The UK's premier one-day online CPD webinar for ophthalmologists and trainees. Expert-led sessions spanning surgical technique, patient safety, anaesthesia, and microsurgical skills — all from the comfort of your screen.
The Eye Surgery Masterclass (ESM) has been running annually since its inaugural event in 2019. Founded by Mr Akash Raj, Consultant Ophthalmologist and Glaucoma Lead at Russells Hall Hospital, Dudley, ESM brings together the UK's most respected ophthalmic surgeons and educators for a single intensive day of learning.
Whether you are a senior trainee looking to sharpen technique, a newly appointed consultant seeking CPD, or an experienced surgeon wanting to stay current with best practices — ESM is designed to meet you where you are and take you further.
The philosophy is simple: marginal gains across every aspect of surgical practice — from mindset and non-technical skills, through anaesthesia optimisation, to hands-on surgical technique and complication management — compound into exceptional outcomes for your patients.
The event is fully online and pre-approved for over 7.5 CPD points by the Royal College of Ophthalmologists.
Over 7.5 CPD points pre-approved by the Royal College of Ophthalmologists — fully valid for your annual CPD requirements.
Attend from anywhere. No hotels, no travel costs, no time away from home. Full access from your laptop or tablet.
Speakers include consultants from Moorfields Eye Hospital, Birmingham & Midland Eye Centre, UCL, and international experts.
This is a formally approved CPD event. We strongly encourage attendees to apply for study leave in advance to secure the day.
From cataract biometry to glaucoma surgery, oculoplastics to VR — all in one focused day.
ESM covers the full breadth of ophthalmic surgery across four core session blocks, each taught by subspecialty experts.
Understand the cognitive and psychological foundations of surgical excellence. Discover how mindset, visualisation and marginal gains philosophy transform operative performance.
Non-Technical Skills for Surgeons (NOTSS), human factors, situational awareness, WHO surgical checklists, and what aviation can teach ophthalmologists about cockpit-to-theatre safety culture.
Best practices for ophthalmic anaesthesia — local, topical and general. How to work with your anaesthetic team to minimise risk and maximise patient comfort.
High-volume list organisation, biometry and refractive outcomes, cataract in glaucoma patients, face-up surgery, PC tear management, and reducing complication rates.
Best practices in trabeculectomy and tube surgery, cataract-glaucoma combined cases, and navigating complex surgical decisions in advanced glaucoma.
RCOphth microsurgical skills framework, simulated ocular surgery (SOS), home practice techniques, and how to maintain and develop your surgical dexterity throughout your career.
What every eye surgeon must know about consent, duty of candour, documentation, and protecting yourself and your patients in an increasingly litigious environment.
Recognising and managing surgical complications under pressure. The "9 Red Flags" framework and strategies for reducing adverse outcomes in eye surgery.
Elite performance psychology applied to surgery — visualisation techniques used by Olympic athletes and how they translate directly to the operating microscope.
ESM is deliberately designed to be valuable whether you are just starting your surgical training or are an established consultant looking to refine your practice.
Build core surgical knowledge, understand best practice frameworks, and develop the mindset and technical skills that will define your career. Essential grounding for the FRCOphth surgical exam and beyond.
Consolidate your surgical repertoire, learn from colleagues across subspecialties, and gain exposure to the broader landscape of eye surgery in a single focused day.
Stay current with evolving techniques and best practices. Earn your CPD points efficiently whilst reconnecting with the joy of surgical learning in an inspiring educational environment.
UK ophthalmology training standards explained and demonstrated by the very consultants who helped shape them. Ideal for IMGs and overseas-trained surgeons building their UK practice.
Friday 26th June 2026 · Online Webinar · 9:00 AM – 6:00 PM
Friday 26th June 2026 · Online · Over 7.5 CPD Points · RCOphth Approved
📋 Please apply for study leave now — this is a formally approved CPD event. We recommend notifying your department as early as possible to guarantee the day off.
