It is with great pleasure that we welcome you to Vision 2017 , the 12th International Conference by the International Society for Low Vision Research and Rehabilitation (ISLRR) to be held from the 25th – 29th June 2017 in The Hague – The Netherlands.

The congress theme will be Low vision rehabilitation, a global right

Many Dutch and international stakeholders have committed themselves to Vision 2017 . These include the department of Ophthalmology and Low Vision Research of the VU University Medical Center in Amsterdam and the academic scientific community, the three Dutch rehabilitation organizations Royal Dutch Visio, Bartiméus, the Robert Coppes Foundation and Blindenzorg Licht & Liefde from Belgium. In addition to the International Society (ISLRR), also the European Society for Low Vision Research and Rehabilitation (ESLRR), the Dutch Society for Low Vision Rehabilitation (VRS), Vision 2020 the Netherlands, the Dutch Society of Optometrists, and Dedicon on behalf of the Daisy Consortium are organizing partners. Furthermore, the Dutch Society of Ophthalmologists and the Netherlands Organization for Health Research and Development (ZonMw) – Insight Society are supporters of Vision 2017.

We feel that the Netherlands is the perfect venue for this important meeting and that the Dutch low vision community will be prepared to impress their international colleagues with fantastic hospitality and first class facilities.

International conferences on low vision research and rehabilitation bring together clinicians, scientists, and advocates who share a common purpose: improving outcomes for people living with visual impairment. Such gatherings create space for cross-disciplinary dialogue, where ophthalmology, optometry, rehabilitation practice, and patient experience meet. The shared theme of access and inclusion tends to guide plenary discussions, ensuring that scientific rigour is always connected to the everyday realities of those who rely on vision rehabilitation services across diverse health and social systems.

Successful congresses are shaped by organising committees, scientific boards, and a wide network of partners. Academic departments, rehabilitation organisations, and advocacy foundations typically contribute to programme design, abstract review, and the selection of invited speakers. Their combined expertise ensures that conference sessions reflect current evidence, emerging practice, and ongoing debates within the international low vision community, while also encouraging submissions from early-career researchers and practitioners working in varied care settings.

Abstract submission and peer review form the backbone of any scientific programme. Researchers are usually invited to share findings on assessment methods, assistive devices, service delivery models, and outcomes-oriented rehabilitation approaches. A well-structured call for abstracts, with clear themes and transparent review processes, helps shape balanced oral and poster sessions, enabling delegates to engage with work that spans laboratory science, clinical innovation, and community-level programme development across regions and resource settings.

Beyond the scientific programme, conferences offer opportunities for recognition through awards, grants, and travel support. Such initiatives acknowledge contributions ranging from lifetime achievement to outstanding early-career research. Awards and bursaries also help broaden participation by enabling delegates from less resourced contexts to attend, strengthening the global exchange of ideas. For many attendees, these forms of recognition carry both professional meaning and a renewed sense of shared purpose within the rehabilitation community.

Registration, venue selection, and hospitality shape the practical experience of every delegate. Organisers typically aim for accessible venues with appropriate lighting, seating, and wayfinding, alongside comfortable housing options and clear travel information. Thoughtful logistical planning allows attendees to focus on learning and networking rather than administrative concerns, and contributes to an atmosphere in which scientific exchange, professional collaboration, and informal conversation are equally valued.

Sponsorship and partnerships play an essential role in sustaining international meetings. Support from professional societies, research organisations, service providers, and industry allies enables scholarships, exhibition spaces, and high-profile sessions. Transparent acknowledgement of supporters reflects the collaborative nature of the field, recognising that advances in low vision rehabilitation depend on sustained cooperation between clinicians, researchers, educators, technology developers, and the organisations representing people with visual impairment themselves.

Finally, the broader impact of a conference often extends well beyond its closing session. Connections made in exhibition halls, coffee queues, and poster sessions frequently grow into long-running research collaborations, clinical pilots, and policy initiatives. Many delegates also describe a renewed sense of motivation after engaging with peers who share their concerns and hopes. In this way, an international gathering on vision rehabilitation functions as both a scientific meeting and a reaffirmation of a shared professional community.