Retina International World Youth Conference 2026: Post-Event Reflection

One month on from RIYC 2026, we’re reflecting back at a day of conversations, shared experiences and global connection, and moving ahead to what’s next for Retina International Youth.

On 18th September 2026, young people, advocates, researchers and community leaders came together online for the Retina International World Youth Conference 2026 (RIYC 2026). With more than 130 registrations from 34+ countries and 12 speakers across two sessions, the conference brought together voices from around the world to explore the experiences, challenges and possibilities shaping life for young people living with vision-related conditions.

Conversations that matter

Across the conference, speakers and participants explored a range of topics, including mental health, artificial intelligence (AI), assistive technology, lived experience, advocacy and the importance of community.

Dr Nabin Paudel from our team, shared preliminary findings from RI’s mental health research, highlighting the importance of understanding the emotional and psychological experiences of people living with retinal conditions. Eko Vision Foundation explored the evolving role of AI and assistive technology in accessibility and everyday life.

Both sessions also featured panel discussions that created space for honest conversations about navigating life with vision loss, finding your voice, challenging misconceptions and building confidence and community.

Together, these conversations reflected what RIYC is all about: creating a space where young people can learn from one another, share perspectives and feel less isolated in their experiences.

A huge thank you to everyone who registered, attended, asked questions and shared their experiences, as well as to all our speakers and contributors who generously shared their time, knowledge and perspectives.

What’s next for Retina International Youth?

We want to continue creating opportunities to connect, exchange ideas, share experiences and help shape future youth activities.

Building this community means listening to young people and understanding what matters to them, to you..

So if you would like to stay connected with us and get regular updates about our upcoming youth activities, then please sign up through this from – https://forms.gle/a711bo3yfAGmn4oTA

If you missed the conference or would like to revisit the conversations, you can also watch the full RIYC 2026 recording on our official YouTube channel: https://youtu.be/ojdguuCE3Bg?si=hz_VUH2262kVhmUr

The conference may be over, but the conversations and most definitely the community are just getting started.

Stay connected and help us shape what’s next!