Eye Surgery Masterclass · 2019 to present
The Eye Surgery Masterclass has been running since 2019. Browse each year's programme below to see how the course has evolved over time.
| Time | Topic | Speaker |
|---|---|---|
| Introductory Session | ||
| 9:00–9:30 | Introduction & Overview & Surgical Talent | Mr Akash Raj |
| 9:30–10:00 | Traits of an Eye Surgeon: Mind, Eyes, Hands and Other Essentials | Prof. Peter Shah |
| 10:00–10:30 | NOTSS: Non-Technical Skills for Surgeons | Dr Uttam Shiralkar |
| 10:30–11:00 | Optimizing Anaesthesia for Eye Surgeries | Dr Richard Pierson |
| Surgical Skills | ||
| 11:20–11:50 | Essential Cataract Surgical Skills & Marginal Gains in Cataract Surgery | Mr Akash Raj |
| 11:50–12:20 | Essential Corneal Surgical Skills | Mr Mike Quinlan |
| 12:20–12:50 | Essential VR Surgical Skills | Mr Kim Son Lett |
| Subspecialty Sessions | ||
| 13:40–14:10 | Essential Paediatric Ophthalmology Surgical Skills | Mr John Barry |
| 14:10–14:40 | Essential Oculoplasty Surgical Skills | Mr David Cheung |
| 14:40–15:20 | Essential Trabeculectomy & Tube Surgical Skills | Mr Keith Barton |
| 15:20–15:40 | Essential MIGS (Minimally Invasive Glaucoma Surgery) Skills | Mr Imran Masood |
| Microsurgical Skills & Closing | ||
| 16:00–16:30 | Microsurgical Skills & RCOphth & Other Resources | Mr Larry Benjamin |
| 16:30–17:00 | SOS (Simulated Ocular Surgery) & What Can You Do at Home | Mr Larry Benjamin |
| 17:00–17:30 | How to Reduce Complications from Eye Surgery | Mr Keith Barton |
| 17:30–18:00 | Putting It All Together: Journey from Good to Great — Closure | Mr Akash Raj |
| Time | Topic | Speaker |
|---|---|---|
| Introductory Session | ||
| 9:00–9:30 | Introduction & Overview & Surgical Talent | Mr Akash Raj |
| 9:30–9:45 | Traits of an Eye Surgeon: Mind, Eyes, Hands and Other Essentials | Mr Faizan Elahi |
| 9:45–10:15 | Why Do Patients Lose Sight From Eye Surgery? | Mr Keith Barton |
| 10:15–10:45 | Optimizing Anaesthesia for Eye Surgeries | Dr Richard Pierson |
| Safety at the Sharp End | ||
| 11:20–11:50 | Use of Imagery / Visualization in Sports & How Can It Help in Eye Surgery? | Dr Jennifer Cumming |
| 11:50–12:10 | NOTSS: Non-Technical Skills for Surgeons | Dr Uttam Shiralkar |
| 12:10–12:30 | Human Factors & Situational Awareness in Eye Surgery | Dr Nicola Calthorpe |
| 12:30–13:15 | From Cockpit to Operating Theatre: What Can Eye Surgeons Learn from Pilots? | Capt David & Jamie Chubb |
| All About Cataracts | ||
| 14:00–14:25 | High Volume Cataract List Using Mydrane | Mr Chetan K Patel |
| 14:25–14:50 | Biometry & Refractive Cataract Surgery | Mr Mike Quinlan |
| 14:50–15:15 | Cataract Surgery in Eyes with Previous Trabeculectomy | Mr Keith Barton |
| 15:15–15:40 | National Cataract Audit (NOD) | Mr Mike Burdon |
| 15:40–16:10 | Sitting Up / Face to Face Cataract Surgery | Mr Tom Eke |
| 16:10–16:40 | Management of PC Tear / Vitreous Loss During Cataract Surgery | Mr Kim Son Lett |
| Microsurgical Skills & Complications | ||
| 17:00–17:20 | Microsurgical Skills & RCOphth Resources | Mr Larry Benjamin |
| 17:20–17:45 | SOS & Home Microsurgical Skill Development | Mr Larry Benjamin |
| 17:45–18:15 | How to Reduce Complications During Eye Surgery | Mr Kim Son Lett |
| 18:15–18:30 | Closure — Think Like a Surgeon, Plan Like a Surgeon, Perform Like a Surgeon | Mr Akash Raj |
| Time | Topic | Speaker |
|---|---|---|
| Introductory Session | ||
| 9:00–9:30 | Introduction, Overview & Surgical Talent | Mr Akash Raj |
| 9:30–9:45 | Traits of an Eye Surgeon: Mind, Eyes, Hands and Other Essentials | Mr Akash Raj |
| 9:45–10:15 | The Surgical Checklist: Prepping for Success | Prof J S Titiyal |
