EyeMatics Consortium Meeting in Münster

On June 11–12, 2026, the second consortium meeting of the EyeMatics research network took place in Münster, Germany. The project aims to sustainably improve research and patient care in ophthalmology through interoperable medical informatics and to establish a cross-site, data-driven research infrastructure.

The meeting focused on exchanging updates on the current project status and presenting initial results from the participating sites in Münster, Aachen, Tübingen, Greifswald, Leipzig, Chemnitz, Mainz, and Dresden. Among the topics presented were a project-specific data exchange format, intended to serve as the foundation for a future national standard within Germany’s Medical Informatics Initiative, as well as the prototype development of a research data infrastructure that has already enabled pilot data exchanges between participating sites. Additional progress included the development and initial implementation of Patient-Reported Outcome Measures (PROMs), as well as first results from data harmonization activities and preliminary analyses.

The University Hospital Dresden contributes particular expertise to the development of interoperable data standards for ophthalmology, thereby helping to establish the foundation for cross-site data exchange.

In addition to the achievements reported, key challenges were discussed, particularly regarding cross-sector data exchange, structured data collection and harmonization, as well as organizational and regulatory requirements.

The meeting also provided an opportunity for exchange with the patient advocacy organization PRO RETINA Deutschland e. V.. The discussion once again highlighted that all technical and organizational developments are ultimately aimed at sustainably improving patient care. The active involvement of affected individuals remains a central component of the project.

The meeting demonstrated the close collaboration among consortium partners in advancing a shared research data foundation for ophthalmology.