DECEMBER 2023 | EYEWORLD | 11
with inadequate ophthalmologist-to-popula-
tion ratios. Having a single ophthalmologist
per million people is all too common, and the
imbalance perpetuates the growth of blindness.
Investing in local training and nurturing the
next generation of surgeons amplifies your im-
pact exponentially as every graduate becomes
a force multiplier, radiating change across their
careers.
Our role in global ophthalmology is about
more than just being surgeons; it's about being
mentors, partners, and collaborators. Start in
your own backyard, approach partnerships
with humility, and leave a lasting impact on
our partner communities. By sharing our skills,
fostering training, and magnifying our impact,
we can illuminate a brighter future for global
eye health. I look forward to the day when I can
pass the most difficult cases to one of the young
eye surgeons just starting on their path to global
ophthalmology.
Teach a man to fish
The statistics are daunting: 20 million individ-
uals blinded by cataracts. Given the confluence
of an aging demographic and the scarcity of
global eye surgeons, this figure is projected to
more than double by 2050. As surgeons, our
instinct might be to view this problem through
a simplistic lens—after all, we have the tools to
rectify cataract blindness. Yet the solution de-
mands more than just our surgical interventions
in distant lands.
Skills exchange is a powerful force multipli-
er. Our partners, deeply rooted in their com-
munities, can uplift the quality of care for their
patients year-round. By mutually exchanging
techniques and knowledge, we empower them
to optimize patient care well beyond our time
together, improving the outcomes of all their
future patients.
Even more impactful is partnering with
or establishing local training programs. Cata-
ract blindness perfectly overlays with regions
continued from page 3
AnnualMeeting.ASCRS.org
Registration and hotel reservations for
the ASCRS Annual Meeting
in Boston, Massachuses, are open!
REGISTER
AND BOOK
YOUR HOTEL
