Haag-Streit announces “Slit Lamp Imaging Competition 2024” winners

The results of Haag-Streit's “Slit Lamp Imaging Competition 2024” are now in, and we're excited to share them.

Utpal Sarkar, from Disha Eye Hospitals, India, was the competition’s overall winner of the imaging category. The image, taken on the BX 900 slit lamp, displays an iris cyst in vitreous cavity. Utpal wins a Sony Alpha 7CII 28-60mm Kit. The image will also be showcased in a leading ophthalmic journal.

Marc Müller, of Saarland University Eye Clinic, Germany, takes the runner-up position, with an image that shows conjunctival intraepithelial neoplasia with secondary vascularized pannus. Marc wins an iPad Pro.

Seraina Tanno, from Lucerne Cantonal Hospital, Switzerland, achieved third place, with an image of an iris defect – aniridia lens. Seraina wins a Peak Design camera backpack.

Ostap Horobiuk, Naykrashchyi Zir Ophthalmic Center, Ukraine, was the overall winner of the video category for an entry which displays neovascular glaucoma. Ostap wins a Sony Alpha 7CII 28-60mm Kit.

Now in its sixth year, the competition attracted hundreds of submissions from a growing number of locations worldwide, with entries from USA, UEA, UK, China, South Korea, Brazil, and Australia among the 23 countries represented.

The competition was judged by Marc Curchod, professional photographer, Jesús Conejero, ophthalmologist, and Frank Wenger and Jacqui Kenyon – Product Managers for Haag-Streit. All submissions were scored on image quality, technical execution, and disease interest.

The shortlisted images (in non-ranked order) are as follows:

  • Angela Chappell, Flinders Medical Centre, Australia: Redo penetrating keratoplasty post blunt trauma with silicone oil retention sutures
  • Angela Chappell, Flinders Medical Centre, Australia: Keratoconus – apical scar
  • Jimi Meijer, Radboud UMC, Netherlands: Cataracta rubra
  • Steven Hay, Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates: Reticular epithelial corneal edema
  • Rob Hancock, Wirral University Teaching Hospitals, United Kingdom: Iris flocculus
  • Rob Hancock, Wirral University Teaching Hospitals, United Kingdom: Trabecular meshwork pigmentation
  • Judith Gulian, University of Michigan Kellogg Eye Center, USA: Corneal pigmentation.

Many of the winning images were taken on the Haag-Streit BX 900 slit lamp, known as “the photographer’s slit lamp” for its powerful xenon flash and mirror housing to ensure optimum light in ophthalmic imaging situations. 

Juror Frank Wenger commented: “On behalf of Haag-Streit, we are delighted to see the global community of ophthalmic imaging enthusiasts come together once again to demonstrate the artistic possibilities of the slit lamp. We thank all this year’s entrants for their efforts and extend our warm congratulations to our winners. Keep up the great work!”

For more information, and to see the top three images, visit Haag-Streit's meet the winners page. To download high-resolution images of all top ten images, please visit Haag-Streit's Wallpaper Collection page.