Eyeworld

10 | EYEWORLD | DECEMBER 2021 ASCRS NEWS Contact Bell: dbell@ascrs.org by Don Bell ASCRS Foundation Executive Director In addition to e-learning opportunities, the ASCRS Foundation has improved communi- cation among the six programs, established a resident cataract surgical rotation at its Robert Sinskey Eye Institute in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, fostered subspecialty clinical exchanges be- tween programs, and through a generous grant from Carl Zeiss Meditec, supplied needed clini- cal equipment to each training institution. This past July saw ASCRS' return to live gatherings with the 2021 Annual Meeting in Las Vegas, Nevada. The Opening General Session featured the presentation of the ASCRS Foun- dation Chang-Crandall Humanitarian Award to Himalayan Cataract Project (HCP) co-founders Geoff Tabin, MD, and Sanduk Ruit, MD. The $100,000 prize that accompanied the award will aid HCP with their ongoing international cataract blindness initiatives. The ASCRS Foundation also presented six Young Eye Surgeon International Service Grant awards to a diverse group of high-achieving young ophthalmologists. This award was cre- ated to inspire surgeons to engage with global eyecare on a long-term basis. Working with the ASCRS Foundation and its global partners, awardees develop customized plans that pro- vide the opportunity to learn the intricacies of global eyecare efforts and participate firsthand. All of this has been possible through your support. You've enabled our many patients to experience joy, independence, and stability at a time when these things are in short supply. Thank you for your belief in the mission and for standing with us as we look with optimism to the future. To learn more about the ASCRS Foundation or to support our work, visit www.ascrsfoundation.org. Your commitment has made all the difference: A letter to our supporters "Immediately seeing my doctor's face was a great feeling, then my children came in, and I could see their faces, too. Now I am able to get around the house independently. I can do the things that I loved to do before, like cooking, reading, and even watching the news. I am very happy." —Balchisu, Operation Sight Patient N otes from Operation Sight patients like Balchisu are received by the ASCRS Foundation every day. They remind us of how critical sight is for independence and stability, and the sheer joy that comes with renewed vision. 2021 has been a time of unprecedent- ed challenge for the ASCRS Foundation. The number of needy patients applying through our Operation Sight web portal has exploded. It's not uncommon to receive 30 new applications overnight. Our team vets them all, determines eligibility, and works to place those who meet our criteria with volunteer surgeons in their local area. Nearly 1,100 free surgeries were placed during the first 10 months of 2021, and the demand shows no signs of slowing. More than 670 registered Operation Sight volunteers have now delivered more than 6,600 charitable surgeries. I hope you see yourself in Balchisu's letter. Your steadfast commitment in a time of great uncertainty illustrates ophthal- mology's resilience and willingness to share its incredible benefits with those less fortunate. Internationally, the ASCRS Foundation's focus remains infrastructure building and resi- dent training. In 2021, ASCRS Foundation grant funds purchased laptops and equipment for the six Ethiopian residency programs to enable each institution to develop, record, and distribute remote e-learning opportunities in both the wet lab and classroom settings. Nearly 40 residents took part in this year's ASCRS Foundation-organized board review course. ASCRS Foundation International Med- ical Liaison Barbara Erny, MD, led the effort to recruit instructors and livestream the lectures and to later make the content available to oth- ers via Orbis' Cybersight platform.

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