Greetings

I am honored to serve as President of the 68th Annual Meeting of the Japan Contact Lens Society, which will be held at the Takanawa Gateway Convention Center in Tokyo from May 29 (Friday) to 31 (Sunday), 2026. It is a true privilege to carry out this significant responsibility within such a long-established society. I would like to express my sincere gratitude to the Board and members of the Japan Contact Lens Society for granting me this important role.

The Takanawa Gateway Convention Center is a newly built conference venue located adjacent to the station, and has also attracted attention for its station building, designed by renowned architect Kengo Kuma. With convenient access from both Shinagawa Station and Haneda Airport, the venue is ideally situated for many delegates. We warmly invite you to join us.

The theme of this meeting is “The Infinite Possibilities of Contact Lenses - The Most Beloved Medical Device in Human History Continues to Evolve.” Contact lenses (CLs) have evolved beyond their original role of correcting visual function. Innovations have emerged in various areas, including comfort, medical applications, and integration with digital technologies. The poster design features a rainbow-colored iris along with keywords representing next-generation technologies, such as autofocus technology, accommodation-assisted, customized multifocal, extended depth of focus, drug delivery system, meta-surface, smart CLs and ultimate comfort. Together, they visually express the concept of “infinite possibilities.” We hope that this meeting will inspire reflection on these infinite possibilities and encourage new steps toward the future.

Together with the British Contact Lens Association (BCLA), we will co-host BCLA Asia 2026 in Tokyo. Many prominent researchers and clinicians will be invited from both Japan and overseas, promoting academic exchange and sharing of the latest knowledge from a global perspective. We are confident that this collaboration with the BCLA will significantly enhance the international presence of Japanese contact lens research.

For the special lecture, we are pleased to invite Prof. Yuichi Hori at Toho University, who also serves as President of the Japan Contact Lens Society. His work has been acclaimed both nationally and internationally, and he has built an extensive and influential network in the CL field. We greatly look forward to a lecture enriched by his profound insights.

Additionally, a key highlight of this meeting will be a CL hands-on seminar. In response to growing concerns about declining interest in CLs among younger generations, this session aims to equip beginners with essential skills for confidently prescribing CLs. We are pleased to welcome Dr. Hisayo Higashihara, Dr. Akiko Matsuzawa and Dr. Sayuri Ninomiya as lecturers for this initiative. This is a rare opportunity to attend such a practical seminar led by renowned lecturers. Beginners and paramedics are also welcome to attend. We look forward to your participation.

We hope that lively discussions will emerge at the symposium, where the latest research findings will be shared and explored collectively. As in previous years, a variety of educational seminars, foundational courses and orthokeratology training sessions are planned. This year, additional time has been allocated for Q&A following oral presentations to encourage deeper discussion.

We believe this meeting provides an excellent opportunity to deepen your knowledge of CLs, expand your professional network, and gain fresh inspiration for new challenges. We look forward to welcoming many of you.