[1] Dr. Évariste Warlomont, who was Editor-in-chief of the French optometry journal Annales d'oculistique and later Director of the Ophthalmic Institute, first suggested and carried into effect the idea of an Ophthalmological Congress.

[2] A call to ophthalmologists and physicians interested in the field was issued on January 15, 1857, by an organizing committee formed by the editorial board of Annales d'oculistique to plan a special ophthalmology congress.

The Vienna Committee, led by Frédéric Jules Sichel, with Dr. Félix Giraud-Teulon and Dr. Louis de Wecker, postponed the Congress due to political unrest during the Unification of Germany and moved it to Paris, France.

[2] At the end of the London session, a provisional committee of New Yorkers Dr. Cornelius Rea Agnew, Dr. Henry Drury Noyes, and Dr. Daniel Bennett St. John Roosa were selected to organize the next International Congress.

Noye's committee of choice for the next Congress in Milan, Italy included Dr. Hansen of Copenhagen, Prof. Becker of Heidleberg, and Prof. Arlt of Vienna.

The 1894 International Ophthalmological Congress, led by President Douglas Argyll Robertson, included Sir Henry Rosborough Swanzy of Dublin and Mr. Power of London as vice-presidents, and Dr. George A. Berry as General Secretary.