| 10:15–10:45 | Medico-legal Aspects of Eye Surgery | Mr Tarun Sharma |
| Safety at the Sharp End | ||
| 11:00–11:30 | Use of Imagery & Visualization in Sports — How It Helps in Eye Surgery | Prof Jennifer Cumming |
| 11:30–12:00 | NOTSS: Non-Technical Skills for Surgeons | Dr Uttam Shiralkar |
| 12:00–12:30 | Best Anaesthetic Practices for Eye Surgeries | Mr Tom Eke |
| 12:30–12:45 | 9 Red Flags in Eye Surgery | Mr Akash Raj |
| Cataracts & Glaucoma | ||
| 13:30–14:00 | How to Set Up a High Volume Cataract List | Prof Rob Scott |
| 14:00–14:30 | Biometry & Refractive Cataract Surgery | Mr Ankur Barua |
| 14:30–15:00 | Best Practices in Trabeculectomy & Tube Surgeries | Mr Keith Barton |
| 15:00–15:30 | Cataract Surgery in Glaucoma Patients | Mr Velota Sung |
| 15:30–16:00 | Sitting Up / Face-to-Face Cataract Surgery | Mr Tom Eke |
| 16:00–16:30 | Management of PC Tear / Vitreous Loss During Cataract Surgery | Mr Arijit Maitra |
| Microsurgical Skills & Complications | ||
| 16:45–17:00 | Microsurgical Skills & RCOphth Resources | Mr Larry Benjamin |
| 17:00–17:15 | SOS & Home Microsurgical Skill Development | Mr Larry Benjamin |
| 17:15–17:45 | Complications! How to Reduce Surgical Complications | Prof J S Titiyal |
| 17:45–18:00 | Closure — Think Like a Surgeon, Plan Like a Surgeon, Excel Like a Surgeon | Mr Akash Raj |
Registration is now open for ESM 2026. Book your place here →
| Time | Topic | Speaker |
|---|---|---|
| Introductory Session | ||
| 9:00–9:30 | Introduction, Overview & Surgical Talent | Mr Akash Raj |
| 9:30–9:45 | Traits of an Eye Surgeon: Mind, Eyes, Hands and Other Essentials | Mr Akash Raj |
| 9:45–10:30 | Medico-legal Aspects of Eye Surgery | Mr Amar Alwitry |
| Safety at the Sharp End | ||
| 10:45–11:15 | Use of Imagery & Visualisation — How Can It Help in Eye Surgery? | Prof Jennifer Cumming |
| 11:15–11:45 | NOTSS: Non-Technical Skills for Surgeons | Dr Uttam Shiralkar |
| 11:45–12:15 | Best Anaesthetic Practices for Eye Surgeries | Mr Tom Eke |
| 12:15–12:45 | Preparation, Surgical & WHO Checklist | Mr Atul Bansal |
| 12:45–13:00 | 9 Red Flags | Mr Akash Raj |
| Cataracts & Glaucoma | ||
| 14:00–14:30 | Biometry & Refractive Cataract Surgery | Mr Mike Quinlan |
| 14:30–15:00 | Best Practices in Trabeculectomy & Tube Surgeries | Mr Keith Barton |
| 15:00–15:30 | Cataract Surgery in Glaucoma Patients | Mr Velota Sung |
| 15:30–16:00 | Sitting Up / Face-to-Face Cataract Surgery | Mr Tom Eke |
| Microsurgical Skills & Complications | ||
| 16:15–16:45 | Management of PC Tear / Vitreous Loss | Mr Kim Son Lett |
| 16:45–17:00 | Microsurgical Skills & RCOphth Resources | Mr Larry Benjamin |
| 17:00–17:15 | SOS & Home Microsurgical Skill Development | Mr Larry Benjamin |
| 17:15–17:45 | Complications! How to Reduce Surgical Complications | Mr Tom Eke |
| 17:45–18:00 | Closure — Think Like, Plan Like, Excel Like a Surgeon | Mr Akash Raj |
World-class ophthalmologists, surgeons and educators who make ESM exceptional
ESM has been privileged to bring together some of the UK's and world's most respected names in ophthalmology since 2019. Below is a selection of our distinguished faculty.
Course Director & Founder
Consultant Ophthalmologist and Glaucoma Lead at Russells Hall Hospital, Dudley. Graduate of AIIMS New Delhi. Fellow of the Royal College of Ophthalmologists. A pioneer of MIGS techniques in the UK and founder of the Eye Surgery Masterclass.
Consultant Ophthalmologist
Consultant Ophthalmologist and Glaucoma Specialist at Moorfields Eye Hospital, Honorary Reader at UCL Institute of Ophthalmology, and Editor-in-Chief of the British Journal of Ophthalmology. Internationally recognised leader in glaucoma surgery.
