hidden cause of vision loss in the paediatric patient
- Dr Omkaar Sivanesan, Ninewells Hospital, Dundee: Calm on the surface, trapped beneath
Fiona Anderson, Master of the Worshipful Company of Spectacle Makers
SPROG members only
Welcome drinks followed by the Annual BIOS Award Dinner
All delegates welcome who have purchased tickets in advance from the BIOS website.
- Dr Jennifer Skillen, BIOS Trustee for Scotland
- Claudine Wallace, Programme Lead GCU
- Dr Jignasa Metha, University of Liverpool: Title TBC
- Cheralynn Saunders, A qualitative analysis of parents' awareness and understanding of children’s eyecare needs and the availability of eye health services in the UK
- Abigail Bridge, Visual Impairment Screening Assessment + tool: Evaluation of feasibility and acceptability
- Fatima Desai, Virtual vision, real outcomes: Evaluating the paediatric diagnostic virtual clinic
- Kate Taylor, Use of telephone consultations in monitoring micro-vascular nerve palsies
- Rebecca McCracken, Reducing training burden in special schools through a co-designed vision awareness programme
Q&A with all presenters
- Bowen Zhang, University of Sheffield: Speed and accuracy decreases under simulated diplopia and simulated monocular conditions, in a touchscreen-based task
- Laura Goldie, GCU: The use of compensatory eye movements in rehabilitating homonymous hemianopias in stroke patients
- Kim-Ly Weaver, University of Liverpool: Are ocular cranial nerve palsies associated with an increased subsequent stroke risk?
- Sameen Quereshi, University of Liverpool: A systematic review - Seesaw Nystagmus
- Zeen Muhamad, University of Sheffield: Investigating undergraduate orthoptic students' perception of belonging during clinical placement
Q&A with all presenters
- Michelle Murray, (BIOS Strategic Programmes and Business Development Lead): NHSE, Other projects and Business Development Update
- Craig Murray, (BIOS Chair): Professional Development Framework Evaluation
- Laura Haslam (Apprenticeship Programme Lead, University of Sheffield) and Sue Elliott (BIOS Project Lead): Implementation of BSc Orthoptic Degree Apprenticeship
- Dr Cath Jukes, BIOS Project Lead: Equal Sight - Identifying gaps and shaping future vision screening
Members only
(Networking, poster and exhibitor session for non-members)
- Dr Lauren Hepworth, University of Liverpool
- Dr Vijay Tailor-Hamblin, Developing a pathway for early-onset and progressive myopia in young children
- Catherine Meylan, Loss of near binocular control following DIMS lens wear in paediatric myopia management
- Claire Critchley, Functional Vision Loss: The Role of the Orthoptist
- Morag McGillivray, Congenital Myasthenic Syndrome - A one in a million case study
- Garth Johnston, Orthoptics & Maxillofacial: Joint Blunt Trauma Clinic
- Liz Tomlin, neos - A new era in oculometrics
Q&A with all presenters
- Craig Murray, Chair of BIOS