Eyeworld

28 | EYEWORLD | DECEMBER 2020 ASCRS NEWS ASCRS? It reminded me of a conversation I had with Dr. Robert Machemer when I was a young sales rep. He was completing a complex retinal detachment that took several hours but ended with the retina completely flat. I asked him, "How do you define a success- ful outcome in such a difficult case?" He turned to me and said, "Steve, it's all about perspective. I can show you a picture of a beautiful orange sky with the sun low on the horizon. You may think 'What a beautiful sunset.' But then I tell you it is actually a sunrise. Are you disappoint- ed? I don't think so. It is just that your perspec- tive has changed." I took a second look at that gorgeous sky, and I felt completely different. 2020 has certainly changed my perspective. It has taught me a lot about the definition of success, and it has given me such tremendous appreciation for resilience. I look to 2021 with as much anticipation as any year I can remember. We will still have mul- tiple challenges lying in wait. But now I look to them almost with a sense of anticipation. I am certain our first principles of hope and enjoy- ment will follow close behind. medical society has faced the same challenges, but not all societies have survived. The pri- mary reasons we survive come from the value our members place on this organization. Your engagement. Your contributions. Your member- ship dues. Your attendance at virtual programs like the Annual Meeting and 20/Happy. This engagement is the reason we move forward. There are many intangibles that keep us strong as well. The contributions in time and effort our volunteer leaders give to ASCRS. The deep dedication to education of our Clinical Committee chairs and committee members. The countless hours put in by our Journal of Cata- ract & Refractive Surgery editors and editorial staff. Weekly and monthly late evening calls among the Government Relations Committee, the Young Eye Surgeons Committee, and other ad hoc efforts that are rarely visible to ASCRS members. It is these volunteers that serve as the heartbeat of this organization, keeping it viable, relevant, and growing. I would be ungrateful if I did not highlight the financial support our all-important industry partners provide to ASCRS. Oftentimes these companies have no guarantee of a return on investment, but they step up and do what they can to allow us to broaden our education- al footprint. They support sponsored events and provide educational grants that ensure free-flowing and unbiased discussion, which is peer-reviewed. They are loyal to ophthalmology and to ASCRS. In July, I packed up my office in Fairfax, Virginia. It was well into the summer evening as I filtered items for storage, personal keepsakes, and the recycling bin. We had just made some tough financial choices, and closing the physical office felt in some way to be a failure, despite the objective rational knowledge that this deci- sion was lifting a huge financial burden off the organization. As I finished up, I saw the most beautiful sunset across the horizon of the Virginia coun- tryside. A sense of melancholy enveloped me. Was this not a sign that the sun was setting on continued from page 26 "2020 has certainly changed my perspective. It has taught me a lot about the definition of success, and it has given me such tremendous appreciation for resilience."

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