Consultant Ophthalmologist
First Chairman of the Surgical Skills Sub-committee at the RCOphth, former Senior Vice President of the College. Chair of the microsurgical skills committee at RCOphth and current President of UKISCRS. Faculty for Orbis flying eye hospital charity.
Professor & Consultant
Supra-regional Glaucoma Specialist at University Hospitals Birmingham, Visiting Professor at UCL, and Honorary Professor at University of Wolverhampton. Co-author of 5 textbooks including 'ABC of Eyes'. Founder of the Consultant Survival Skills courses.
Surgeon & Psychologist
Uniquely qualified as both a surgeon and psychiatrist, Dr Shiralkar has spent his career helping surgeons understand how psychology affects clinical outcomes. Author of award-winning books on surgical performance and cognitive coaching.
Consultant Ophthalmologist
Consultant Ophthalmologist and VR Surgeon at Birmingham & Midland Eye Centre. Director of VR and Cataract services at BMEC. Has trained 21 international fellows at fellowship level. Special interests in complex cataract and eye trauma.
Professor of Sport Psychology
Professor of Sport & Exercise Psychology, University of Birmingham. World-leading researcher in mental imagery and its applications to performance under pressure — translating elite sports psychology directly to surgical settings.
Consultant Ophthalmologist
Trained at Sheffield University with subspecialty corneal training at Addenbrooke's Hospital, Cambridge. Appointed Consultant at Sandwell & Dudley in 2000, now at Russells Hall Hospital providing corneal and complex cataract services.
Consultant Ophthalmologist
Clinical Lead for Oculoplastics at Sandwell & Dudley since 2005, following fellowships at Leicester and Moorfields Eye Hospital. Specialist in eyelid surgery, orbital reconstruction, and non-surgical rejuvenation. Runs an educational website attracting 60,000+ annual visits.
Consultant Ophthalmologist
Consultant at BMEC and Co-Director of the Birmingham Institute for Glaucoma Research. First surgeon in the UK to use the Hydrus Schlemm's canal implant and pioneer in MIGS. Honorary Senior Clinical Lecturer at University of Birmingham.
Consultant Ophthalmologist
Consultant Ophthalmologist with extensive expertise in cataract surgery, face-up surgical techniques, and ophthalmic anaesthesia. Regular contributor to ESM on topics of patient safety, best anaesthetic practice, and complication avoidance.
Consultant Ophthalmologist
Trained at Moorfields Eye Hospital with a fellowship in Paediatric Ophthalmology. Consultant at Russell's Hall Hospital, Dudley, specialising in paediatric strabismus and ROP treatment. Actively involved in postgraduate surgical training and cadaveric courses.
The story behind the Eye Surgery Masterclass
Mr Akash Raj is a full-time NHS Consultant Ophthalmologist with over 25 years of experience in ophthalmology. He leads the glaucoma team at Russells Hall Hospital, Dudley, and holds specialist expertise in glaucoma surgery, cataract surgery, and corneal disease.
A graduate of the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS, New Delhi) — one of the world's most prestigious medical institutions — Mr Raj completed his postgraduate training in India before relocating to the UK, where he has held senior positions across Birmingham, Dudley, and the West Midlands. He is dual-trained in glaucoma (Senior Fellowship, BMEC) and cornea (Fellowship, Newcastle upon Tyne).
Mr Raj is one of the early pioneers of Minimally Invasive Glaucoma Surgery (MIGS) in the UK and is among a select group of consultants nationally offering MDLT and PSLT laser treatments. He holds fellowship and full membership of all UK Royal Colleges awarding ophthalmology degrees.
A passionate educator, Mr Raj has spoken nationally and internationally on topics including marginal gains in surgery, glaucoma management, and surgical performance. He believes that combining mindset, technical precision, and evidence-based practice transforms patient outcomes — a philosophy that underpins every edition of the Eye Surgery Masterclass.
He founded the Eye Surgery Masterclass in 2019 out of a commitment to raising the standard of ophthalmic surgical education across the UK. What began as a single-day in-person event in Birmingham has grown into an established annual online CPD meeting, attracting ophthalmologists and trainees from across the country.
From a single inaugural event in Birmingham to a nationally attended annual webinar — the journey of ESM.
Friday 26th June 2026 · Online · 7.5+ CPD Points · RCOphth Approved
📋 Please apply for study leave early — this is a formally approved CPD event. Save the date: Friday 26th June 2026.