Eyeworld

14 | EYEWORLD | SUMMER 2025 ASCRS NEWS Contact info@ascrsfoundation.org and what I'm charging for a retinal detachment repair from an uninsured patient. It's just based on the ability to pay. A lot of it is getting out in the public with the messaging and saying it's not in conflict with doing charitable care to also have a premium model that generates a lot of money, and that's part of what subsidizes this." Congratulations to Dr. Shakir on being named this year's Operation Sight Volunteer of the Year, and thank you to Sight Sciences, this year's sponsor of the award. Party for a Purpose raises money for ASCRS Foundation The ASCRS ASOA Party for a Purpose took place on April 25, and Hollywood glitz and glam were on full display. Donations from the event bene- fited the ASCRS Foundation. The ASCRS Foundation raised more than $180,000, a record amount, and would like to extend a special thank you to everyone who vot- ed for their favorite teams. The ASCRS Founda- tion would also like to thank iOR Partners for their generous $35,000 match donation. Finally, the Foundation would like to thank the teams who participated in this year's event, showcas- ing their chosen movies with amazing costumes, music, dancing, and more. Visit EyeWorldOnsite.org to see photos from the event. ASCRS Foundation hosts symposium at Annual Meeting The ASCRS Foundation symposium, during the 2025 Annual Meeting, provided attendees with a comprehensive approach to ophthalmic care in areas of humanitarian crises. Discussion included unique challenges faced by practi- tioners in these environments and the need for all international volunteers to be aware of safe practices and protocols to keep patients and team members safe. Topics included identifying risks, understanding leadership responsibilities, and determining best practices. Surgical inter- ventions, telemedicine applications, team safety, strategies for triaging care, and maintaining professional leadership in challenging environ- ments were also covered. The ASCRS Foundation would like to thank Johnson & Johnson Vision for sponsoring the symposium. good relationships with many companies, noting that it's important for industry to be a part of the solution as well to get these patients care. "We've formed great partnerships with industry, and we get lenses and viscoelastic, everything we need for a charity case," he said. Dr. Shakir got involved with the ASCRS Foundation and Operation Sight when ASCRS Foundation Program Manager & Communica- tions Liaison Sarah Duval reached out to him, and he said he was more than happy to help with cataract cases. "One of the patients she sent us needed retina surgery combined with the cataract, and we were able to do all of that together." Dr. Shakir said he was always disappointed that he didn't have the chance to participate in international mission trips because the timing wasn't right, but he's happy to be involved in charity work in his own community. "Domes- tically, there's plenty of work to be done here, so that's filled the void of not being able to go internationally. For anyone who's thinking about this and can't see themselves going on a mission trip, there are plenty of people domes- tically who need care," he said. "In your local community, you will find people who are lost in the system because everyone has sort of kicked them around, and they've been demoralized. They don't think they can get access to care. Once you put it out there, it only takes a few calls to some primary care offices saying if you have patients who show up needing eyecare, we'll see them. Make it part of your career that you do pro bono work as a certain percentage of your cases. It boosts morale all around. All of our staff in the clinic also serve on the operat- ing room side, so to watch them be a part of the process and see these people get taken care of shows that we're in it for the right reasons. We're not just doing this as a premium model." Dr. Shakir said his staff helps get the word out in the community that the practice is more than willing to help anyone who needs eyecare. It is met with some controversy, Dr. Shakir said. "You have to develop thick skin. I devel- oped that straight out of fellowship wanting to do both retina and cataract surgery," he said. "There have been situations where patients have shown the willingness and ability to pay but they didn't have insurance, so we have cash prices set. I've had criticism from people who don't know enough about me and my practice continued from page 13

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